Historians in the News

Reclaiming the Power of Rebellion

Activist Derecka Purnell interviews Elizabeth Hinton about her new book "America on Fire" and the need to think about urban unrest in political, not criminal or psychological, terms. 

Five Things Missing From Asian American History In Texas Schools

KERA spoke to educators including historian Madeline Hsu about what Texas students are missing out on when it comes to Asian American history. They said the lack of diversity, notable figures and modern-day connection are some of the key issues.

The Next Battle of the Alamo! (Excerpt)

A new book takes on Texans' embrace of the Alamo myth and the politics of preserving the site, with an odd detour through the Alamo memorabilia collection of British pop star Phil Collins. 

Nicole Hemmer on the GOP's Shrinking Tent

Historian of conservatism Nicole Hemmer joins Ezra Klein's podcast to discuss precedent for the Republican Party's tilt toward extremism. 

Recasting the ‘Riots’ of the 1960s as Rebellions by Blacks Under Siege

by Peniel E. Joseph

Peniel Joseph reviews Elizabeth Hinton's new book "America On Fire" and says it "reconceptualizes the Black freedom struggle between the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Black Lives Matter 2.0 demonstrations that galvanized the nation, and much of the world, in 2020."

Before the Civil War, America Was a ‘House Divided’ in More Ways Than One

Alan Taylor's book on the political conflicts of the early republic innovates by taking a continental view of political changes in Canada and Mexico, where conflicts over slavery and economic development became truly pan-American phenomena. 

Junk: Mark Bittman’s History of Why We Eat Bad Food

Environmental writer Bill McKibben reviews Mark Bittman's critical look at the rise of industrial food and its human, social and environmental consquences.

The Long Farewell to Majority Rule? (w/ Joshua Tait)

Matt and Sam talk to historian Joshua Tait about the intellectual origins of conservatives'—and the modern GOP's—hostility to majoritarian democracy.

"The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre: A Photographic History"

Historian Karlos K. Hill discusses his new book, a compilation of photographs of the Greenwood section of Tulsa before, during, and after the 1921 racist pogrom against the "Black Wall Street." 

Should Native Americans Control National Parks? Examining an Argument for Reparations

David Treuer joins the PBS News Hour to discuss his recent argument that the US government should return control of National Parks lands to tribal authorities.

Tracing the African Diaspora in Food

Jessica B. Harris's book "High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America" traces the African diaspora through food cultures. It will debut as a Netflix series next week. 

How the Shocking Use of Gas in World War I Led Nations to Ban It

"In 1925, the League of Nations adopted the Geneva Protocol, which prohibited the use of chemical and biological agents in war, but did not stop nations from continuing to develop and stockpile such weapons."

'The Words That Made Us': Scholar Akhil Reed Amar On How To Better Understand The Constitution

"Scholar Akhil Reed Amar says the one thing every single American shares is the United States Constitution. He shares why he wants Americans to better understand the words that made us."

Middle East Historian: Biden Administration is 'Complicit in Shielding Israel' from International Pressure

Historian Rashid Khalidi discusses the conflict with Andrea Mitchell and argues that the Biden administration's support is protecting Israel from pressure from other nations to stop air strikes in Gaza or negotiate with Hamas.

Rashid Khalidi on Palestinian History: From The Ottoman Empire to Settler Colonialism

Middle East historian Rashid Khalidi speaks with Pacifica Radio's Politics and Letters on the history of Palestine.

Our 250-Year Fight for Multiracial Democracy

The 1829 Virginia Constitutional Convention offers a lens onto the profoundly anti-democratic views held by many of the founding generation. We deal with the same hostility toward majority rule today. 

The Violent Origin Story of Dodger Stadium

by Ranjani Chakraborty and Melissa Hirsch

Through interviews with several former residents of the area, Vox explores the story of their neighborhoods razed to make room for Dodger Stadium. It’s one that’s often missing from the history of Los Angeles and has created a double-edged relationship for some Dodger fans. Features commentary by historian Priscilla Leiva. 

How The Republican Push To Restrict Voting Could Affect Our Elections

Carol Anderson: “I think Shelby is going to go down in history the way the Plessy v. Ferguson decision has.” 

Uncovering Longview, Texas's History of Racist Violence

Longview resident Clent Holmes leads a nonprofit organization that is working to uncover the histories of the 1919 race riot. 

Mary Beard Keeps History on the Move

"I spent part of my career lamenting that there weren’t more female authors in the ancient world. Well, you can mourn the lack of those authors forever, but you’re not very likely to find more. But you can engage with how gender is defined."