These online resources shine a spotlight on items from Delaware’s official state collections of historical objects, art and artifacts. 

Delaware History Instagram

Locating Delaware’s DuPont “Colored” Schools

Online Story Map explores the history of the 90 schools built by industrialist and philanthropist Pierre S. du Pont in the 1920s and 1930s for African American and Native American students during the time of legally imposed segregation.

Segregated Sands: Delaware’s Segregated Beaches During the Jim Crow Era

Online exhibit explores the history and stories of the Indigenous and African American experience at Delaware’s beaches during the segregation era.

Drawing America to Victory: The Persuasive Power of the Arts in World War I

This online exhibit features a collection of World War I propaganda posters that were artfully designed to encourage Americans to support and participate in the Great War. The vibrant colors and details utilized on each poster were meant to convey the American patriotic spirit. Because the posters are fragile and light sensitive, they require specialized handling and storage to ensure the best museum standard of care. This fragility limits visitors and researchers from being able to view these unframed works of art.

Rediscovery Through Recovery

In the fall of 2004, a beach replenishment project pumped tons of sand onto Lewes Beach. What no one knew at the time was that this sand was peppered with artifacts from a previously unknown shipwreck. Since then, thousands of artifacts have been found by beachcombers and donated to the State of Delaware for study.

Searching for the source of these artifacts, an underwater archaeological investigation located the shipwreck site in 2005, while a second investigation in 2006 recovered a wide range of artifacts representing the ship’s cargo.

Historical data, archaeological evidence, and the geographic location of the shipwreck suggest that the vessel is a British merchant ship that ran aground near present-day Roosevelt Inlet in 1774.

The State of Delaware is grateful to all who assisted in the investigation of the shipwreck including archaeologists, historians, volunteers, and the many people who donated artifacts found on Lewes Beach.

World War II Through the Lens of William D. Willis

Series of historical vignettes accompanied by photographs taken by Dover, Del. native William D. Willis during World War II.

• On a Wing and a Prayer: The Use of Military Glider Aircraft in World War II
• On a Wing and a Prayer: A Closer Look at Military Glider Aircraft Used in World War II
• America’s Heavy Hitter – The B-17 Flying Fortress
• World War II Mission Symbols
• “Donut Dollies” & the American Red Cross in World War