Roundup

The Amendment Process is the Constitution's Biggest Flaw

by Jedediah Britton-Purdy

We are not the "we, the people" of 1789. Changing Article V to make the Constitution more easily amendable is the key to breaking the shackles the document places on democracy.

The Democrats, Not the "Party of Lincoln," are the Best Hope to Protect Abe's Legacy

by Eli Merritt

Abraham Lincoln went to Washington as president-elect animated by the commitments to justice and liberty defined in the first Republican Party convention. If the Republicans won't honor these commitments, the Democrats must do it. 

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. 

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? 

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.

The Democratic Possibilities of Cruising

by Jack Parlett

As a practice, cruising exemplifies the possibilities of urban culture by bringing people into contact with strangers and enabling them to recognize common desires. The history of crusing shows it's not just about sex, but about democracy. 

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. 

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. 

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."

The Virginia History that Conservatives are Suppressing

by Kevin M. Levin

Conservatives appointed by Glenn Youngkin to the state Board of Education are ignoring the important history of the Readjusters—a biracial party that governed in the tumultuous era between the end of Reconstruction and the consolidation of Jim Crow. Students need to know about them. 

How a Deadly Explosion Catalyzed Civil Rights Activism Among Black WWII Soldiers

by Matthew Delmont

Segregated Navy men had been assigned dangerous duty loading munitions onto ships without adequate training or appropriate limits on the pace of their work. The inevitable disastrous explosion at Port Chicago created a surge of racial justice and labor activism in the military. 

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.

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. 

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. 

Two Cheers for Presentism

by David A. Bell

Now that the dust has settled over the AHA President's controversial essay, it's time to consider more carefully how the present informs the work of historians, and how to do "presentism" right. 

Our Civics Education Can't Fight These Threats to Democracy

by Eric Mlyn

Educational institutions are already "politicized" by organized attacks by an authoritarian movement. They need to set aside the fear of controversy and assert themselves as defenders of democracy.