Historians in the News

A ‘History of Exclusion, of Erasure, of Invisibility.’ Why the Asian-American Story Is Missing From Many U.S. Classrooms

by Olivia B. Waxman

"There are more than 22 million Asian Americans (about 6% of the U.S. population), representing nearly 50 ethnic groups and speaking more than 100 languages, and they make up the fastest growing racial or ethnic group among eligible U.S. voters. Yet little of their story is taught in K-12 U.S. schools."

Pushing to End Filibuster, Dems Point to its History in the Civil Rights Era

Kevin Kruse explains that, while the Senate filibuster isn't inherently racist, it's been a popular tool for racist ends, and, rather than promoting compromise, has allowed a minority to kill legislation completely without the prospect of legislative give-and-take. 

At Collin College, a Collision Over Free Speech

History Professor Michael Phillips of Collin College charges that the administration and local politicians are conducting a "purge" of progressive ideas from the campus. 

Even the GOP’s Three Best Arguments Against D.C. Statehood Don't Stand Up to Scrutiny

Republicans claim three serious objections to DC statehood beyond partisan politics: that it violates the intent of the founders; that the district beyond Capitol Hill should be ceded back to Maryland; and that statehood would create a ridiculous scenario involving the Electoral College votes of the remaining federal district. 

The Ultimate David and Goliath Fight in Alabama

The effort to organize Amazon Workers in Bessemer, Alabama may succeed if it connects the cause of labor to broader civil rights issues that resonate with the local Black community and echo the involvement of Martin Luther King in struggles for workers and economic justice, say historians Keri Leigh Merritt and Michael Innis-Jiménez. 

Derek Chauvin Trial Represents a Defining Moment in America's Racial History

University of Minnesota Professor Keith Mayes discusses the trial as part of a long and broad history of Black Americans' experiences with policing. 

How Vincent Chin's Death Gave Others A Voice

Paula Yoo's book for young adults describes the beating death of Vincent Chin in 1982 and the way his death catalyzed an Asian-American movement. 

The County Where Cops Call the Shots

Aaron Bekemeyer's PhD dissertation research examines how police unions, like those in Suffolk County, NY, became powerful in the 20th Century. Jennifer Mittelstadt also comments on the exceptional status of police unions.

Morris Dickstein, Critic and Cultural Historian, Dies at 81

Morris Dickstein was a fierce advocate for the necessity of cultural criticism as part of public discourse, to elevate public understanding of art above the vagaries of hype and trend. 

The Art of Black Letter-Writing: A Conversation with Daphne Muse

by Joshua Clark Davis

Teacher, writer and activist Daphne Muse has kept up correspondence with an incredible who's who list of Black artists, writers and organizers. Historian Joshua Clark Davis discusses this archive with her. 

Lindsay Chervinsky's Five Best Books on Presidential Cabinets

The author of an acclaimed book about George Washington's creation of the cabinet recommends five books about presidential cabinets, including those of Lincoln, Eisenhower and JFK, the unofficial team of African American advisors to FDR, and the consequential relationship between George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. 

Interview: A Rich Man's War, A Poor Man's Fight

Historian Keri Leigh Merritt, interviewed about the history of labor organizing in the South, links the history of Southern policing to the maintenance of exploitative labor practices after the Civil War and explains how the fight to unionize Amazon's Bessemer, Alabama facility extends the politics of the Civil Rights Movement.

Black-Owned Record Stores are Disappearing while Vinyl Sales are Skyrocketing. Some Shop Owners Say it's a Sign of a 'Whitewashed' Industry

The importance of Black musicians to American popular culture is not reflected in the ownership of record stores. Joshua Clark Davis explains why. 

Listen: A History of Pandemic Xenophobia and Racism

Historical examples abound of public health crises exacerbating racial tensions and exclusions. Medical historian Alexandre White discusses his work on a plague pandemic in early 20th century South Africa 

Did the Black Death Rampage Across the World a Century Earlier Than Previously Thought?

The application of DNA testing technology to the bodies of people from the medieval era suggests that the Black Death was present much earlier than believed. 

The Spy Who Came in from the Carrel

Two new books by Kathy Peiss and Richard Ovenden deal with the question of acquiring or destroying knowledege as an act of war, including the work of archivists in the OSS's "Chairborne Division" and the forced labor of Jewish scholars to identify major works of Judaica for Nazi Germany to purge. 

Inside Biden’s Private Chat With Historians

A recent meeting with the President was convened by Jon Meacham and featured Doris Kearns Goodwin, Michael Beschloss, Michael Eric Dyson, Joanne Freeman, Eddie Glaude Jr., Annette Gordon-Reed and Walter Isaacson. Topics included historical comparison of large-scale policy initiatives. 

Exploring Black and Asian American Lesbian Archives: Aché and Phoenix Rising

Two newsletters by and for queer communities of color in the Bay Area are a primary source for understanding how Black and Asian American lesbians created and maintained community. 

The 1954 US-Backed Coup in Guatemala

by Ben Tumin

Ben Tumin's "Skipped History" video series returns with a discussion of the 1954 Guatemala Coup, drawing on the work of Greg Grandin, Stephen Kinzer and Steven Schleshinger, and Vincent Bevins.

Who Were the Scottsboro Nine?

Paul Guardullo of the National Museum of African American History and Culture discusses the power dynamics in the 1931 south that made nine Black men vulnerable to a false rape accusation, and the way that the supporters of the Scottsboro Nine challenged unequal justice.