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History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

Roundup Top 10!

Lessons from the UN peacekeeping mission in Rwanda, 25 years after the genocide it failed to stop

by Samantha Lakin

Despite the broader mission’s many well-documented failings, peacekeepers took risks to save lives, going beyond official orders to protect innocent Rwandans.

As Hurricane Dorian Threatens Florida, Gov. DeSantis & Trump—Who Haven't Curbed CO2 Emissions—Should Resign

by Juan Cole

If you don’t recognize the cause of a problem, you can’t fix the problem.

To rescue democracy, we must revive the reforms of the Progressive Era

by Ganesh Sitaraman

The playbook for taming industrial capitalism already exists. It’s the essential starting point for reform today.

Police and punitive policies make schools less safe, especially for minority students

by Kathryn Schumaker

The increase in school security is directly linked to the rise of student activism that started to transform schools 50 years ago.

The Original Evil Corporation

by William Dalrymple

The East India Company, a trading firm with its own army, was masterful at manipulating governments for its own profit. It’s the prototype for today’s multinationals.

Not having kids is nothing new. What centuries of history tell us about childlessness today.

by Rachel Chrastil

The long history of childlessness can help us to debunk myths, tell our stories and expand the range of our possibilities.

When Henrietta Wood Won Reparations in 1878

by W. Caleb McDaniel

She sued the man who had kidnapped her into slavery for damages and lost wages, offering lessons for today’s debate.

Could footnotes be the key to winning the disinformation wars?

by Karin Wulf

More than ever, we need what this tool provides: accountability and transparency.

The Price of Self-Delusion

by Ronald Radosh

Paul Robeson, the towering figure of American arts, athletics, and civil rights activism, was also an unapologetic Stalinist. Failing to acknowledge this checkered legacy ultimately does a disservice to the goals he fought for.