Books in World landmark books, W-50 series

Historian, scholar, and award-winning author Milton Meltzer outlines the struggle of African Americans for "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," starting with the landing of the first slave ships on colonial shores. How did over 300 years of slavery, segregation, and Jim Crow laws come to an end in the civil rights movement of the 1960s? What was achieved, and what are the problems still facing us today?

Author Linda Lowery chronicles the extraordinary—but little-known—life of black pioneer Aunt Clara Brown. Aunt Clara bought herself out of slavery, crossed the country on foot to reach the frontier, became a wealthy entrepreneur, aided other freed slaves, and eventually tracked down her lost daughter, sold away from Clara 47 years before. An inspiring piece of history that all Americans should know!

The book is illustrated by Douglas Gorsline. George Washington Carver (1964 - 1943), was an African American scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor. Carver's reputation is based on his research into and promotion of alternative crops to cotton, such as peanuts, soybeans, and sweet potatoes, which also aided nutrition for farm families. He wanted poor farmers to grow alternative crops both as a source of their own food and as a source of other products to improve their quality of life. The most popular of his 44 practical bulletins for farmers contained 105 food recipes using peanuts. He also developed and promoted about 100 products made from peanuts that were useful for the house and farm, including cosmetics, dyes, paints, plastics, gasoline, and nitroglycerin. He received numerous honors for his work, including the Spingarn Medal of the NAACP.

Young Benjamin Franklin could do almost anything. At the age of 12, he worked at a print shop. By 15, he had started writing in his brother’s newspaper. His funny writing and clever advice became famous all over the colonies. Ben invented the lightning rod, a new kind of stove, and many other things that improved people’s lives. When the colonies rebelled against England, Ben helped write the Declaration of Independence and the new Constitution. One of the most respected men of his time, Benjamin Franklin remains a role model for Americans to this day.

Beginning with Thomas Edison’s childhood, when he set up his first laboratory in his basement as a 10-year-old, and following through his many jobs before he was able to support himself as an inventor, this is the true story of the man who brought the world the phonograph, motion pictures, and even the electric light bulb—revolutionary inventions that forever changed the way people live. “One of the most critically acclaimed, best-selling children’s book series ever published.”—The New York Times Margaret Cousins is also the author of the Landmark Book Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia.

LOTS OF BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS. PARTIAL list of keywords: astronaut; Acceleration Laboratory; Ames Aeronautical Laboratory; Apollo Project; Project Mercury; Atlantic Missile Range; Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile; Friendship 7; Cape Canaveral; carbon dioxide; Scott Carpenter; centrigue; chimpanzee; Gordon Cooper; cosmic rays; docking method; Enos; escape rocket; Explorer I; Yuri Gagarin; John Glenn; Ham; High Speed Flight Station; Iconel-X; Jupiter-C rocket; Liberty Bell; Little Joe rocket; MASTIF; Mercury project; Virgil Grissom; Miss Sam; Multiple Axis Space Test Facility; Joa; Nova rocket; Operation Paperclip; parachute; Peenemuende; etc, etc.

This book tells the story of John Butterfield, a mid-19th Century stagecoach and freight line operator and his line of stagecoaches, which took passengers and mail across the U.S. in the 1850s. Born on a farm in Berne, New York in 1801, Butterfield grew up on the farm and was mostly self-educated. At the age of 19, he became a professional stage driver. He was always interested in transportation, becoming involved in the livery business, establishing stage routes throughout New York. He also gained experience with steamboats, railroads, and local plank-roads. As a skilled businessman, he soon controlled most of the stage lines west of New York, and in 1849 he formed the companies that became American Express and Wells-Fargo, as well as the Butterfield Overland Stage Company. In 1857, American Express won the government contract for the first transcontinental stage line, carrying the mail from Missouri to California for $600,000 per year—the largest mail contract that had ever been awarded. Thus, Butterfield became president of the Overland Mail Company. Covering an exciting period in American history, this story of bravery and adventure will appeal to readers of all ages!