August 28, 1963: The Civil Rights March on the National Mall

Credit: National Archives (U.S. Information Agency. Press and Publications Service.)
Who: Leaders of the Civil Rights March [from left to right: Mathew Ahmann, Executive Director of the National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice; Cleveland Robinson, Chairman of the Demonstration Committee; A. Philip Randolph, organizer of the demonstration, veteran labor leader who helped to found the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, American Federation of Labor (AFL), and a former vice president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO); Rabbi Joachim Prinz, President of the American Jewish Congress; Joseph Rauh, Jr, a Washington, DC attorney and civil rights, peace, and union activist; John Lewis, Chairman, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; and Floyd McKissick, National Chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality.]
What: Civil Rights March on the National Mall
Where: The Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC
When: August 28, 1962

Credit: National Archives (U.S. Information Agency. Press and Publications Service.)
Who: Civil Rights Marchers
What: The Civil Rights March on Washington, DC
Where: Washington, DC
When: August 28, 1963

Credit: National Archives (U.S. Information Agency. Press and Publications Service.)
Who: Roy Wilkins, Executive Secretary of the NAACP
What: Speech at the Civil Rights March
Where: Washington, DC
When: August 28, 1963

Credit: National Archives (U.S. Information Agency. Press and Publications Service.)
Who: Sydney Poitier, Harry Belafonte and Charleton Heston
What: Civil Rights March
Where: Washington, DC
When: August 28, 1963

Credit: National Archives (U.S. Information Agency. Press and Publications Service.)
Who: Civil Rights Marchers
What: Civil Rights March
Where: Washington, DC
When: August 28, 1963

Four Web site Evaluations

The University of Virginia’s “Valley of the Shadow” Web site provides a resource for Civil War historians.  The introduction page is useful in that it explains “The Valley Project” and what it actually is.  The home page is structured interestingly, providing three portals labeled “The Eve of the War,” “The War Years” and “The Aftermath.”  If you are researching on a specific topic, like the causes of the war, then it is easy to access.  I like that the navigation is set up almost like a library directory.   There are three floors, and the sections are divided up among the floors, with the site map conveniently located at the bottom.  As far as content goes, there is almost too much.  I think this sight is designed for historians who are looking for specific information or are researching a specific topic; it is almost impossible to “casually browse” the Web site. 

The History Channel’s Web site, conversely, attracts the historians from novice to expert.  It clearly is provided ultimately to promote the channel’s programs, and attract viewers.  It is a resource for almost every history topic one could think of.  The home page provides a revolving flash of featured videos and upcoming television programs, with a “Today’s Video Picks” menu on the side, providing variety everyday.  There are two navigation menus, which seems a little confusing, but at a closer glance one can see that the two provide different information.  The side navigation menu divides the Web site into three sections: channels; topics; and resources.   These sections cover the majority of the Web site’s visitors: History Channel watchers; the general public; and historians.  The top navigation system divides the Web site up more extensively, providing resources for viewers, children, teachers, the general public, shoppers, etc.  All in all, HistoryChannel.com provides a general, expansive web of information, including everything from shopping for historical non-fiction and DVDs to learning about the origins of the Crimean War.

DoHistory.org is more of an interactive, teaching Web site, differing form the previous two Web sites.  It is established to enable visitors to “explore the process of piecing together the lives of ordinary people in the past.”  The Web site uses a case study (the book and film “A Midwife’s Tale) in order to explore the process of research.  In my opinion, the best elements about this Web site are the links to other resources.  The case study provides a great example.  However, the links to other Web sites provide the most useful information, such as the Step-by-Step Guide to Oral History.  Additionally, it provides many other links to “How-to” guides.  Ultimately, it is a good starting place that is well-researched.  It provides links to accurate and comprehensive guidelines for historiographies and allows historians the tools to study history in a more creative, digital way.

The National Museums of American History’s Web site shows history in an entirely different light.  At first glance, it is obvious that artifacts and tangible items are the center stage of its historical exploration.  The Web site offers descriptions of in-house exhibitions, as well as actual on-line exhibitions, which makes the Web site more exclusive.  While promoting the museum is its primary function, the Web site also provides useful resources and plenty of historical information regarding past, current and future exhibitions.

AmericanRhetoric.com — An Evaluation

Upon opening up my browser to http://www.americanrhetoric.com, I automatically can tell it is far from a company/corporate-owned Web site.  The banner is professional, however the layout and overall “feel” to the Web site seems to me to be a bit amateur.  Certain colors (like “Top 100 Speeches” in flourescent colors) and certain fonts (like “Rhetorical Figures in Sounds” in Comic Sans) are dead give-aways. 

 Don’t get me wrong, the Web site has a plethora of information and references.  The Site navigation bar on the side pretty much covers everything and anything a scholar/historian/student would want to know about American orations throughout history.  Some navigation tools include “Top 100 Speeches,” “Speeches of 9/11,” and even a section for historians, including definitions of rhetoric, rhetoric as seen from a philosophical standpoint, and other resources one may go to learn more.

At the top, included are sections for “Top Requested Speeches” and “Speech of the Day.”  That is a great choice because I would guess that most people go to this Web site to look for a specific, probably famous, speech.  With one click, you have the text of the speech, and sometimes even a video from the event itself.   Also, the “Speech of the Day” gives the visitor a chance to “shop around” and possibly find something that they originally weren’t looking for. 

Overall, I think American Rhetoric is an efficient, resourceful Web site.  It may look a bit amateur, but it includes more than enough information needed regarding the topic.  It provides the visitor with many options.  It can be easily used by either an historian looking for a specific speech on audio, or just a curious scholar, wanting to browse and find something thay have not seen before.

Channel 4’s “The First World War”

Channel 4 (a British television network) has a site dedicated to WII, titled “The First World War.”  Right off the bat, it tells you “this site explores and dissects some of its [World War I’s] most controversial features.”  It covers such topics as controversies, biographies, combatents and more. 

 What I like most about this site is its “learn more” section.  It includes, Web sites, places to visit, links to memoirs, poetry from WWI, films, tours, interest groups, etc.  It is a great resource and enables the visitor to take what they have learned from the Web site and apply it to the outside world, such as visiting a battlefield or viewing a documentary.

PBS.org — The Great War

PBS, as always, provides a great historical resource for World War I. Their Web site “The Great War” is a catchy, informative and unique way of portraying the war on the web.  It includes a prologue, and goes on to divide the war up in two four parts.  Each of the four-part sections provides a brief overview of the time period and include audio/video links to memorable speeches and even audio from soldiers. 

 Naturally, a timeline and maps are also included in the top navigational system.  I think the coolest part about the entire site is its “historians” section.   Upon visiting it, you are introduced to several new resources: people!  The page divides topics up among the historians and provides their commentary on the subject.  It is definitely a unique addition to the study of WWI.

BBC.co.uk — World War One

The BBC’s history Web site dedicated to World War One is also a an extensive archive of historical information.  Personally, at first I found it a bit overwhelming.  The most useful resource they have would be their listing of articles written about WWI.  Additionally, it has alot of audio and video from the BBC network.  I’m assuming that the Web site is a companion to a television series about WWI. 

A very cool item on their site is a Virtual Tour section, where one can tour the trenches.  Additionally, BBC provides an additional link section at the bottom of the page, directing visitors to other useful sites.

FirstWorldWar.com — “The War to End All Wars”

I have decided to research the internet coverage of the First World War.  Upon “googling” “World War I,” one of the first Web sites that appear is the appropriately named FirstWorldWar.com.  It provides anything and everything a historian could ever need in regards to studying World War I (WWI.)  From what I can tell, the site is not managed or owned by a corporation; the simple by-line of Michael Duffy at the bottom suffices for a copyright.  It has two main menus; one taskbar at the top, and one down the right side.  Each link provides a channel to an integral part of World War I, from maps, to the Somme to audio recordings of songs, speeches and even video.  At the bottom, a nifty “Did you know” box changes (I am assuming) daily, providing the visitor with a quick factoid. 

 One of the most interesting options I found on the Web site was the encyclopedia.  I found this to be a very valuable and simple idea.  If you need to look up something specific about WWI and are not just browsing the site, you can simply click on the encylopedia link and it brings you right to an alphabetized listing of all terms, people, events, etc. related to the First World War.

Also, the “war on the web” provides the most valuable resource, I think, the Web site “First World War Links,” where I was able to find many of my other sources.

The First World War: Sources for History

The United Kingdom’s National Archives provides a great World War I history resource with their site “The First World War: Sources for History.”  It provides a look at WWI from a British standpoint, enabling visitors to further understand Britain’s involvement in the conflict.  The Web site is made up of dozens of options, including exploring service records from the war, a comprehensive explanation of all the battles and the aftermath of WWI. 

Actually, it is almost too much information.  It is a bit difficult to navigate and there is no “search” option (although there is a site map.)  Nevertheless, it is a good Web site that one can explore if one is just looking to learn more about the conflict, particularly Britain’s take and involvement.