Historians in the News

David Brion Davis’s surprise finding was that it wasn’t rationalists who undermined slavery’s defense, but Christians

by Allen C. Guelzo

A review of his new book on slavery puts his contribution into perspective

David Cesarani, Holocaust Historian and Eichmann Biographer, Dies at 58

Professor Cesarani challenged Hannah Arendt’s view of a Nazi war criminal as just a cog in a vast machine of murder.

Moroccan historian suspends hunger strike, faces charges

He has been charged with receiving foreign funds with the intent to undermine Moroccan institutions, his lawyers said.

Sheldon S. Wolin, the political scientist who put history back into political science, dies at 93

Mr. Wolin galvanized political science by gathering key political philosophers, beginning with the Greeks, and examining their ideas as a way to criticize current political structures.

John Demos says he doesn’t believe in witchcraft!

An interview with the Yale historian.

Historian Larry Gara fired a half-century ago for left-wing political views finally gets apology

The apology came after another historian turned up evidence that a millionaire was behind the firing.

Perfect Timing: the AHA’s upcoming annual meeting will focus on migration

Which lessons from the past are ultimately going to be most helpful for creating a more humane future? The 2016 annual meeting will offer historians many chances to debate that question.

Historians’ debate over capitalism is heating up

The new critiques are drawing a response.

Smithsonian lauded for the approach it takes in new exhibit on capitalism

The exhibit, American Enterprise, acknowledges the ills of capitalism, but it also celebrates entrepreneurship as an expression of individuality.

Lisa Jardine, historian, humanist, daughter of Jacob Bronowski, dies

Her intellectual curiosity straddled the arts and sciences from the Renaissance to human fertilization.

Professor Mary Beard talks about her new history of ancient Rome book

So this is what the Romans did for us ....

Dean of Harvard Business School says historians need to start writing more biographies of business leaders

by Nitin Nohria

He believes this would help set a norm of better behavior for them.

NPR Ombudsman weighs in on fight between Seminoles and NPR over history

by Elizabeth Jensen

At issue:  how long the Seminole have been in Florida.

Historians join other intellectuals who denounce the cultural boycott of Israel

The list includes: Niall Ferguson, Andrew Roberts and Simon Schama.

Eric Foner tells West Virginia audience Reconstruction was a failed noble experiment

by Sam Owens

Foner, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and history professor at Columbia University, gave a lecture about Reconstruction at the University of Charleston.

Michael Honey has produced a documentary about Civil Rights activist Rev. James Lawson

It’s called “Love and Solidarity: Rev. James Lawson and Nonviolence in the Search for Workers’ Rights”

History teachers are starting to abandon textbooks

Jim Loewen says textbooks don't teach the forest. They teach twigs. 

Nell Painter: The historian as artist

This fall she's back teaching at Princeton after a 10 year hiatus. Her course: Art School at African American Studies

New Mock Briefings Program Shows Student-Historians How to Inform Policy

This fall the National History Center is introducing the Mock Policy Briefings Program, modeled on our own Congressional Briefings by Historians initiative.

Intellectual history conference in DC debates what it means to be an intellectual

by HNN Editor

Speakers include: Corey Robin (CUNY), Leo Ribuffo (GW), Claire Potter (New School), David Ferriero (Archivist of the United States), and Russell Jacoby (Author of The Last Intellectuals).