Historians in the News

This historian – Volker Ullrich – just wrote a book about Hitler

Here’s what he thinks of those Trump-Hoitler comparisons.

Historians' leading organization says it's ok to remove Confederate statues

To remove such monuments is neither to “change” history nor “erase” it.

For the 3rd year in a row more than 1,000 graduate school degrees awarded in history

by Robert Townsend

That's the first time since the early 1970s.

Historian Peter S. Carmichael says that the debate about Confederate statues is obscuring what we should be talking about

The director of the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College says what we should be focusing on is racial injustice.

Alfred McCoy recounts his conflicts with the CIA

by Alfred McCoy

In a new book he reveals that the agency tried to stop him from reporting on the opium epidemic among US troops in Vietnam.

The New Yorker interviews Mark Lilla about his controversial critique of identity politics

He says identity politics works for the right but not the left.

Annette Gordon-Reed recalls the publication of her book on Sally Hemings 20 years ago

She suggests it’s inaccurate to describe her as a passive actor utterly without agency.

Toronto Holocaust historian uncovers brilliant ploy that spared lives of Jews

An Orthodox Jewish wife and her husband crafted a brilliant ploy to con Nazi SS Chief Heinrich Himmler into ending the monstrous Final Solution program early, saving as many as 300,000 lives, Holocaust historian Max Wallace says in his new book.

Max Boot says what we need to do in Afghanistan is what no one wants to admit and that's nation-building

by Max Boot

"The only conceivable path to success lies in fostering stable and effective institutions of government that can police their own territory with diminishing amounts of outside assistance. In other words, nation-building."

Male Historians Have Long Dominated Public Debates. Is Charlottesville a Turning Point?

by Rick Shenkman

Since the awful events in Cville, women historians have written many of the pieces published in the mainstream media. 

Niall Ferguson chastises Trump’s comments on Cville but says the left’s open to criticism, too

"Trump blew it last week, no question. But as the worm turns against him, let us watch very carefully whom it turns to — or what it turns turn into. If Silicon Valley translates 'There is only one side' into 'Censor anything that the left brands "hate speech,” ' then the worm will become a snake."

Scholar of African history says his Jewish background didn’t stop him from writing about Muslims and Africa

by Charles L. Geshekter

"If I were to single out two cohorts whose members disproportionately enhanced the exchanges in my classrooms, they would be military veterans and strong Christians."

Jon Meacham points out why Lee should go but Washington should stay

by Jon Meacham

Lee had it right: “I think it wiser,” he wrote in 1866, “not to keep open the sores of war.”

Kevin Levin says he’s changed his mind about Confederate statues

by Kevin M. Levin

They should go.

Annette Gordon-Reed writes about why Jefferson matters more than ever after Charlottesville

by Annette Gordon-Reed

Perhaps coming fully to grips with the paradoxes that Jefferson’s life presents is what being an American is about.

"I've studied the history of Confederate memorials. Here's what to do about them."

by W. Fitzhugh Brundage

UNC's W. Fitzhugh Brundage recommends removing them. "Whatever value they have as historical artifacts, they were not the work of some latter-day Michelangelo."

Harvard’s Maya Jasanoff vists the Congo and discovers people there probably live harder lives than they did 100 years ago when Joseph Conrad was there

by Maya Jasanoff

The trip was for a book she’s written, “The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global World.”

Eric Foner says in an interview that it’s not necessary to remove Confederate statues

Instead, he advocates putting up new ones to people like John M. Langston, a black member of Congress from Virginia in the 1880s.

Philip Zelikow says the government should crack down on armed groups of militants

by Philip Zelikow

He has recalled that when he was in government they did out and it worked.

N. D. B. Connolly says Charlottesville showed that liberalism can’t defeat white supremacy

by N. D. B. Connolly

Only direct action can.