HNN Topics

Historians on CPAC 2021

The annual conservative meeting showed that Donald Trump still holds the steering wheel of the Republican Party. Historians on the speeches, the stage design, and the golden idol. 

Rush Limbaugh Dead at 70, Influenced Combative Conservatism Over the Airwaves

by HNN Staff

The talk radio host energized conservatives and disgusted others with racist, misogynistic, gay-bashing rhetoric, building a lucrative media empire and a culture of politicized resentment. 

The Texas Weather and Power Catastrophe

by HNN Staff

The combination of severe winter storms and persistent cold and a deregulated energy supply system without compulsion to invest in winterization has left Texans without power, heat or drinking water for days. Senator Ted Cruz appears to have decamped to Cancun while politicians blame wind and solar power for frozen natural gas refineries.

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Marjorie?

The House of Representatives has voted, mostly on party lines, to remove Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee assignments in response to her statements endorsing the Capitol riots and conspiracy theories that school shootings were hoaxes and California wildfires were started by the Rothschild banking family using space lasers.

Historians Pay Tribute to Hank Aaron

by HNN Staff

Hank Aaron, an all-time great of baseball and for many years its all-time leader in home runs, passed away at age 86 on January 22. Historians recall him as a player, an advocate for civil rights inside and outside the game, and a man who was uneasy being made into a symbol of progress against racism.

Biden Takes Office, Takes Stock, and Begins to Take Action

After an unusual inaugural ceremony, Joe Biden signed a slew of executive orders and released a COVID action plan. 

Historians on the Georgia Senate Runoff Elections

Two runoff elections in Georgia will determine who represents the state in the U.S. Senate and which party controls the chamber when Joe Biden takes over as the 46th president. Historians discuss whether Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock or Republicans David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler will prevail. 

Biden's First Speech to Congress: Historians React to the Speech (and the Reaction)

by HNN Staff

Biden's first speech to Congress laid out a domestic policy agenda, but didn't seem to gather Republican support. Historians react to the speech and the spin. 

Was This a Coup Attempt?

by HNN Staff

On January 6, Trump told a rally of supporters the election had been stolen and encouraged them to go to the Capitol. A mob then stormed the building, temporarily disrupting the verification of the Electoral College vote count. Historians discuss how serious the danger to democracy was and the possible consequences. 

Will We Need a Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the Trump Years?

Jill Lepore's recent op ed suggests that the real fight is to preserve documentary evidence for future historians to render judgment on Trump. That view is not universally shared among historians. 

FBI Arrests Plotters to Kidnap Michigan Governor, Highlighting Trump's "Liberate Michigan" Rhetoric

On October 8, the FBI announced multiple arrests in a plot to kidnap Michigan's Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, whose support for lockdown measures to fight COVID-19 moved Trump to call on right-wing mobs to "Liberate Michigan." 

NYT Reports Trump's Leaked Tax Returns

The report, based on Trump's leaked tax records, indicates that he routinely used business losses to avoid taxes, but also has significant mortgage debts due in the near future. 

Historians on the 2020 Election

by HNN Staff

With one week until election day, historians discuss voting lines, potential legal battles, and all things election. 

Amy Coney Barrett Sworn In; Historians on the Changing SCOTUS

Amy Coney Barrett has been sworn in a week before the election. Historians discuss the process and the future. 

The "1776 Commission" Releases its Report

The report of the 1776 commission, released on Martin Luther King Day, came in for sharp criticism from historians, not least for its treatment of racism in US history.

Senator Ben Sasse Advocates Ending Direct Election of US Senators

The Nebraska Republican, who has a PhD in US History from Yale, argued in the Wall Street Journal that the Senate would be made more functional by repealing the 17th Amendment and returning the selection of Senators to the state legislatures. 

Bob Woodward's Book Includes Trump on Tape Admitting to Downplaying COVID Danger

Among other revelations, Woodward's taped interviews show Trump admitting to grave concerns about virus in February and to downplaying the risk in March.

Historians on Trump's Reported Disparagement of Veterans

An Atlantic story, citing sources close to the President, describes Trump's belief that military personnel injured or killed in war were "suckers." 

The "Critical Race Theory" Controversy Continues

Florida's legislature is working to implement the agenda laid out by Governor Ron DeSantis, including eliminating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives and putting control of faculty hiring in the hands of university presidents, not faculty. 

It's the Republicans' Turn: Historians on the RNC

Historians comment on the week leading up to Trump's Thursday address from the White House Lawn (#HatchAct) to conclude the Republican National Convention.