Historians/History

The Overlooked Story of “the Greater United States”: Historian Daniel Immerwahr Shares His Unique Perspective on American Empire

by Robin Lindley

From the Guano Islands to America’s widespread empire now, Professor Immerwahr shares neglected stories from the past showing how inhabitants of America’s possessions have been relegated "to the shadows," and, at various times, have been "shot, shelled, starved, interned, dispossessed, tortured, and experimented on."

Stonewall's Legacy and Kwame Anthony Appiah's Misuse of History

by Alan Singer

What Appiah misses in his dismissal of the Stonewall Rebellion’s historical importance is that symbols like Rosa Parks sitting down and Stonewall are crucial to social movements as they mobilize and move from the political margins to the center of civic discourse.

Detaining Migrant Children at U.S. Military Bases Has Been Done Before

by Jana Lipman

The history of Fort Chaffee shows that it’s risky to house refugee populations on a military base.

Enough With Hamilton, Say Fans of Other Founding Fathers

Success of Broadway show steals limelight from Jefferson, Franklin and others; ‘not a lot of demand for James Madison’

U.K. Tribute to ‘Windrush’ Generation Draws Criticism

Prime Minister Theresa May’s tribute video drew a backlash, with critics reminding the public of Mrs. May’s legacy before she became prime minister.

Karin Wulf on Why History Hashtags on Twitter are Inherently Inclusive

by Aleisha Smith

Dr. Wulf also discusses what she's working on now, the importance of Women Also Know History, and the success of the Black Perspectives blog. 

Why We Need Better Children's History Books

by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Assembling a coherent narrative that inspires students to image a different world is much more complicated than a Wikipedia search. Teachers can only carry out this task if they have access to narrative histories that are decolonized.

Wealth, Access, and Archival Fetishism in the New Cold War History

by Benjamin R. Young

Cold War historians are only reinforcing elitist hierarchies if they continue to almost singularly hold up multinational research in previously unexplored archives as the gold standard of quality scholarship. 

The Perfect Mentor: Alan Brinkley

by Yanek Mieczkowski

Beyond his impeccable scholarship and insightful lectures, Alan Brinkley was a mentor to dozens of doctoral students. In that role, he was perfect, providing profound lessons that will last through many careers, and likely, many lifetimes. 

On the 100th Anniversary of the Treaty of Versailles, It's Time to Reexamine Its Legacy.

by David Carlin

Versailles did not destroy the German economy, make Germany into a permanent pariah, or inspire the German lust for revenge. Instead, the Nazis capitalized on a unique economic calamity (the Great Depression), German political instability, and deep seated radical nationalist currents.

Ideologies and U.S. Foreign Policy International History Conference: Day 2 Coverage

by Miriam Lipton

What was the global significane of the Civil War? What exactly is the definition of “freedom?” How are Donald Duck, Indiana Jones, and anti-modernizationistsconnected? The second day of the Ideologies and U.S. Foreign Policy International History Conference was highlighted by experts’ bold answers to these ambitious questions.

"Donald Trump and Ideology:" Dr. James Lindsay Delivers the Governor Tom McCall Memorial Lecture

by Miriam Lipton and Marcelo Carocci

History and Trump's ideology of American power and foreign relations.

Ideologies and U.S. Foreign Policy International History Conference: Day 1 Coverage

by Marcelo Carocci

The conference brought together academic and independent historians and political scientists from universities all-round the US and England to discuss the history of ideology and US foreign policy from many different points of view.

Make History Accessible: The Case for YouTube

by Rohit Kandala

Youtube presents a great opportunity for both professional history educators and amateurs to enhance the public’s interest in history. 

The Cold War Spy and CIA Master of Disguise Writing the History of CIA Tactics in the Cold War

by Aleisha Smith

An interview with Jonna Mendez. A former Chief of Disguise with 27 years in the CIA, she discusses her latest book (co-authored with her husband Tony Mendez), her experience in the CIA, and her role at the Spy Museum.

The Origins of the Lost Cause Myth

by M. Andrew Holowchak

States’ rights and slavery, while theoretically distinct, were in praxis intertwined. Here's what a Jeffersonian analysis of Jubal Early’s lost-cause apologia can teach us.

Environmental Historian Sara Dant: "History Is As Relevant Today As Ever."

by Korina Ike

"We have many challenges - environment, politics, social, cultural - that are the end-product of our historical arc.  Understanding how we got here, what has worked and what hasn’t in the past, gives us the best chance of moving forward successfully."

Material History and A Victorian Riddle Retold

by Amy G. Richter

A historian of nineteenth-century American culture, I study the significance ordinary women and men gave to furniture, art, and decoration. Recently my mother's dementia challenged my scholarship by reminding me of the personal meanings of objects and the intimate work they do.

What the Feud and Reconciliation between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson Teaches Us About Civility

by Mike Purdy

The history of presidential insults cause us to reflect how we should treat one another – not only in the public square, but around the family dinner table, in our marriages, and in the workplace. 

Arbella Bet-Shlimon Got Into History to Counter False Perceptions of Middle East Region

by Erik Moshe

She had a goal when she first started out in history: to use teaching, scholarship, and research to help offset spurious ideas that foster cruelty to Middle Easterners in the United States and prolong destructive foreign policy abroad.