Historians in the News

Author of 'The Lynchings in Duluth' Broke Silence on City's Dark History

Michael Fedo's 40-plus year old account of the public murders of Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson and Isaac McGhie is credited as the first complete resource on the events of June 15, 1920.

What Both the Left and the Right Get Wrong About the Coronavirus Economic Crisis

Financial historian Adam Tooze on the lessons policymakers need to learn, and fast.

Darius Swann Changed Charlotte's School System, Local Historian Remembers

Local historian Pamela Grundy discusses the Rev. Dr. Darius Swann who was the lead plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case Swann v. Charlotte - Mecklenburg Board of Education. He died on March 8, at the age of 95.

Political Prophet Allan Lichtman: Trump is More Likely to Lose Because of Coronavirus

Allan Lichtman has a record of predicting presidential elections — and he thinks pandemic could doom Trump.

Political Historian-Commentator Richard Reeves Dies at 83

Richard Reeves, known for his in-depth examinations of the presidency and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, has died at his home in Los Angeles at age 83.

Interview With Historian Archie Brown: Rethinking the Cold War

There's a widespread assumption that the Soviet Union had no alternative to ending the Cold War in the way they did. But that's wrong, says the Oxford historian.

Historian John Barry on the Coronavirus Pandemic and the Influenza of 1918

In this video historian John M. Barry outlines the comparison between the influenza epidemic of 1918 and the coronavirus.

5 Essential Works by Maurice Berger, Late Art Historian Who Made Race a Central Concern

A tireless advocate for a more diverse museum world, Berger, who died at 63 of coronavirus-related causes on Monday 3/23, is considered one of the best thinkers on race, in particular as it relates to photography.

‘East Lake Meadows’ Reveals the Heartbreaking Reality of America’s Public-Housing Crisis

The Ken Burns-produced PBS documentary “East Lake Meadows: A Public Housing Story” examines our public-housing nightmare through the lens of a storied Atlanta housing project.

The War (Not The Flu) That Saved The World Series

“The World Series being moved up had nothing to do with influenza; it had everything to do with the politics of war,” said Purdue historian Randy Roberts, 

‘Unworthy Republic’ Takes an Unflinching Look at Indian Removal in the 1830s

Claudio Saunt’s book traces the expulsion of 80,000 Native Americans over the course of the 1830s, from their homes in the eastern United States to territories west of the Mississippi River.

The Unlikely Story Behind Japanese Americans' Campaign For Reparations

The fight for Japanese American reparations came with significant resistance—not just from the American public at large, but from the Japanese American community itself, as John Tateishi writes in his new book. 

The U.S. Government Has Mobilized Private Companies to Face Crises Before. Here’s What to Know

by Olivia B. Waxman

One aspect of the history is clear: when business has successfully stepped up for national-security purposes, the federal government and the military have played a key role in coordinating the effort.

A Side Effect of Remote Teaching During Covid-19? Videos That Can Be Weaponized

Turning Point, Campus Reform, and other groups have created a cottage industry of naming and shaming professors who they say advance what they call the liberal agenda.

The Roots of Organizing: The Young Lords' Revolution

by Ed Morales

In her new book historian Johanna Fernández makes the case for the Young Lords' influence as profound thinkers as well as highly capable street activists.

The Unseen Survivors of Thalidomide Want to Be Heard

Historians say the lesson of thalidomide is one that society is still learning the hard way.

Madam C.J. Walker and the Business and Meaning of Black Hairstyles

In Netflix's new series "Self Made" tells the story of Madam C.J. Walker, who tackled the politics of black hair. More than a century later, the battle still rages on.

Malcolm Chase, 1957-2020

The social historian Malcolm Chase rejected “the enormous condescension of posterity” often to be found in history written by the educated rich.

An Interview with Historian Ansley Erickson

Erickson is the co-editor of Educating Harlem: A Century of Schooling and Resistance in a Black Community, a new book from the Harlem Education History Project.

How Joseph Smith and the Early Mormons Challenged American Democracy

by Casey Cep

In Nauvoo, Illinois, Smith established a theocracy, ran for President, and tested the limits of religious freedom.