Is This a Gay House?
The British aristocrat Horace Walpole's villa Strawberry Hill was said to be evidence of his "degeneracy."
The Campus Underground Press
The 1960s and 70s were a time of activism in the U.S., and therefore a fertile time for campus newspapers and the alternative press.
When Mambo Was King, Its Creators Were Stereotyped
As a style of Afro-Cuban music and dance, mambo was considered "primitive." And not just by white North Americans.
James Tiptree Jr. and Joanna Russ: Sci-Fi Pen Pals
The two feminist authors corresponded about writing and romance, especially after Tiptree's true identity leaked.
The Private Life of a Cat
Maya Deren was a fringe filmmaker who existed far outside the Hollywood machine, but she often borrowed its tactics to promote herself and her movies.
Our Editors’ Favorite Stories of 2020
This tectonic year brought shocks to the world, and though we don't know how it'll all shake out, we hope we've brought you nerdy joy.
How to Revive a Dead Language
Although it was the language of sacred texts and ritual, modern Hebrew wasn't spoken in conversation till the late nineteenth century.
Stories That Got Lost in 2020’s Erratic News Cycle
No matter how hard you work on a story, especially this year, it might get overlooked. Here are 20 that deserve more love.
The Folk Song That Fought against Fare Hikes
"M.T.A." is a humorous ditty about a never-ending subway ride. But it began in Boston's progressive political circles.