Roundup

Malcolm X Called Him the Most Impressive Black Man Ever to Walk the African Continent

by Eugene S. Robinson

His name was Patrice Lumumba but he was killed before he had a chance to remake the Congo.

Joan Brady: Alger Hiss 'was framed by Nixon'

by Susanna Rustin

Novelist who knew Hiss for more than three decades has written a personal history that accuses president of fitting him up as a communist spy

The Republican click-bait primary

by Julian Zelizer

Snappy one-liners have been commonplace for a while, especially in the era of television campaigns. But in 2015, invective is on the verge of becoming the norm.

The Real History Behind Netanyahu's Holocaust Comments

by Brent Scher

An interview with Dr. Wolfgang G. Schwanitz

Social Media News: What Historians Are Talking About

by HNN Editor

This week ... Mary Dudziak, Jelani Cobb, Rick Perlstein, and Peniel Joseph.

Netanyahu, Husseini, and the Historians

by Jeffrey Herf

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comments about Haj Amin al-Husseini's impact on Hitler's decision-making about the Final Solution in Europe do not stand up to the consensus of historical research.

How Bernie Sanders Should Talk About Democratic Socialism

by Eric Foner

Instead of looking to Europe, Sanders could evoke the rich heritage of American radicalism.

Roundup Top 10!

This week's broad sampling of opinion pieces found on the Internet, as selected by the editors of HNN.

The Holocaust in Genocide Studies

by David Moshman

As a university in California, Sacramento State should make sure its work in this field encompasses the many genocides and countless related atrocities associated with the colonization and ethnic cleansing of the Americas since 1492, including those in 19th century California.

How Texas Teaches History

by Ellen Bresler Rockmore

Grammar matters, especially when textbooks tackle the subject of slavery.

Ann Coulter's Immigrant Ancestors

by Megan Smolenyak

"I'm a settler. I'm descended from settlers. Not from immigrants ... I'm not living in the Cherokee Nation. I'm living in America, which was created by settlers, not immigrants."

Ted Cruz wants to be king: Make no mistake, the GOP extremists’ real goal is absolute control

by Heather Cox Richardson

Right-wingers pretend to pledge fealty to the Constitution. Their real goal is to cut out the part about democracy

History v historical fiction

by Jane Smiley

Historical fiction is not a secondary form – I was condescended to by a conservative historian who cannot see that he too constructs stories

The ancestral immigrant history of anti-immigrant crusader Donald Trump

by Gwenda Blair

Trump's anti-immigrant rant and follow-up pledge to deport all undocumented immigrants and their families have proved a shrewd campaign tactic. But despite Trump's repeated claim to "tell it like it is," he has often failed to do so with regard to his own family's immigrant past.

The Secret to Winning the Nobel Peace Prize

by Rebecca Gordon

Keep the U.S. Military Out

Video of the Week: John Oliver shames Clinton, Reagan and the Tea Party

John Oliver discusses the overwhelming misquotes used by influential public figures who either fake their quotes or don’t care about its credibility

Yes, George W. Bush bears some Responsibility for US Vulnerability on 9/11

by Juan Cole

Just remember what Richard Clarke wrote in his memoir of his time in the administration. 

Czars And Firebrands: A Brief History Of Power In The House

by Ron Elving

The speaker has far more power in the House than any one senator has in the Senate. And at times in our history, the speaker's power has rivaled that of the president himself.

Erdoğan Leads Turkey to the Precipice

by Daniel Pipes

The Republic of Turkey is undergoing possibly its greatest crisis since the founding of the state nearly a century ago. Present trends suggest worse to come as a long-time Western ally evolves into a hostile dictatorship.

Endless War Does Not Make Us Safer

by Ivan Eland

Obama's recent decision to leave American troops in perpetuity in the Afghanistan War, despite a fourteen-year failed attempt to remodel the country, is as unsurprising as it is appalling.