Historians in the News

Trump’s Warning that ‘Vicious Dogs’ Would Attack Protesters Conjured Centuries of Racial Terror

Donald Trump invoked images of terror to discourage protesters against racial injustice according to historians Tyler D. Parry and Taylor Branch.

Why Teachers, Not Reformers, Should “Reimagine Education”

Education historian Diane Ravitch agrees with public school teachers who oppose the outsize influence of wealthy foundations in determining how public schools operate.

COVID, Race, and a Pivotal Moment for America

Eric Foner and Robert Vinson comment on the convergence of two crises in America. Are there moments that compare?

The Memo: Trump Lags in Polls as Crises Press

Historian Alan Lichtman, who predicted a Trump victory in 2016, says things look bad for his reelection prospects. 

Q&A: Historian Andrew Kahrl On The Segregation History Of Lincoln Beach And Plans To Reopen It

The long-shuttered African American beach was created to preserve segregation in New Orleans.

The Fire This Time

by Jeet Heer

These two crucial differences—the fact that a Republican is presiding over the chaos and that the opposition to police violence is racially diverse—open the possibility for a better outcome than in 1968.

What Is Antifa, the Movement Trump Wants to Declare a Terror Group?

History professors Mark Bray and Ruth Ben-Ghiat help break down the definition, origins, goals and methods of antifa.

Nazi or Hero? Historian Looks at the Stories a German Consultant Told of His Father

A study from historian Michael Wolffsohn finds some truth and some falsehoods in a prominent businessman’s portrayal of his father as a Nazi resister.

History, Right Now: Echoes of 1968, and Other American Years

Historian Thurston Clarke describes the year 2020 as "a convergence of the greatest catastrophes of the past 100 years or so, all hitting us at once."

Words Matter When Talking About Race, Unrest, Experts Say

UCLA historian Robin Kelley insists rebellions occur when the usual channels for affecting change in a democracy – nonviolent protest, voting – have been ineffective, and the term "riot" obscures that fact.

Polish Historian Ewa Kurek: Coronavirus is ‘Jewification’ of Europe

Kurek is infamous for her radical arguments about the Holocaust, which include denial of Polish crimes against Jews. Now she invokes conspiratorial ideas about Jewish control of Europe.

This Election Isn't 1968 or 1992 or 2016

Richard Nixon won by portraying himself as a unifier against an out-of-control left; Bill Clinton won reelection by carefully navigating the politics of crime and unrest. There is nothing very careful, yet, about what we've seen from this president.

The Flawed Politics of a Law-and-Order Campaign

by Walter Shapiro

Looking back at the early Nixon years with a half-century’s hindsight actually offers reasons to hope. Even in 1968 and the divisive 1970 congressional elections that followed, voters were not easily gulled by Republican rabble-rousing.

If Trump Is Caligula, There Could Be Some Unexpected Benefits

How the story of a Roman emperor planning to appoint his horse as consul relates to the Trump administration, with input from historian Aloys Winterling.

Confronting the History of a Southern Asylum: An Interview With Mab Segrest

Dr. Segrest's new book uncovers the harrowing story of the Georgia State Lunatic, Idiot, and Epileptic Asylum.

Don't Assume There'll be a 'Post-COVID-19 Era' - Historian Niall Ferguson Tells World vs Virus

"I don't think we should assume there'll be a post-COVID-19 era, any more than there's a post-influenza era, or a post-tuberculosis era, or a post-AIDS era," says historian Niall Ferguson.

Rutger Bregman on His Intellectual Journey and the Problems of the Speaking Circuit

“Powerful players pay obscene sums for talks. For a 10-minute speech you can get my mother’s annual salary in special education. Generally, the more you’re paid, the dumber your audience. The cleverest audiences are students and, of course, old people."

National Protests over George Floyd's Death was 'Conflagration Waiting to Happen'

The atmosphere of these protests echoes those of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, according to historian Saje Mathieu.

Historian on White House Response to COVID: "Clearly, They Have Not Told the Truth"

Historian John Barry, who studied the influenza outbreak of 1918, evaluates the current administration's handling of COVID-19.

The History Behind 'When The Looting Starts, The Shooting Starts'

Donald Trump claimed to be ignorant of the origins of a phrase he tweeted warning of violent consequences for looters.