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The Vexations of History In An Age of Police Violence: A Ventura County California Perspective

by Frank P. Barajas

Protests like those in the author's home city show that minority communities across the nation have longstanding historical grievances against police departments that must be addressed with meaningful change.

Baby Boomers: Incapable of Greatness

by Gregory D. Foster

The problems of contemporary society can be attributed to a generation born at the right time who squandered the opportunity to do something for the allure of being something.

One Small View of a Big Picture

by Arnold R. Isaacs

A journalist and writer didn't expect a Black Lives Matter demonstration to happen in his mostly white, Trump-supporting suburban Baltimore community. Here are his observations on the event and what it might tell about white Americans' actions and attitudes. 

What if Trump Refuses to Leave?

by Richard Striner

History offers few guidelines for how to handle the increasingly plausible scenario of a defeated president refusing to leave office. 

Six Reasons Besides Racism Americans Voted For Trump

by Walter G. Moss

Donald Trump certainly exploited many white Americans' racism to win votes in 2016. But there are some other disturbing trends--from our anti-intellectualism to our taste for celebrity--that he could exploit again.

Trump's Bad "Bloodlines"

by Rafael Medoff

Donald Trump recently continued an ignoble legacy of American presidents endorsing eugenics and other pseudoscientific theories of racial hierarchy.

The Decline of the Humanities and the Bleach-Drinking Epidemic

by Lior Sternfeld and Mana Kia

When Donald Trump hinted that injecting "disinfectants" could cure COVID-19, he was displaying a lack of critical thinking skill that is endemic in a society where learning is valued only in economic, rather than civic, terms.

Interconnected Histories of Race, Violence, and Policing in America

by Michael J. Pfeifer

A historian of criminal justice contends that two conceptual boundaries--between North and South and between lynching and police force--help conceal the racist violence in the American system of justice.

A Brief Note to the History Graduates of 2020

by Jeffrey Herf

A University of Maryland professor urges this spring's history graduates to "place skills you have learned here in service of defending and developing the search for truth that we need to move from catastrophe to recovery."

Mourning in America

by Ed Simon

Historically the powerful have described deaths from disease and starvation as "natural" to hide the political nature of suffering and their own responsibility. To mourn is to fight this erasure.

COVID and the Deadly Logic of Efficiency in Meatpacking and Elder Care

by Jeff Kolnick

The economic logic of efficiency is responsible for the severity and deadliness of the Coronavirus outbreak in both meatpacking plants and nursing homes. 

Trump and the Puritans

by Martyn Whittock

No one would ever call Donald Trump a Puritan. But the 17th century religious movement is a foundation of Trump's America.

COVID-19 is Devastating Native American Communities. History Illuminates Why.

by Pete Sigal, Robbie Ethridge, and Nancy Shoemaker

Centuries of unequal access to resources and decision-making served to weaken indigenous health across the Americas and beyond.

Little Richard: Bold, Pioneering, Complex, and Unapologetic

by Elwood Watson

Little Richard left a lasting musical and cultural legacy because of his talent and his willingness to be more boldly black and sexual than other artists dared.

Ways that Donald Trump is Just Like Henry Ford, And Why That’s Not Good for American Democracy

by Victoria Woeste

Trump's comments praising Henry Ford's "bloodline" are no coincidence. Both men used the American cult of the businessman to amass power and wealth while championing the idea of racial hierarchy.

Disruption and Resilience: Lessons from the Ancient History of the 2000s

by Garrett Peck

The history of the 2000s is a story of human resilience in the face of crisis. We must find ways to respond to disruption with mutual care and creativity. 

Stop the Machine: Why We Should Resist Online Learning

by Jonathan Rose

A history professor argues that, even given the risks of COVID, the intellectual and social missions of higher education will be crippled if in-person education isn't resumed soon. 

Fly me to the Moon: Covering the Early Space Program

by Ron Steinman

Will people struggling to get through a normal day be inspired by a renewed space program? Will either the government or the media commit for the long haul?  At least I knew there was a time when we all had it in us. For the future, only time will tell.

The Pandemic Exposed a Major Flaw in America’s Health Care System

by Robert Brent Toplin

The crisis may create an opportunity to do what once seemed impossible: deliver universal healthcare and end the employer-based insurance system.

The Post Office is Mentioned, but Not Protected, by the Constitution

by David Head

If the day comes when the USPS, like privateering, has outlived its usefulness, the Constitution will prove no obstacle. The only question that matters is the practical one: does the postal service accomplish its mission better than the alternatives?