The Mann Act: How a Law Meant to Help Women was Misused
An act meant to protect women wound up being a cudgel against common adulterers and men on the FBI's blacklist
Tank Driver Braved Flames, Bullets to Save Friends in Vietnam
Dwight Hal Johnson’s decision to risk his life for his friends in Vietnam earned him the Medal of Honor and left him struggling with PTSD.
Abolitionist Brooklyn: A Sanctuary City Before Its Time
Separated from Southern-sympathizing Manhattan, Brooklyn had one of the largest and most politically aware Black communities in the U.S.
America’s Civil War Reviews: Close Quarters, Profound Trauma
The effects of imprisonment on the senses scarred prisoners for the rest of their lives
‘Conviction’ Review: A Closer Examination of Thurgood Marshall’s Rare Yet Cunning Courtroom Defeat
A new book examines one of Marshall's few courtroom failures – a 1941 Oklahoma case that shocked the country and jumpstarted the civil rights movement
October 16, 1940—Uncle Sam’s Got Your Number, Guys
With war in the wings, the United States began calling men into service in 1940.
Harlem Hellfighter Honored in Graphic Novel
Once-forgotten African American war hero Army Sgt. Henry Johnson is the latest soldier to be featured in a graphic novel series honoring Medal of Honor recipients.
The Man Behind the Double V Campaign
Many may be aware of the Double V campaign, but few know of the 26-year-old who ignited the campaign.
‘Tell him how things can be between men on this earth’: Jesse Owens’ Unlikely Friendship
The unlikely friendship between Jesse Owens and German-born track star Carl Ludwig “Luz” Long
Interview with Edward L. Ayers, Civil War Historian
Ayers argues that America should acknowledge the importance of emancipation with a national holiday.
Embattled Banner: The True History of the Confederate Flag
The history of the Confederate Flag is full of myth and hearsay. So here's the truth of how it emerged during the Civil War—and its meaning then and now.
The Complicated History of Lafayette Square: Then and Now
Lafayette Square is a popular destination for tourists and protestors seeking to engage the White House in their own ways; it’s also an enduring symbol of the American paradox between freedom and slavery.
