Tragedies and Triumphs Story Briefs

When horrific things happen, how a person responds can make a difference in the rest of one's life. In this collection, learn how some individuals triumphed in the face of unspeakable tragedies.

When Napoleon and his men reach the Berezina River, they find the bridge destroyed and the river thawed. To escape a trap, they must build a 100-mete...

Despite her obvious intelligence, Dorothy Height faced racial discrimination during her youth. Barnard College refused to accept her, but Height was ...

Dr. Richard Feynman was always known for speaking his mind. When his work led him to a conclusion which seemed at odds with the conclusions (or desire...

Life in Pie Town, New Mexico—during the Depression-era time when the Caudills and others met photographer Russell Lee—meant living with di...

Colored photos depicting the plight of people in the Great Depression are rare. See a grouping including this dugout home and its adjacent garden (loc...

When Princess Elizabeth (played in this scene from Elizabeth R by Glenda Jackson) was imprisoned at the Tower of London - implicated in Wyatt's rebell...

In the fall of 1562, Elizabeth I (played by Glenda Jackson in this clip from Elizabeth R) became desperately ill with smallpox.

When Mamie Till-Bradley sees the disfigured body of her son, she orders the funeral director to put a glass top over the remains but to keep the coffi...

In addition to America's significant economic decline, during the time of the Great Depression, the country also sustained a significant drought which...

Years after a whale destroyed his ship, the Essex, Thomas Nickerson wrote a narrative and drew pictures about the tragedy. This facsimile depicts his ...

Soldiers in WWI trenches were at risk for shrapnel wounds which could severely damage their faces.

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