Historians/History

The Black and Indian Freedom Fighters Who Defeated the US Army on Christmas Day, 1837

by William Loren Katz

It’s not a story Hollywood’s celebrated. But it’s history we shouldn’t forget.

How One of the Great Charity Rainmakers of All Time Raised Money

by Robert E. Wright

His name was Edward Everett. And he practically invented the techniques we still use today.

The High Stakes in the History Wars in Israel

by Daniel Gordis

And how one historian confronted them when writing a history of Israel.

The Eruption of Mount St. Helens: The Untold History of this Cataclysmic Event

by Robin Lindley

An interview with Steve Olson, the acclaimed author of "Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens."

Pearl Harbor Wasn’t the Only Attack that Week that Changed History

by Matthew Levey

Between December 5-11, the war, which had previously been two distinct regional wars, exploded into global war that would consume the planet for another four years. 

How Old is Agriculture? (And Just What IS Agriculture?)

by Jeremy L. Caradonna

Our evolving understanding of food cultivation and its history yields surprising results.

Before FDR Gave His Pearl Harbor Speech, Eleanor Gave Hers

by Greg Sumner

What she said is especially relevant now.

FDR’s Bumpy Road to the Oval Office

by Kathryn Smith

FDR’s journey was a roller coaster ride, including an assassination attempt, a P.R. disaster, the failure of thousands of banks and the untimely death of a key cabinet appointment.

The Roosevelts’ Ruthless Control of Their Image

by William J. Mann

The shocking story of how TR and FDR covered up affairs and blackballed members of their family in the service of their political ambitions.

Is It Still OK to Refer to the Dark Ages?

by Max Adams

An historian explains why he thinks it is.

The Grandchildren of Slaves Are Dying

by Roy E. Finkenbine

“Six months ago, I lost my connection to the last generation of American slaves.”

What We Can Learn When an Archaeologist Writes a History of the Turning Point in the American Revolution

by Dean Snow

In “1777” he tells the story of the Battle of Saratoga.

Why I Still Believe this Is the Man Who Started the Kent State Killings

by William A. Gordon

A recent reappraisal is thoughtful – and wrong.

The Real Reason for the Declaration of Independence

by Larrie D. Ferreiro

It was expressly designed to signal to France and Spain that the Americans no longer considered themselves British subjects.

Harry Truman’s Heroic Fight for Refugees (And Congress’s Limp Reaction)

by Richard Rashke

The story the next president of the United States should read.

What’s Fact and Fiction in Jeff Nichols’s Film about the Lovings

by Arica L. Coleman

The story line follows the popular narrative of the interracial Virginia couple, but in typical Hollywood fare, it also takes some creative liberties.

The Myth of the Quiet War Veteran

by Jerry Lembcke

He exists, but why is he quiet? Does it make him heroic? Make us feel better about him? And what’s the story he’s declining to tell?

Sixty Years After the Suez Crisis, It’s Time to Correct Misconceptions

by Yoav J. Tenembaum

Britain and France went along with every effort to resolve the crisis diplomatically.

Clinton’s Emails and Trump’s Tweets: They’re a Politician’s Nightmare but a Historian’s Dream

by Caroline Winterer

But there’s still plenty of new fields of metadata historians can mine even from the distant past.

When the World Looked Away as Jews Died in Europe

by Richard Rashke

The appalling indifference to Jewish refugees in World War II.