Recently Published

The Leaders of Tomorrow

by Katherine J. Ballantyne

What happened in 1970 after Richard Nixon was told, “I doubt that there would be any problem of student demonstrations in Tennessee.”

Walt Disney Presents Manifest Destiny

by Devin Thomas O’Shea

On the St. Louis theme park that never made it past the drawing board.

No Place to Make a Vote of Thanks

by Marc Blanc

On the long tradition of Black third-party activism.

Should a Colombian Buy a Banjo?

by Santiago Flórez

How preparation for a big purchase turned into an adventure through history.

Why Does American History Feel Like Ancient History to High School Students?

by Lightning Jay

An argument for returning the recent past, and the history of modern conservatism, to classrooms.

This Is Standby Alert

by Matthew Lindaman

The history of the battle to keep Title IX out of college sports.

Tunnel Vision

by Daniel Lavery

When you dig beyond all purpose, digging becomes the purpose.

Age Before Duty

by Darrin M. McMahon

What role does age play in determining the status of equals?

Borders of the Past, Present, and Future

by Lauren Markham

A reading list inspired by Lauren Markham’s new book.

Plate Tectonics

by Miriam Pinski

Regulating cars has always been a difficult task. 

Spending My Free Time Researching Free Time

by Gary S. Cross

One academic tells the story behind his new book—and his next one.

Will the Sun Ever Set on the Colony?

by Whitney Barlow Robles

Tracking the history of a curious scientific term.

The Era Without a Name

by Edward L. Ayers

There’s no one place to learn about the early decades of the 19th century. So I set off to see how that history is being remembered in the places where it happened.

How Liberal Policymakers and White Suburban Parents Drove the War on Drugs

by Matthew Lassiter

A Q&A with Matthew Lassiter about how liberal policymakers and white parents drove the escalation of the War on Drugs.

The Boston Tea Party, Top to Bottom

by Benjamin L. Carp

A historian attends the 250th anniversary of the Tea Party, and reflects on the ways Americans remember one of the Revolution's main set pieces.

The Eternal Inflation of the Spotless Grade

by Christopher Deutsch

For more than 50 years, we've been worrying about "grade inflation" at elite American universities. It's time to move on.

Playing to the Cameras

by Kathryn Cramer Brownell

How infotainment is degrading both history and democracy.

For Historians, the Best and Worst of Times

by Michan Connor

Taking stock of the history wars, and reflecting on the quandary they pose for historians.

The Army Warned Troops in 1945 of the Danger of Fascism. That Warning Rings True Today

by Alan J. Singer

As the military prepared for the occupation of conquered Axis nations, it realized that without awareness of the content and goals of fascism, it could emerge at home as "Americanism." 

New York's Education Wars a Century Ago Show how Content Restrictions Can Backfire

by Bill Greer

Laws enforcing ideological positions in education can gain popularity when they focus on unpopular ideas. But when they take effect to punish popular teachers, the public gets second thoughts.