PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Black Urban Poor, William Julius Wilson
In this 1998 FRONTLINE interview, Harvard sociologist Dr. William Julius Wilson explains why, despite an overall increase in the standard of living among African Americans, a segment of the population is falling farther and farther behind.
American Presidency Project
American Presidency Project: Veto of the Second Housing and Urban Renewal Bill
Read the text of President Eisenhower's letter to the Senate in which he lays out his reasons for vetoing a housing bill. See the specifics he gives that he feels would improve the bill and allow him to sign it.
University of Richmond
Digital Scholarship Lab: American Panorama: Renewing Inequality
For a quarter-century, the federal government provided funding for cities large and small to raze "blighted" or "slum" neighborhoods. Through these programs, cities displaced hundreds of thousands of families from their homes and...
New York Public Library
The Great Migration: Two American Tales Lesson Plan: The Immigrants' Experiences
Part of an online exhibit that describes the experiences of migrants to the cities of the United States. Two American Tales asks young scholars to compare and contrast the nearly contemporaneous experiences of European immigrants and...
American Presidency Project
American Presidency Project: Housing Amendments of 1955
Read the comments made by President Dwight D. Eisenhower upon the signing of the Housing Amendments of 1955. This act dealt with urban renewal and changes in basic housing law.
OpenStax
Open Stax: Urbanization 1870 1900: Change Reflected in Thought and Writing
American writers and intellectuals played an important role in articulating the changes taking place in Industrial America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Learn about some of the prominent writers, scientists, and philosophers at that...
Other
Columbus Museum of Art: Art and Social Issues in American Culture
Great reference tool for exploring American history and culture through artistic images. The visual images shown relate to issues Americans face today: economics, war, and race & ethnicity. Included is a teacher resource page with...
Other
American Forests
Promotes the benefits of maintaining a sustainable future for American forests. Outlines initiative to fight urban sprawl and its negative effects on the environment.
University of Richmond
American Panorama: Electing the House of Representatives 1840 2016
This excellent site maps elections from 1840-2016 showing changing patterns across regions and between urban and rural areas. It offers comprehensive data on the history of Congressional elections and users can track their own district's...
A&E Television
History.com: How Americans Became Convinced Their Halloween Candy Was Poisoned
These chilling candy poisonings might make you rethink trick-or-treating. Rumors of tainted, poisoned or otherwise murderous Halloween candy handed out to youngsters are as much a part of the Halloween tradition as costumes and sing-song...
Other
Jake Biddington/ash Can School
This is a brief definition of the Ash Can School, a group of American urban realist painters of the early 20th century.
Siteseen
Siteseen: American Historama: Urbanization in America
This article contains interesting facts and information about Urbanization in America in the late 1800s which was fueled by the Industrial Revolution and Industrialization.
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: American Explorers [Pdf]
"American Explorers" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They traveled from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean with the help of Native Americans and made maps along the way. It is followed by...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: American Explorers [Pdf]
"American Explorers" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about the Lewis and Clark Expedition from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean. Along the way they drew maps for future travels. It is followed by constructed-response questions...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My New President [Pdf]
"My New President" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about an African-American teen who learned about the government by working in Barack Obama's campaign office on Saturdays. It is followed by constructed-response questions...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My New President [Pdf]
"My New President" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about an African-American teen who learned about the government by working in Barack Obama's campaign office on Saturdays. It is followed by constructed-response questions...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The First Flag [Pdf]
"The First Flag" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about the making of the first American flag in time for the first Independence Day. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The First Flag [Pdf]
"The First Flag" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about the making of the first American flag in time for the first Independence Day. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Pilsen, a Community Changes [Pdf]
"Pilsen, A Community Changes" is a one page, nonfiction passage about the Chicago community of Pilsen which was settled by Bohemian immigrants but later became a Mexican-American community. The two groups of people worked together to...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Early Chicago Environment and People [Pdf]
"Early Chicago Environment and People" is a one page, nonfiction passage about the early Native Americans who settled in what is now Chicago. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: A Great Digger a Fable [Pdf]
"A Great Digger: A North American Fable" is a one-page fable about Benny the Badger who dug holes for all the other animals in the plains. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Gwendolyn Brooks, Poet [Pdf]
"An African American Poet" is a one page, biographical passage about Gwendolyn Brooks, a famous African American poet. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires students to provide evidence from the story; it includes...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Native Americans Potawatomi [Pdf]
"Native Americans--Potawatomi" is a one page, nonfiction, reading passage about what the prairie looked like during each of the seasons when the Potawatomi lived there. It is followed by questions which require students to provide...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Spring Is Coming [Pdf]
"Spring is Coming" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a family of settlers who had survived the winter, but needed food. Their Native American neighbors showed them onions growing and gave them new hope. It is followed by...