History
A Generation of Hip-Hop Was Given Away for Free. Can It Be Archived?
They won't be lost to fire, like much of the Universal Music catalog, but who will save the mixtapes?
The Forgotten History of the Schemers Who Turned California Into an Agricultural Wonder
From the beginning, the Central Valley's productivity was a result of the most intensive farming experiment the world had ever seen. And now, farmers are pushing even harder against biological realities. An excerpt from Mark Arax's critically acclaimed new book, "The Dreamt Land."
Newly Declassified Documents Outline America's Bloody History in Argentina
U.S. government archives narrate the human rights abuses committed by Argentina's military junta, often with the assistance of the American government.
Want to Save the Humanities? Make College Free.
It's time to shift the social contract of education away from short-term job training toward long-term development. And free college has to be part of that shift.
Meet the Suffragette So Radical She Was Written Out of the History Books
A new biography sheds light on the suffragette movement's attempts to cover up its own more radical past.
How the Criminal Underworld Was Invented by the Middle and Upper Classes
In his latest book, French historian Dominique Kalifa investigates how mainstream representations of poverty have been used for centuries to harm the poor.
Mexico Asked Spain to Apologize for Its Conquest. Spain Said No.
The Spanish government rejected the Mexican president's demand, suggesting Spain's invasion of the Americas shouldn't be judged through our modern lens.
How Reporting on Anti-Semitism Shapes Public Memory
Reports on anti-Semitism are important not because they act as a warning system to Jewish communities, but in how they remind the public of the dangers of anti-Semitic thought.
How the Boston Molasses Disaster Ushered in the Era of Modern Regulation
In 1919, a massive wave of molasses marked one of the strangest industrial disasters in modern history. It also marked a major moment in U.S. public policy.
Using a Quran to Swear in to Congress: A Brief History of Oaths and Texts
This year, members of the most diverse Congress ever opted for over a dozen different religious and non-religious texts in their swearing-in ceremonies.
A Brief History of Showers as a Treatment and a Torture
Showers, now a mainstay of our daily routines, were once a cure for insanity and criminality.
Why Do We Speak Ill of the Dead?
For people who exercise great power, accountability after death is a small price to pay.
How to Beat Demagogues Using History
Princeton University historian Kevin Kruse offers lessons in how to push back against the lies of the far right.
How a Volatile Climate Shapes the Way People Think
New research finds that people living in climatically turbulent regions tend to make riskier decisions than those in relatively more stable environments.
Saving the Library Before It Burns
An archive works to conserve the stories of the 1947 Partition of India.
How Calls for Civility Led to the Civil War
Stephen E. Maizlish's new book discusses a time much like our own, when radicals in Congress hurled insults while moderates bemoaned a lack of civility.
The Troubling History of Rushed Supreme Court Confirmations
The hurried and partisan Supreme Court confirmation process for Brett Kavanaugh mirrors several notable examples of similarly politicized confirmations from our past.
An Interview With Mary Robinette Kowal
The author (and puppeteer) discusses climate change, discrimination, and how to write science fiction with a happy ending.
How an Airport Fence Has Sparked a Debate Over Honoring Victims of Japanese Internment
In Tulelake, California, a municipal airport was built on the site of a former internment camp, and now it is at the center of a serious debate over preserving the historical significance of the land.
New York City's History of Revolt
In his new book Don Mitchell, an emeritus professor of geography at Syracuse University, uses a unique lens to chronicle New York City through the centuries: its protests.
How to Protect Rare Books and Manuscripts From Climate Change
Almost all American archives are at risk from disasters or changing temperatures. Community history will probably be the first to go.
Taking Freedom: 'Build That Wall!': A Local History
On how politics and fear, rather than the day-to-day risks and realities of life at the U.S.-Mexico border, have historically shaped border policies.
James Brown Kept the Peace in Boston After MLK Was Assassinated. Is Such Solidarity Possible Today?
Is a moment of solidarity possible in an age of decentralized media?
White Lies and Fiction
White Americans are bound by a false past.