Madame Sul-Te-Wan’s Forgotten Brilliant Career
The mysteriously named Madame Sul-Te-Wan was the first black actress to land a Hollywood studio contract.
Photographer Francesca Woodman’s Haunting Dissolutions
Woodman's imagery engaged with architectural and natural landscapes that were themselves in a state of change and decay.
The Politics of Drinking in Revolutionary Russia
To leaders, the ideal Soviet worker should be sober. Actual workers had other thoughts.
Paul Krugman: Everything Is Political
An interview with the Nobel prize-winning economist on what to do about the “zombie ideas” that animate contemporary political discourse.
Black English Matters
People who criticize African American Vernacular English don't see that it shares grammatical structures with more "prestigious" languages.
Ditch the Smartphone and Smell the Roses This Valentine’s Day
Digital detox services may be just as important for your health as a chemical detoxification
Crowded Skies, Disappearing Bees, and Romney’s Vote
Well-researched stories from The Atlantic, The Verge, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
The Rebellious, Scandalous Origins of Polka
The dance is often associated with the traditions of immigrant communities in America. But it emerged in Europe during a time of radicalism.
The Myth of the Noble Racehorse
Despite all the whips and spurs involved, nineteenth-century Americans believed racehorses loved a little manly competition.
Is Emma Really the Heroine of Emma?
Jane Austen gave her character Emma Woodhouse plenty of off-putting qualities. So does she even deserve her popularity?