Historians in the News

Studying History Should not be Only for the Elite, Say Academics

Professor Kate Williams said she was angry that the Tory government is “pushing a vision that only Stem subjects [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] matter and degrees are only worthwhile if you immediately move to a job paying a very high salary”.

Remaking Radicalism with Dan Berger and Emily M. Hobson

Historians Dan Berger and Emily Hobson discuss their new primary source anthology on grassroots social movements in the last quarter of the 20th century. 

On Popular History: Rebecca Traister

by Alexis Coe

Historian Alexis Coe interviews writer and essayist Rebecca Traister on the historical research informing her work and the links between popular and academic audiences for historical knowledge. 

How Amalia Levi Does History

Amalia Levi's work as a freelance archivist with cultural organizations in several countries shows that much greater resources are needed to make a wealth of historical documentation accessible, and many talented workers could put those resources to work. 

FDR’s Second 100 Days Were Cooler Than His First 100 Days

by Jordan Weissmann

The first 100 days of the New Deal could be described as disaster response. The second 100 days, according to historians William Leuchtenberg, Erich Rauchway and David Kennedy, were when the administration took steps that transformed labor relations and birthed a modern social welfare state. 

From the Past, a Chilling Warning About the Extremists of the Present

“Do they want armed revolution and race war or are they seeking to enter politics?” said historian Kathleen Belew. “Do they want to burn it down or do they want to take over?”

11 Moments From Asian American History That You Should Know

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month has begun. Historians Emily Lawsin, Andrew Leong, Jason Chang, Jane Hong, Charlotte Brooks, Vivek Bald, Chris Suh, Meredith Oda, Dawn Bohulano Mabalon, Helen Zia and Richard S. Kim discuss episodes all Americans should know about. 

West Virginia Univ. Researcher Wins Carnegie Award for Study of Appalachian Feminism

Jessica Wilkerson's research examines how the women's movement unfolded in places outside the nation's urban centers and how women decided what constituted "women's issues" in their own communities in Appalachia. 

How World War I Fueled the Russian Revolution

Stephen Miner of Ohio University says that while the collapse of Czarist Russia was likely without the first world war, the conflict made it virtually inevitable. Lynne Hartnett of Villanova says war exposed the weaknesses of the regime. 

'History Is Written By The Victors,' But The Texas Freedom Colonies Project Works To Change The Narrative

Andrea Roberts leads the Texas Freedom Colonies Project to recover the history of post-Civil War Black communities which were important sites of mutual security, economic development, and culture in the state, but have largely been erased by the seizure of land from the occupants. 

Truth, Dissent & the Legacy of Daniel Ellsberg: Free, Open Online Conference April 30-May 1

A free online conference brings together more than two dozen distinguished historians, journalists, activists, whistleblowers, and former policymakers on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Ellsberg’s leak of the Pentagon Papers. Ellsberg himself will present the keynote. 

Joe Biden Wants An ‘FDR-Size Presidency.’ What Does That Even Mean?

The proposed dollar value of spending in Biden's recovery plan isn't the best measure of comparison to the New Deal. Does the plan assume the society is basically sound and in need of "bailing out" or unsound and in need of restructuring? Historian Eric Rauchway explains. 

The Original Sin of America’s Broken Immigration Courts

A decision made by Franklin Roosevelt to move immigration services from jurisdiction of the Department of Labor to the Department of Justice laid the groundwork for criminalizing immigration and for abusive practices that came to light in the most recent administration. 

Weary of Work

by Emily K. Abel

Historian Emily Abel's book on fatigue deals in part with how Progressive era reformers approached the problem of the tired industrial worker. Ultimately, they favored solutions that emphasized efficiency and management, undercutting the ability of the labor movement to demand shorter work hours. 

If the Author Is a Bad Person, Does That Change Anything?

by Judith Shulevitz

"Roth had baggage in all domains of life, and Bailey, an eager bellhop, carries the whole load for him—the unhappy marriages and contentious divorces and relationships and affairs and everything else as well."

Fifty Years Ago, Curt Flood Walked Away from the Senators. He Left Baseball Forever Changed

Curt Flood's legal battle against Major League Baseball opened the doors to free agency and empowered players as never before, but he fought it largely alone and it took a terrible personal toll on him. 

Pandemic Lessons From the Era of ‘Les Miserables’

Medical historian Ed Cohen describes the 1832 cholera outbreak as "imperial blowback," as the disease arrived in Europe from their colonies. Nearly 2% of the city's population died, but the aftermath saw an increase in migration from the countryside and a flourishing of public health-oriented planning. 

My Grandparents’ Immigration Lies Shaped My Father’s View of Justice

by Daniela Gerson

"My father knew all too well what happens when legal pathways do not exist for people to enter this country: They find alternative ways in, just as his own family had."

Four Years Ago, Only 2% of Buildings on the National Register Spoke to African American History—Meet the Historian Changing That

Brent Leggs and the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund are mobilizing to protect and preserve sites important to African American history ranging from Joe Frazier's Philadelphia boxing gym to the Gaston Motel where civil rights leaders stayed while visiting Birmingham. 

Lesson: The Cold War and the Nuclear Weapons Threat

The Cold War may be over, but an arms race continues, even as safeguards once in place have fallen away. Some experts worry that nuclear weapons may pose a greater threat to humanity than ever before.