The Satanic Foreign Film That Was Banned in the U.S.
Benjamin Christensen's Häxan was part documentary and part fantasy—and considered too disturbing for public viewing.
ONE: The First Gay Magazine in the United States
ONE is a vital archive, but its focus on citizenship and “rational acceptance” ultimately blocked it from being the safe home for all that it claimed to be.
Playing Sports and “Playing Indian”
The use of Native American stereotypes for team mascots and nicknames is related to efforts to erase Indian identity and culture.
A Deadly Virus is Lurking in East Coast Mosquitoes
Eastern Equine Encephalitis may be brewing in the bog near you. Should you worry?
Helpful Rats, Terrifying Chickens, and Risky Thinking
Well-researched stories from NPR, The Walrus, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
The Arsenic Cake of Madame Lafarge
The first trial to use forensic toxicology electrified France in 1840 with the tale of a bad marriage and poisoned innards.
How Influenza Devastated the Navajo Community in 1918
Like COVID-19, the 1918 influenza pandemic moved swiftly through the Navajo community, but firsthand accounts of the devastation are rare.
The Mormon Fans of Europe’s 1848 Revolutions
As the crowned heads of Europe shuddered at the unrest in the streets, members of the Latter-Day Saints movement cheered.
The First American Restaurants’ Culinary Concoctions
A study of historical fine-dining menus yields surprises. Like six preparations of frog, and delicious lamb testicles.
The First Black-Owned Bookstore and the Fight for Freedom
Black abolitionist David Ruggles opened the first Black-owned bookstore in 1834, pointing the way to freedom—in more ways than one.