Historians/History

Why Adam Hochschild Decided to Write about the Spanish Civil War (Interview)

by Robin Lindley

"Ever since the authors who wrote the Bible, people have been writing about good and evil. To me there’s nothing more interesting than trying to evoke moments when men and women risked their lives to battle horrendous injustice."

Why Historians Need Imagination

by Yoav Tenembaum

Without it writing history would be impossible.

The Sound of Bigotry

by Rockwell Stensrud

Bigotry has long had a voice in American politics. It has an East Coast edge, a Midwest flatness, a Southern drawl, a West Coast slackness.

It’s Time to Cultivate a New Grand Narrative

by Harvey J. Kaye

Americans, especially young people, are rejecting the narratives of both the Republican and Democratic establishments – narratives that have bolstered corporate ambitions.

Nixon Could Keep A Secret

by Diana Klebanow

Nixon knew George McGovern had fathered a child out of wedlock. He never revealed it.

It Has Been 63 Years Since I Raised My Right Arm and Joined the Navy

by Vaughn Davis Bornet

What this 99-year-old historian thinks of war memorials to our soldiers.

1956: A Year that Changed America

by Simon Hall

Eric Goldman was wrong. The 50s were hardly dull.

If You Want to Understand Slavery It Helps to Visit the Places Where Slaves Lived

by Pearl Duncan

The actors in the new “Roots” did just that. So did I. The experience was transformative.

Shark! What Happened 100 Years Ago this Summer Shocked a Nation

by Rick Shenkman

The story of the worst shark attack in American history. 

It’s Time to Make Juneteenth a National Holiday

by Karl Jacoby

This was the day – June 19, 1865 – in 1865 when slaves in Texas finally were freed.

Reflecting on the Charleston Syllabus One Year Later

by Chad Williams, Kidada Williams and Keisha N. Blain

How 3 educators tried to put the Charleston massacre into historical perspective online.

Did Talking Head’s Founder David Byrne Fabricate a Connection with the Berrigan Brothers?

by Shawn F. Peters

Sadly, it appears that he did. But it wasn’t for the reason he later copped to.

Bob Woodward’s Secret. Shouldn’t He Have Disclosed It?

by Ray Locker and Len Colodny

“Woodward's lack of disclosure calls into question every story he has ever pitched, edited or written.”

The Rape Scenes in “Roots” Suggest Why DNA Studies of African Americans Are so Vital

by Pearl Duncan

Using DNA can help reveal the hell that was slavery.

How Are History PhD Programs Responding to the Job Crisis?

by Robert B. Townsend

The short answer: Schools still seem to be placing their emphasis on research degrees.

When Iraq Expelled Its Jews to Israel—The Inside Story

by Edwin Black

120,000 Jews lived in Iraq at the end of World War II. Within a few years nearly all were forced to evacuate.

The Surprising Role of Rocks in the Civil War. Yes, Rocks.

by Scott Hippensteel

Differential weathering of carbonate rocks creates sharp-sloping ridges that are ideal for defensive tactics, it turns out.

President Obama's Undelivered Apology Speech in Hiroshima

by Voltaire

August 6, 1945 is a date which will live in infamy, too.

The Cruel History of Eugenics in America: An Interview with Adam Cohen

by Robin Lindley

Acclaimed author Adam Cohen traces the grim history of American eugenics in his groundbreaking new book "Imbeciles: The Supreme Court, American Eugenics, and the Sterilization of Carrie Buck."

Can You Indict Someone for Their Beliefs? It Happened in 1948. In the United States.

by Aaron Leonard

In this interview author Scott Martelle explains what happened and why he decided to write about the case.