Historians in the News

Distinguished Historian, Author of Books on Chinese History Dies at 83

British-born American historian on Chinese history Philip Kuhn died on Monday, Feb. 15, at the age of 83.

Harvard Medical School geneticist David Reich says genetics is providing a new way to investigate the past

But geneticists may be about as welcome as barbarians at the gates, he warns.

Jonathan Ned Katz celebrated as a pioneer historian of gay history

He was the scholar initially responsible for writing gay people into history. He was a nonacademic who at first simply sought an understanding of his place in the world.

A historian at the University of Louisville has leveled accusations of racism against a colleague, also a historian

“Anyone who knows me knows I am not a racist,” says history Professor Mark Blum.

James McPherson says he learned to write through trial and error (Interview)

by Rachel Toor

"I think that it was in graduate school that I really learned how to write history."

Scottish Ex-Pat Niall Ferguson: Don’t Be An "Angloony," Stay In EU And Defeat The Ottoman Empire

He says to opt out of the EU will hurt trade and security.

Amherst College history professor Kevin Sweeney casts doubt on smallpox-infected blanket plot tied to Lord Jeffery Amherst

Though he does not question Lord Amherst’s “contempt” for Native Americans or desire to “extirpate” them, Sweeney said he finds little evidence that the general successfully weaponized smallpox.

Why Oklahoma Lawmakers Voted to Ban AP U.S. History

Representative Dan Fisher, who introduced the bill, lamented during Monday's hearing that the new AP U.S. History framework emphasizes "what is bad about America" and doesn't teach "American exceptionalism."

Social media takes Black History Month beyond the classroom

by Stacia L. Brown

The Internet now provides a cornucopia of little-known or under-reported black history on a daily basis.

Historian and physician Vanessa Worthington Gamble interviewed about the disturbing story of the founder of gynecology

His name was J. Marion Sims and he experimented on black female slaves.

Quintard Taylor’s Website Becomes Go-To Resource For African-American History

“At first, I sort of bristled at the comparison to Wikipedia, but we actually want BlackPast to be a kind of Wikipedia for African-American and African history.” — Quintard Taylor

Manisha Sinha explains why it’s important that we acknowledge the role of black abolitionists

She says its simplistic to build the narrative of abolitionism only around whites.

Martha Hodes wins $50,000 Lincoln prize

She won the prize from Gilder Lehman for her book, "Mourning Lincoln."

Jewish author remains in Austrian jail despite discovery of key papers

Stephan Templ, 55, was convicted of serious fraud for hiding the existence of an estranged aunt when he applied on behalf of his mother for the return of a building in Vienna which was seized from his family in 1938.

Polish move to strip Holocaust expert of award sparks protests

Academics have rallied to the defense of one of the world’s leading Holocaust historians after reports that Poland intends to strip him of a national honor because he claimed that Poles were complicit in Nazi war crimes.

The latest honor for Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Eric Foner is a $50,000 award from the New-York Historical Society

The prize is for "Gateway to Freedom: The Hidden History of the Underground Railroad."

Jason Sokol says Northerners deceived themselves about racism in the North

In an interview about his new book he says "a lot of white Northerners had this notion that the North was better.”

Historian at the center of Sanders-Clinton debate

by Juan Cole

The historian? Henry Kissinger.

NYT History Book Reviews: Who Got Noticed this Week?

by Erik Moshe

This week ... rightwing paranoia in the sixties, Obama's liberal ideology and conservative style, the big business roots of conservatism and more. 

Police Release Video of Traffic Stop of Princeton Professor

The video shows what appears to be a routine traffic stop with the professor, Imani Perry, who sounds shaken but appears compliant.