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Donald Kendall, Who Built Pepsico into a Soda and Snack-Food Giant, Dies at 99

The late president of Pepsi-Cola was a leader in bringing American products to the Soviet bloc and Communist China during the cold war and was influential in pushing Richard Nixon to support the CIA's coup against democratically-elected socialist Salvador Allende in Chile.

These Confederate Statues were Removed. But Where Did they Go?

While many localities have moved swiftly to remove Confederate memorials from public ground, the ultimate disposition of many of the statues is still to be determined. 

Trump's Praise of Robert E. Lee Gets Pushback from Minnesotans Proud of State's Role at Gettysburg

Many Minnesotans took issue with Donald Trump's praise for Robert E. Lee at a rally in Bemidji, particularly because of the role of Minnesota troops in defeating the Confederacy. 

How Jewish History and the Holocaust Fueled Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Quest for Justice

by Gillian Brockell

The passing of the Supreme Court Justice is occasion to review her 2004 address to the U.S. Holocaust Museum. 

Mystery of Denim's Origins Solved by Art

An anonymous Italian artist is being dubbed the 'Master of Denim' for his portrayal of the peasant class in the now-famous fabric. Workaday staple and fashion favorite, blue jeans have conquered the planet. But were they born in the textile mills of New Hampshire, on France's southern coast or the looms of north Italy? Art historians believe they have found a piece of the centuries-old puzzle in the work of a newly discovered 17th-century north Italian artist, dubbed th

Titanic drama will show that the English were not all villains

Julian Fellowes is writing a television drama about the Titanic that will show the 'human version' of the disaster. James Cameron's Hollywood blockbuster Titanic may be one of the most successful films of all time, but it left viewers with the impression that the English on board were either knaves or fools. Now, ITV hopes to salvage the reputation of the English with a drama to be screened on the centenary of the ship's sinking in two years' time....

The Danger Of Depoliticising Black Power Activism

Both celebrities and consumer brands have appropriated the aesthetics of the Black Panther Party and other Black militants, without dealing with the substance of their politics. 

How Jimi Hendrix, Racism and Grunge Intersect, 50 Years after the Guitarist’s Death

Although the guitarist made a global impact on rock music, he left a particular legacy for Black musicians in his hometown of Seattle. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court’s Feminist Icon, Is Dead at 87

by Linda Greenhouse

Times SCOTUS reporter Linda Greenhouse presents a comprehensive chronicle of the life, career and impact of the recently deceased Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

How Jimi Hendrix’s London Years Changed Music

A new book, at the 50th anniversary of the guitar master's death, takes Jimi Hendrix's leap from chitlin circuit sideman to London sensation as a turning point for rock music. 

Princeton Admitted Past Racism. Now It Is Under Investigation.

The Trump administration opened a civil rights investigation into the university after its president acknowledged the role of systemic racism at the school.

Richard and the Revolutionaries: Why did Lefties Love Wagner?

"Wagner’s tale of the corrupting power of the golden Ring matches Marx’s musings on the “perverting power” of money."

Trump Alleges ‘Left-Wing Indoctrination’ in Schools, Says He will Create National Commission to Push More ‘Pro-American’ History

Trump's remarks asserted that teaching about the importance of slavery and racism to American history is unpatriotic and equivalent to "left-wing rioting and mayhem."

Education Department Opens Investigation into Princeton University after President Deems Racism 'Embedded' in the School

The Department of Education's justification appears to boil down to the idea that acknowledging institutional racial inequality embedded over centuries is the functional equivalent of discrimination. 

Presidential Campaigns are Almost Always about the Future. In 2020, the Candidates Cannot Stop Talking about the Past

American presidential elections typically give the nation time to collectively examine how we got to the present moment and what the right direction should be for the future. Not this one. 

Black Leaders Launch ‘1776 Unites’ High School Curriculum

An American Enterprise Institute fellow and a Black civil rights veteran have launched a "1776 Unites" curriculum as a challenge to the "1619 Project," 

‘Viking’ Was a Job Description, Not a Matter of Heredity, Massive Ancient DNA Study Shows

A large DNA study of samples from Viking remains casts doubt on the idea that participation was a hereditary or ethnic phenomenon. Being a Viking was a job. 

Black Sabbath's Paranoid at 50: Potent Anthems of Working-Class Strife

Music critics dismissed Black Sabbath's sludgy sound and alienated lyrics, but fans ensured that the band's second album would become one of the most influential rock records of all time. The songs' channeling of working-class pain and frustration, not their fascination with the occult, explain why.

Stanley Crouch, Towering Jazz Critic, Dead at 74

Crouch's criticism pulled no punches, and tackled big questions about the relationship between race and art in American music. He became an influential and controversial figure in the popular history of jazz as a consultant to Ken Burns's documentary.

State Auditor Investigating Ole Miss Professor Who Participated In Strike

A controversial sociologist at the University of Mississippi has drawn attention from the state auditor for participation in the #ScholarStrike protest movement.