Current Events that Relate to History
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ComparisonWhy Are American Passenger Trains Slow?
Across the American rail network, passenger trains run slower today than they did before the Second World War. What happened?American Affairs -
Q&AThe Black Anti-Fascist Tradition Recognized Fascism Didn’t Begin in Europe
Black anti-fascists have long warned about creeping fascism, from slavery to mass incarceration to ICE terror.Truthout -
CommentThe Declaration Still Unites Our Nation
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, our founding charter remains central to our national life.American Heritage -
Film ReviewThe Problem of Violence in "The American Revolution"
The third installment of Ken Burns's series focuses on the war's carnage, but leaves viewers confused about the role it played in the nation's founding.The Panorama -
personJesse Jackson
Oct. 8, 1941 — Feb. 17, 2026
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Q&AThe Founding Ideology of American Empire
A conversation about the afterlives of Cold War liberalism, which justified illiberal acts in the name of defending liberalism.The Drift -
exhibitDoing Black History
Exploring the ways that African American history has been learned and taught in schools, museums, and popular culture.
From the HNN Archive
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How to Succeed in Government Without Really Trying
The long history of promising an “efficient” federal government. -
If the Slipper Doesn’t Fit
A scorched shoe is a crucial part of Zelda Fitzgerald’s modern mythology. But there’s no proof it existed. -
Indifferent to the Fate of Freedom Elsewhere
Jimmy Carter is known for his defense of human rights worldwide. But in 1979, he threatened to deport thousands of Iranian student protesters. -
Elevating the Few
What JD Vance excludes from the history of the Civil War and immigration. -
Whose Side Are College Administrators On?
There’s a long history of politicians targeting student protesters — and of campus leaders abetting those efforts. -
Solve for AI
What the history of the pocket calculator reveals about the future of AI in classrooms. -
“At Any Future Time”
In 1880, the daughter of a Welsh politician turned to fiction to expose perspectives missing from the official record, upending histories for generations to come. -
Slamming America’s Door Behind Him
How a son of European immigrants fought to keep Indian immigrants out of America. -
Governing by Police
The Metropolitan Police Department in DC has been an essential component of Washington politics since its founding. -
When Good Housekeeping Meant Getting Vaccinated Against Polio
The pages of 1950s lifestyle magazines offer a glimpse of a time when childhood vaccines were anything but controversial.