Heroic Newsboy Funerals
These collective rituals of death brought meaning and identity to urban, working-class youth.
Food Waste: A Persistent Problem
Even when people think wasting food is bad, they tend to toss out as much (or more) food than they eat. Can that behavior be changed?
Building an Economy on Paper Money
A shortage of coined currency led Pennsylvania to begin using paper money in the 1720s. The British didn't like it, but the colonists did.
Empire: The Russian Way
Russia's rise as an imperial power was built on intercontinental expansion, and a mission of "civilizing, protecting and educating" the conquered.
Clara Gregory Baer and the “Lost” Sport of Newcomb Ball
The sport of Newcomb ball was created by Clara Gregory Baer two years before volleyball. Now forgotten, it's a good bet it lives on in the gyms and beach courts of today.
How Tumblr Helps Youth Continue to Be Seen And Heard
Tumblr may be obsolete for the first generation or two of Internet users, but Gen Z has taken it on as a platform for representation online.
Praising Maple Sugar in the Early American Republic
In Early America, some prestigious residents advocated for the replacement of cane sugar, supplied by enslaved workers, with maple sugar from family farms.
In Memoriam of the Convict Scholar
An 1899 issue of The Monthly Record reports the death of an acclaimed Shakespearian "convict scholar," who served over 20 years on a life sentence.
Muslim Women and the Politics of the Headscarf
For many women, wearing the hijab was—and is—an element of piety, but it's been coopted into a political symbol.
What Do Chicago Gangs Provide to Their Members?
Confronted with discrimination and violence, gangs evolve and serve members differently, even when patterned after existing groups.