Historians in the News

On Becoming An American Jewish Historian

A new book curates the intriguing insights of 16 senior scholars of American Jewish history and their path to the subject.

Law professor has a theory about the 2nd Amendment historians might want to consider

by Carl T. Bogus

The theory: The amendment was included in part to protect slavery

Number of history majors is up at community colleges

This is happening while the number of history majors at 4 year colleges is in decline.

Archaeologists are rewriting the history of Arabia

How strange rocks—and an obscure language—are changing a decades-old academic consensus.

Heather Cox Richardson says the crisis of the Trump administration has begun

by Heather Cox Richardson

"These are terrifying developments that give the president the powers of a dictator with a compliant cabal." – Heather Cox Richardson

Historian: Native Americans deserve to be remembered as Southerners, too

by Malinda Maynor Lowery

"We Are the Original Southerners."

We’re whitewashing the history of our founding, says Leslie Harris

by Leslie M. Harris

"It’s fueling problems today.”

Historians Debate Which President Leonardo DiCaprio Should Play

The Oscar winner has Teddy Roosevelt and Ulysses S. Grant biopics lined up, and scholars are using everything from 'Hamilton' to toxic masculinity to make their pitches to the actor.

Chapel Hill’s Jay M. Smith says school administrators are scared of academic freedom

by Jay M. Smith

He says they made threats when he wanted to teach a course on the history of college sports.

Yuval Noah Harari: Brexit will not halt drive to 'human unification'

New book by bestselling historian argues global challenges will make nations ever more interdependent.

When did the Census begin to ask about citizenship?

The author of "The American Census: A Social History” says it was way back in 1820, but then the question was dropped. Until 1890.

As historians and New York City educators, here’s what we hope teachers hear in New York City's new anti-bias training

by Ansley Erickson, Brian Jones, and Adam Sanchez

"Anti-bias education should lead teachers not only to address racism as an individual matter, but to perceive and struggle against its institutional and structural forms.”

Historian's new book backs Taika Waititi's claims New Zealand is 'racist as f**k’

"I wanted to expose the secret history of Auckland and New Zealand.” – Scott Hamilton

Howard M. Sachar, GWU scholar and ‘trailblazer’ of Jewish history, dies at 90

“In some ways, he talked past the historical profession. He craned his neck as I see it, to reach the larger public.”

Bernard Lewis, eminent historian of the Middle East, dies at 101

Dr. Lewis’s prolific scholarship — including more than 30 books, hundreds of articles and competence in at least a dozen languages — traced fault lines that define the modern Middle East.

Richard Pipes has died at age 94

by WSJ Editorial Board

The Russia scholar helped America win the Cold War, says the Wall Street Journal.

UK's Index on Censorship warns history is under threat worldwide

In a special edition the non-profit looks at how governments and other powers across the globe are manipulating history for their own ends. Authors include Lucy Worsley and Margaret MacMillan.

Historian Alice Dreger championing the right of academics to take controversial positions

by Alice Dreger

In an essay in the Chronicle of Higher Ed she recounts a time when a dean chastised her for approving the publication of a blunt piece about sex and the disabled.

Henry Kissinger is worried about AI?

by Henry Kissinger

Yes. He warns it might threaten the Enlightenment world the West aspires to embody.

Can only an indigenous scholar teach indigenous history?

That’s the question roiling a Halifax university in Canada.