Current Events that Relate to History
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NewsChicago Torture Justice Memorial To Be Built in Washington Park
After years of delays, construction is set to begin on the Chicago Torture Justice Memorial.The TRiiBE -
ExplainerDoes a Jury Need to Have 12 Members?
Why jury size matters.Made By History -
Media CriticismThe Genocides The New York Times Forgot
The paper’s Gaza coverage continues its pattern of downplaying US-backed atrocities in Bangladesh, East Timor, and Guatemala.Jewish Currents -
Q&A"Cover-Up" Follows Seymour Hersh’s Life Uncovering Secrets
The documentary depicts the kind of maverick journalism we desperately need in our authoritarian times.Jacobin -
RetrievalPete Seeger in Pittsburgh Town
In April 1962, Pete Seeger was abruptly banned from performing a scheduled set for children in Pittsburgh. The surrounding debate says a lot about the city.Pittsburgh Review of Books -
ExplainerThe Evolution of the American Declaration of Independence
The Declaration drew on Enlightenment ideas to assert equality, justify independence, and inspire lasting debates over rights and slavery.Journal of the American Revolution -
exhibitChristmas Past
Histories of American Christmas songs, stories and rituals.
From the HNN Archive
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How to Succeed in Government Without Really Trying
The long history of promising an “efficient” federal government. -
If the Slipper Doesn’t Fit
A scorched shoe is a crucial part of Zelda Fitzgerald’s modern mythology. But there’s no proof it existed. -
Indifferent to the Fate of Freedom Elsewhere
Jimmy Carter is known for his defense of human rights worldwide. But in 1979, he threatened to deport thousands of Iranian student protesters. -
Elevating the Few
What JD Vance excludes from the history of the Civil War and immigration. -
Whose Side Are College Administrators On?
There’s a long history of politicians targeting student protesters — and of campus leaders abetting those efforts. -
Solve for AI
What the history of the pocket calculator reveals about the future of AI in classrooms. -
“At Any Future Time”
In 1880, the daughter of a Welsh politician turned to fiction to expose perspectives missing from the official record, upending histories for generations to come. -
Slamming America’s Door Behind Him
How a son of European immigrants fought to keep Indian immigrants out of America. -
Governing by Police
The Metropolitan Police Department in DC has been an essential component of Washington politics since its founding. -
When Good Housekeeping Meant Getting Vaccinated Against Polio
The pages of 1950s lifestyle magazines offer a glimpse of a time when childhood vaccines were anything but controversial.