Roundup

Are the Republicans Repeating the Mistake of 1998?

by Steven M. Gillon

The Republican congressional leadership pushed ahead with the impeachment of Bill Clinton to appeal to their right-wing base. The strategy backfired: the party failed to make any midterm gains and Newt Gingrich was overthrown as Speaker. Will a similar dynamic play out over abortion in 2022?

The Bitter Irony of Rushdie Being Attacked at Chautauqua

by Charlotte M. Canning

Chautauqua was founded for the discussion of ideas, and while the attack shows there is no perfect asylum from repression, the Institution's survival represents the ongoing commitment to education and civic discussion. 

Is King's Dream Still Alive?

by Peniel E. Joseph

Although things appear grim on many fronts, the recent success of the Biden administration in passing significant reforms through a divided Senate reflects the broader context of King's 1963 address: progress toward supporting human dignity on many fronts. 

The Missing Black Women in Denmark Vesey's Rebellion

by Karen Cook Bell

Though no enslaved women were indicted as co-conspirators in Charleston, they maintained a culture of silence that enabled future subversive and freedom-seeking actions. 

What Happens When People Who Don't Know Historical Methods Spout Off About Historical Methods

by Bret Devereaux

"It is going to end up being rather involved because to explain why a shallow critique of a discipline’s methods is shallow, you have to explain how that discipline functions and why it does so."

Is Jerome Powell Following History to Fight Inflation?

by Adam Tooze

Jerome Powell has drawn history into his public rationale for raising interest rates, arguing that his Fed won't repeat the problems of inaction of the 1970s. Is he risking a recession by ignoring the different causes of inflation today? 

Bannon's Threat: An Army of Christian Nationalists

by Anthea Butler

As conservative churches feel free to intervene directly in politics, will the midterms be swayed by an army of evangelical poll-watchers and door-knockers? 

The Omissions of the "1836 Project" View of Texas History

by Leah LaGrone and Michael Phillips

The project, which will distribut a pamphlet to all people receiving a driver's license in Texas, is staffed by right-wing ideologues hand-picked by Governor Greg Abbott. Expect a whitewash of issues related to slavery and racism. 

Overshadowed in His Time, Bayard Rustin's Leadership Speaks to Today's Fights for Justice

by Jerald Podair

Rustin was a forward-looking radical who embraced socialist, labor, and racial justice struggles. But homophobia across the color line limited his public influence in the 1960s.

How Long Until We Hear "Madam President"?

by Lindsay M. Chervinsky

In the early republic, the perception of ambition was a negative for a political candidate, especially for president. That norm mostly survives today in its application to women candidates. 

The Roundup Top Ten for August 26, 2022

The top opinion writing by historians and about history from around the web this week.

History is Always About Politics

by Joan W. Scott

The tradition of the discipline has cast politics as an object of study, but deliberately ignored the way that writing history is tangled up with who wields power and how.

Safe Haven "Baby Boxes" are a Medieval Horror

by Maria Laurino

"As generations of twentieth-century Italian mothers and their children can attest, giving a woman no choice but to anonymously surrender her baby is a route to ruined lives."

Ailing Empires: The Rhetoric of Decline in Britain and the US

by Jed Esty

If the US is following behind Great Britain in experiencing the strains of a collapsing empire, can Americans, their leaders, and their thinkers learn any lessons from the comparison and make a post-imperial society that is more humane and less nasty? 

The Dems' IRA Message Would Be More Effective If It Weren't Afraid of Touting Taxes

by Molly Michelmore

The last four decades of tax-cutting have crippled democracy. Democrats need to learn lessons from a time when paying taxes was popular and patriotic. 

When We All Boycotted a Lousy Beer

by Erik Loomis

Latino organizations and the AFL-CIO urged boycotts of Coors beer for its owners politics and the company's antilabor crusade. The company's national sales didn't take a serious hit until student, environmental, and gay activists helped form a broader coalition. 

Educational Aid for Prisoners Works. Why Do Politicians Reject It?

by Adrian Cox and Kate L. Flach

Making imprisoned people eligible for federal education grants was shown to be successful, but was ended by the notorious 1994 crime bill. It's time to change course and restore them. 

Women Have Always Been at the Center of the Labor Movement

by Amy Mackin

The 1860 strike of male shoe workers in Lynn, Massachusetts floundered until the strikers allied with their female compatriots, but the movement largely failed to maintain gender unity. This lesson is critical for the service industry unions organizing today. 

Are Co-Ops the Lost Solution to the Housing Crisis?

by Annemarie Sammartino

At its 1966 opening, New York's Co-Op City was heralded as the solution to the nation's affordable housing crisis. What went right, what went wrong, and can it help guide better housing policy today?

How "Sales Comps" Built Racism Into the Housing Market

by Elizabeth Korver-Glenn

The recent ordeal of a Johns Hopkins historian whose house was appraised for more money when he removed pictures of himself and his Black family points to a key finding: the use of sales comparisons to appraise homes enshrines racism in the market.