An edited collage of images from early National Geographic artwork. The photograph of this woman from Biskra, Algeria is from a 1917 issue.

How National Geographic Conquered American Culture

The magazine’s explosive growth mirrored the nation's emergence as a global empire.
Collage of underground publications

LGBTQIA+ Pride Month

June is LGBTQ Pride Month, so JSTOR Daily gathered some of our favorite stories to celebrate. All with free and accessible scholarly research.
Mei Lan-fang

How Race Shaped New York’s View of Chinese Opera

In 1930s New York, Chinese opera was praised uptown but mocked in Chinatown.
An illustration of Musa × paradisiaca

A History Wrapped in Banana Leaves

How hallacas and the banana plant became intertwined in Venezuelan cultural memory.
Preaching to the Birds by Fritz Eichenberg

Fritz Eichenberg’s Art of Human Connection

A master printmaker defended the emotional power of representational art in an increasingly mechanized world.
Smiling woman holding a sleeping baby in a blue sling in a cozy kitchen setting

Why Care Matters More Than Work

Reproductive justice offers a new way to think about human flourishing beyond the job market.
Unidentified young soldier in Confederate infantry uniform`

The Civil War Fight over Underage Soldiers

Families turned to habeas corpus to recover enlisted sons, forcing a constitutional showdown over military power.
Whitney Houston performs onstage in July 1986

Understanding the Power of Power Ballads

Why do power ballads still resonate? A look at the emotional formulas behind pop’s biggest ballads.
An example of boys' love inspired artwork.

The Global Rise of Boys’ Love Fandom

From Mexico City fan conventions to Thai TV dramas, Japanese queer media culture is evolving in unexpected ways.

Inside the Newspapers of Iran’s Revolution

An expansive digital archive captures how journalists, satirists, and tabloids documented revolutionary Iran in real time.