Historians/History

Shoeless Joe Jackson Fans Shouldn’t Be Disappointed He Won’t Be Admitted into the Hall of Fame

by Charles Fountain

He’s better off remaining an outsider. He’s more interesting that way.

October 22: The President Makes Certain that His Orders Have Been Carried Out (Part 5)

by Sheldon M. Stern

Another installment in Sheldon Stern's special series on the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The Unknown Chinese-American Heroine of September 11, 2001

by Steven Knipp

Many people have heard of Todd Beamer’s courage (“Let’s roll”). But relatively few know about Betty Ong’s.

The Middle East Studies Blind Spot

by Jeffrey Herf

The theme of anti-Semitism runs through 20th century Islamism. But most scholars downplay or ignore it altogether.

The Man Who Dared Defy the Boston Brahmins

by Jeffrey L. Amestoy

His name was Richard Henry Dana. It's been 175 years since he wrote "Two Years Before the Mast." This is why it's worth remembering.

Why Clear Thinking About the Big Events of Our Time Becomes More Difficult Around this Time of Year

by Robert Alan Goldberg

Hint: This is when Americans succumb by the millions to conspiracy thinking.

The Man Who Saved the Manhattan Project

by Michael Hiltzik

His name was Ernest Lawrence, the man Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is named after.

The Medieval Chastity Belt - Myth or Reality?

by Albrecht Classen

It's one of the great jokes history has played on the modern world. 

Exonerate Ethel Rosenberg? No. Apologize for Her Execution? Yes.

by Lori Clune

In imposing the death penalty that federal officials committed a cruel and unjust act, no matter her guilt as an aware spectator of her husband's spying.

Things Historians Can’t Live Without

by Erik Moshe

We asked dozens of historians what they can’t live without. These are their (often humorous) responses.

Jefferson’s Later-in-Life Fascination with Jesus

by M. Andrew Holowchak and Amy J. Barbee

Though he’s well-known as a skeptic of religion, Jefferson became a fervent admirer of Jesus.

Julian Bond’s Great-Grandmother a “Slave Mistress?” How the New York Times Got it Wrong

by Martha S. Jones

When telling the history of slavery we must admit its brutal complexity. The term slave mistress leaves too much unsaid, blanketing over the assault and coercion in many enslaved women's lives.

How the Empire Struck Back Starting with Jimmy Carter

by Jeremy Kuzmarov

Even though Carter wants to be remembered as a peace president, the fact is that his presidency was crucial to the revival of American militarism after Vietnam.

Is the Public Getting a Skewed Idea of Thomas Jefferson?

by M. Andrew Holowchak

Where once he was lionized, he’s now being demonized.

World War II: From the Chinese Perspective

by Tom Clifford

The history’s more relevant than ever as Russia, China and Japan manipulate it for their ends.

1919, the Year of Racial Violence: An interview with David Krugler

by Robin Lindley

In his new book 1919, The Year of Racial Violence: How African Americans Fought Back, professor Krugler goes beyond previous histories of this tumultuous period by putting African Americans at the center of the story.

What You Don’t Know About the End of World War II

by Stephen Harding

The story of the last American killed in combat in World War II – and how his death almost changed the course of history.

Jimmy Carter Retrospectives Are Missing These Important Facts

by Robert Brent Toplin

When journalists assess Jimmy Carter’s place in history, they should recognize that Carter’s policies were not the principal cause of difficult economic times in the Seventies.

The Historian Who Knew About the Holocaust and Said Nothing

by Alexander S. Collie

The shocking story of Carl Jacob Burckhardt’s secret.

These Are Words Scholars Should No Longer Use to Describe Slavery and the Civil War

by Michael Todd Landis

Our scholarship has changed, so should our language.