How the Artists Union Shook Up the New Deal
When artists showed solidarity with one another and the larger labor movement, they won federal patronage.
Who Is Santa Muerte?
The folk saint Santa Muerte might seem mysterious, but her devotees embrace a wide variety of everyday practices.
The Delectably Indulgent History of Perfect Food Photos
Instagram didn't invent photos of culinary masterpieces designed to inflame the appetite. Cookbooks have been at it for centuries.
The Power of the Intersectional Protest Image
In an age of hashtag activism and partisan news, social media offers possibilities for intersectional movements to reimagine images of Black protest.
How Mexican and Cuban Music Influenced the Blues
The pianist and composer Jelly Roll Morton once told an ethnomusicologist that real jazz tunes needed "tinges of Spanish."
How the Mercury 13 Fought to Get Women in Space
In 1962, the House of Representatives convened a special subcommittee to determine if women should be admitted into NASA’s space program.
A History of Transphobia in the Medical Establishment
At a time when trans people who wanted surgery needed to trust doctors, transphobia made it difficult.
5 Questions to Ask before Joining a Social Network
Clubhouse reminds us of what early adopters forget: Leadership diversity is crucial to platform safety.
The Ethical Life of Euphemisms
Euphemisms can hide facts that need to be confronted. How do they work from a linguist's point of view?
Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed at Fifty
The Brazilian educator Paulo Freire’s book, first published in English 50 years ago, urges viewing students as interlocutors or partners in the learning process.