Historians in the News

Connecticut historian ridicules Trump with Halloween display of a pirate ship

Trump is described as “the mad king.”

Montana professor finds racially-charged flyer on African-American studies program board

A flier for his course – “White Supremacy History/Defeat” – was changed to read: “Black Nationalism History/Defeat.”

Historians have a role to play in debunking myths about climate change

by Megan Raby

"Most people mistakenly think climate change is new — a recent discovery … In fact, the basic greenhouse effect was understood by the mid-19th century."

Cornell historian has no regrets after controversial chant

Russell Rickford led the chant “Free Palestine” just before the crowd took a knee at a protest.

Polish institute rebuffs historian who said Nazi invasion not that bad for Jews

Institute of National Remembrance distances itself from Tomasz Panfilm, says his op-ed is "in no way compatible with historical knowledge."

Liz Cohen to step down as Radcliffe Institute dean

After seven years, she’ll return to teaching and research in history after a sabbatical year.

Luke Nichter says the Burns/Novick Vietnam documentary was unfair to Nixon, among others

by Luke A. Nichter

He says the tapes show Nixon’s Vietnam policy wasn’t solely motivated by his re-election prospects.

The Creation of the Unprecedented PBS Series "The Vietnam War"

An Interview with Co-Director Lynn Novick

by Robin Lindley

Russia honors founders of the Soviet Terror while jailing historian who uncovered their victims

Yury Dmitriev is being tried behind closed doors.

How are young historians rewriting the history of Vietnam?

by Ronald Spector

They’re showing that the Vietnam War wasn’t an American story.

Student Sues Columbia Over ‘Deliberate Indifference’ to Harassment Claims Against Historian William V. Harris

When the woman, age 29, identified only as Jane Doe, reported Dr. Harris’s behavior to other professors and university officials, the complaint said, they turned a blind eye.

Jonathan Zimmerman asks: What’s So Bad About Ken Burns?

by Jonathan Zimmerman

There’s one big reason that academic historians turn up their noses at his popular documentaries: sour grapes.

Leslie Lindenauer: Your grandfather tells stories differently than your mother

Women’s role in the Revolutionary War wasn’t acknowledged until many years after it took place.

Journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates acknowledges his debt to historians

"I really enjoy talking to historians, for the most part, because there’s so much — this is going to sound elitist but it’s true — there’s just a basic ignorance about facts in American history.”

Tiya Miles is mapping forgotten corners of slave history

The MacArthur "genius" grant winner and author of "Ties That Bind” is digging into the history of slavery in Detroit.

15 historians file an amicus brief in the case against gerrymandering

by Cliff Sloan and Michael Waldman

This is their argument: History frowns on partisan gerrymandering.

Historian Donald Matthews grew up in Idaho but writes about the South. Why?

“Because my grandfather was lynched for defending a black family from being lynched.”

Ron Radosh says Steve Bannon Is Winning With the Old Communist Party Playbook

Bannon argues he is fighting the establishment by backing candidates like Roy Moore, but like the optimistic Communists of the early 1940s he’ll likely find that his time for gaining power is shorter than he believes.

NYT devotes an entire page to Mike Wallace and his history of NYC

Volume two of Wallace’s magisterial history has just been published.

Massey College professor resigns over ‘master’ comment to Black student

When the master of the college arrived, Michael Marrus asked a black Junior Fellow: "You know this is your master, eh? Do you feel the lash?"