Historians/History

Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick: The United States "is the Roman Empire" [INTERVIEW]

by Satoko Oka Norimatsu and Narusawa Muneo

Stone and Kuznick explain how telling the untold history can change the world for the better.

The Untold Origins of the Cuban Missile Crisis

by Jack Coulhoun

Aggressive U.S. moves against Cuba loomed large in Khrushchev’s decision to send in the missiles.

How Will Historians Be Affected by the Government Shutdown?

by David Austin Walsh

Most federal agencies -- including archives and parks -- are closed. It just got a LOT harder to do history in the United States.

HNN EXCLUSIVE: Newly Discovered Document Reveals What Truman Thought about FDR Running for a Fourth Term

by Anthony Clark

The letter, found by researcher Anthony Clark, is the only documented expression of Truman's feelings on the matter.

The State of Maryland vs. Abraham Lincoln

by David O. Stewart

Marylanders tried to kill Lincoln in 1861, Marylander John Wilkes Booth actually killed Lincoln in 1865, and Maryland's state song STILL condemns Lincoln as a tyrant.

Meet William Mahone, the Ex-Confederate General Who Built His Political Career on the Black Vote

by Kevin M. Levin

Mahone and his Readjuster Party formed a biracial coalition that controlled Virginia for four years in the 1880s.

Practical Wisdom, According to Messrs. Franklin and Emerson

by Walter G. Moss

In the United States today few of us value wisdom. This was not always the case.

Memento Mori

by Lewis H. Lapham

The death of American Exceptionalism -- and of me.

Kickstarting History

by Anthony Clark

I've financed my own research project using Kickstarter.

The Republican Party's Hidden Racial History

by Timothy N. Thurber

The GOP had a fraught relationship with black voters even before the Civil Rights Act.

Debunking David Barton's Jefferson Lies

by Chris Rodda

Because they still need to be debunked.

America's Fierce Quarrel over Entry into World War II (INTERVIEW)

by Robin Lindley

Historian Lynne Olson on FDR, Charles Lindbergh and the dispute over entry into World War II.

Wars are Won Neither By Lies Nor By Firepower

by William J. Astore

Nor are wars won when honest efforts to critique tactics are stonewalled by the military establishment.

Why Are Chemical Weapons So Bad?

by Thomas I. Faith

"War is abhorrent to the individual, yet he accepts blowing men to pieces with high explosives ... however, to burn the skin of a man outrages all his civilized instincts."

Why are World War II-Era Purple Hearts Still Awarded?

by D.M. Giangreco

So many were produced for the abortive invasion of Japan, WWII-era Purple Hearts continue to be issued to wounded or killed American servicemen.

One Day, We'll Commemorate 9/11 Like the Civil War

by Kevin M. Levin

It will be a heart-felt commemoration, yes, but also detached and reflective.

Charles Beard was Actually a Hamiltonian

by Mac McCorkle

Getting right with "An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution" after one hundred years.

The Life and Times of Ancient Rome’s Most Prominent Physician

by Robin Lindley

Historian Susan Mattern on her new biography of Galen.

In Praise of Douglas Kinnard

by William J. Astore

The general, who died on July 29, told the truth about the Vietnam War in his 1977 book "The War Managers."

Decent Jobs, Housing, and Education: MLK's Still Elusive Dream

by Michael K. Honey

Racism and poverty are still endemic in America.