Roundup

Racism's Roots and Branches

by Barbara Ransby

"Racism as we know it has not existed forever, but it was embedded in the formation of this nation."

Richard L. Trumka, 1949-2021

by Lane Windham

Richard Trumka started in the labor movement as a miner, but came to recognize as the AFL-CIO president that the movement would have to organize new sectors and more diverse workers to survive. 

The Pledge Our Students Deserve

by Kevin M. Levin

A widely circulated pledge for history teachers is right to resist efforts by state lawmakers to dictate curriculum and suppress ideas, but wrong to commit teachers to "truth" as a set of conclusions instead of an honest, open practice of inquiry.

We’re Begging Students to Save Our Lives

by Amy Olberding

"We beg teenagers to think of our babies, to feel for our dead, and please not to kill us. Some of them oblige. Some do not — an alarming number do not. The university’s response so far amounts to: Beg better."

Saigon Didn't End U.S. "Credibility." Neither Will Kabul

by Mark Atwood Lawrence

Did the United States suffer any serious geopolitical setbacks as a result of Vietnam? The answer is neither simple nor straightforward.

When Europe Gave its Ears to Black American Composers

by Kira Thurman

In the wake of World War II many Black American classical composers found welcoming audiences in Europe, but their experiences should not overshadow the ways European cultural institutions have marginalized domestic Black artists.

The Roundup Top Ten for August 26, 2021

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

Britney Spears is Part of a Long History of Celebrity Religious Conversion (and Fan Skepticism)

by Rebecca L. Davis

The skepticism that has often accompanied public conversions by celebrities, from Sammy Davis, Jr. to Britney Spears, reflects prevalent assumptions about what religious experiences are authentic. 

Texas Republicans Have Cleared the Path to End Roe v. Wade

by Mary Ziegler

A Texas appeals court decision may lead to a Supreme Court case that will test whether the current justices can accommodate a public respect for precedent with a political preference for outlawing abortion. 

70 Years after the UN Refugee Convention, the US Needs to Commit to Helping Displaced People

by Linda K. Kerber

The UN Refugee Convention does not impose any real obligations on any nation to offer asylum. The United States must lead the way in recognition of the deeply interconnected world created in large part by American power.

Organized Teachers Developed the Charter School Idea. Return to Their Original Design

by Jon Hale

Conservative education reformers have hijacked the original charter school movement, stripping away labor protections and turning the management of public resources to private interests. 

End the Imperial Presidency

by Stephen Wertheim

Congress has not issued a declaration of war since Pearl Harbor. President Biden should force Congress to shoulder its constitutional duty by withdrawing troops from any conflict in six months unless Congress debates and formally declares war. 

Not Everyone Can Afford to ‘Learn to Live With’ COVID-19

by Kyle Harper

"This two-track recovery, where protection against the disease mirrors wealth and power, unfortunately reflects a historical pattern that is several centuries old. The world’s only hope lies in breaking it."

Free Rapid At-Home COVID Testing can Make Pandemic Life Easier

by David Perry

"Imagine if once a week, each student, teacher and staff member at your local school took a rapid test, with positive results meaning quick quarantines, isolation and more robust testing to identify and lock down infections before they spread wildly."

What the ‘Majority Minority’ Shift Really Means for America

by Justin Gest

"Through a historical lens, being white in America today is like belonging to a once-exclusive social club that had to loosen its membership criteria to stay afloat."

By 2049, China Will be a Climate Disaster Zone, not a Global Superpower

by Michael Klare

Instead of inflating the military threat posed by the People's Republic, American policymakers should recognize that both nations face far more dire threats from climate change. 

Charlie Watts Put Some Jazz in Rock and Roll

by Victor Coelho

"In an era when rock drummers were larger-than-life showmen with big kits and egos to match, Charlie Watts remained the quiet man behind a modest drum set. But Watts wasn’t your typical rock drummer."

Liz Shuler's Leadership of AFL-CIO Comes at Critical Time for Women in the Workplace

by Katherine Turk

"As Shuler takes office, union women will look to her to champion their expansive visions and specific concerns; employers will continue to try to pit groups of workers against one another in their crusade to depress conditions for everyone."

After Encouraging Conservatism for Decades, LDS Leaders Struggle to Get Mormons Vaccinated

by Benjamin E. Park

"This matrix through which this conservative, religious coalition views the world enables them to summarily and efficiently dismiss arguments that don’t match their beliefs."

The Deeper Crisis Behind the Afghan Rout

by Walter Russell Mead

"Neither the past two decades nor the past two weeks demonstrate American wisdom or the efficacy of the byzantine bureaucratic ballet out of which U.S. policy emerges."