both internationally and on the continent, which makes it more difficult for them to prevail in. the americans from securing their independence. i am grateful for your contributions today. great job, everyone. >> join us each saturday evening at 8:00 p.m. and midnight eastern for classroom lectures from across the country on different topics and eras of american history. lectures in history are always available as podcasts >> you are watching american history tv. all weekend, every week and on c-span three. to join the conversation, like us on facebook. >> each week on my mac in history tv's american artifacts takes us to museums and places.

the museum is scheduled to open in early 2017. >> a collections of the museum are incomparable. they really have no peer. we have objects related to washington that are one-of-a-kind. they bring to life's leadership this incredible role in keeping the continental army together and never wavering from his goal of success. at the same time, we have objects that represent the common footsoldier, the cavalry man, with objects that reflect the role of not just american soldiers but british and french and native americans. so our collection will enable us to really present the entire story of the american revolution. >> as american colonists begin

shouting very loudly and increasingly loud about their rights as englishmen, and their feeling that there is a conspiracy to on way in the british parliament, the whole issue of slavery chattel slavery coming recently the contradiction of these calls -- it becomes louder and louder. so this next item is an incredibly rare and important work. this is a volume of poems published in london in 1773 by a young woman named phyllis wheatley the first published african-american poet in american history. phyllis wheatley had been enslaved in the west coast of

africa, probably in get get or senegal, and brought to the new world in the 1750's as a young girl of eight years old. she was eventually sold to a family by the name of wheatley in massachusetts. the daughter in the family taught her to read and write. and she had a real natural talent for writing verse. of course, at the time, this was an extraordinary development. so much so that there were those -- she began publishing pieces in the newspaper and the began to be circulated. there was actually a trial held in boston were people like john hancock and other significant figures in the community were brought together to basically put her on trial and ask her questions to try to determine if it was possible that this african-american woman could have written poetry like this. of course, she passed.

they actually wrote it testimonial saying that they believed she had in fact been the talented writer that produced this poetry. so in 1773, she traveled to london and this volume was published. it is also remarkable in that we have an engraved image presumably a good physical likeness of phyllis wheatley. this volume is also -- it would be wonderful by itself. but it is one of the few examples that have actually come down to us with phyllis wheatley's signature on the volume. and it just doesn't get better than that. trying to find this tangible object that allow us to discuss the very important contributions of african americans to the founding period of our nation, it can be a real struggle as a

curator to find this material. so we are incredibly blessed to have that volume available to us and to share with our visitors once we are open. that will be in that same gallery located right next to the liberty tree so our visitors can reflect on the contradiction calls for liberty and the continued persistence of slavery >> the museum will be located in the very heart of philadelphia's historic error -- historic area. every visitor who comes to discover the birthplace of america will have an opportunity to learn a larger context, the story of the american revolution, and how that independence and liberty was achieved.

>> lucy hayes was the first first lady to earn a college degree. lucy hayes this sunday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span's original series, "first ladies, influence and image." from martha washington to michelle obama, sundays at 8:00 p.m. eastern on american history tv on c-span 3. >> each week am american history tv's real america brings you archival loans that help tell the story of the 20 century. >> a circus parade.

this was spectacular. today i guess you would call it a commercial, to let everyone know in town that the top was being raised. and the everyday humdrum world would be transformed to one filled with exotic animals. pretty girls filling pretty costumes and that man on the flying trapeze. it was a wonderful world. i had the good warner -- the fortune to start my career at the circus. i was a narrow list. unfortunately, there hasn't been one of these circus praise for more years than some of us care to remember.