Current Events that Relate to History
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ArgumentThe Clash of Civilizations Was an Inside Job
After 9/11, Samuel P. Huntington’s big idea was everywhere. But he missed the coming war within.The Atlantic -
ObituaryJesse Jackson’s American Century
Born in the Jim Crow south, he dedicated his long career to fighting for economic justice for all.Compact -
CommentTrump Gets the Monroe Doctrine Wrong. He Should Take a Page From Bad Bunny
The US president has twisted the 1823 doctrine to suit his quest for domination. It originally had a very different vision for the Americas.The Guardian -
BiographyMartha Washington
Before women could hold office, she created one.In Pursuit -
Book ReviewGuns, Money and Opium
There is an undeniable symmetry between surges in drug use in the US and the country’s covert operations overseas.London Review of Books -
ArgumentIf Slavery is Not Wrong, Nothing is Wrong
Every great movement is liable to suffer not less by the arrogance of the few than by the ignorance of the many.Shaul's Substack -
exhibitDoing Black History
Exploring the ways that African American history has been learned and taught in schools, museums, and popular culture.
From the HNN Archive
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How to Succeed in Government Without Really Trying
The long history of promising an “efficient” federal government. -
If the Slipper Doesn’t Fit
A scorched shoe is a crucial part of Zelda Fitzgerald’s modern mythology. But there’s no proof it existed. -
Indifferent to the Fate of Freedom Elsewhere
Jimmy Carter is known for his defense of human rights worldwide. But in 1979, he threatened to deport thousands of Iranian student protesters. -
Elevating the Few
What JD Vance excludes from the history of the Civil War and immigration. -
Whose Side Are College Administrators On?
There’s a long history of politicians targeting student protesters — and of campus leaders abetting those efforts. -
Solve for AI
What the history of the pocket calculator reveals about the future of AI in classrooms. -
“At Any Future Time”
In 1880, the daughter of a Welsh politician turned to fiction to expose perspectives missing from the official record, upending histories for generations to come. -
Slamming America’s Door Behind Him
How a son of European immigrants fought to keep Indian immigrants out of America. -
Governing by Police
The Metropolitan Police Department in DC has been an essential component of Washington politics since its founding. -
When Good Housekeeping Meant Getting Vaccinated Against Polio
The pages of 1950s lifestyle magazines offer a glimpse of a time when childhood vaccines were anything but controversial.