That Time a Woman Rode Aristotle Around Like a Horse
In the Middle Ages, the legend of Aristotle and Phyllis exemplified the “Power of Women” trope.
BlacKkKlansman in Context
A new film tells the story of Ron Stallworth, a black police officer who infiltrated the KKK in 1972. What was the context for this odd moment in history?
Why Civilizations End
Scientists studying fallen civilizations suggest that the culprit is overshoot in combination with climate change. What does this mean for our current era?
What’s in a Popularity Rating?
A leader's popularity usually has more to do with the market, the economy, and other external factors than with the leader's personality.
How TV Transformed the News in 1968
In 1968 violent events at home and aboard were broadcast in color on the television news, creating impacts that may have swayed the presidential election.
The Dirtiest Piece of Writing in Print
The 1968 DNC was overshadowed by anti-war demonstrations. The Walker Report describing the events became controversial for the obscenities it contained.
When Cyclists Made Up an Entire Political Bloc
The League of American Wheelmen was originally intended to spread bicycle appreciation. The 1896 presidential election changed all that.
Grave Robbing, Black Cemeteries, and the American Medical School
In the 19th century, students at American medical schools stole the corpses of recently-buried African Americans to be used for dissection.
Why Yemen Suffers in Silence
Yemen is suffering a major humanitarian crisis. How did the country get to such a precarious state, and why aren't Americans paying more attention?
The Stolen Children of Argentina
Between 1976 and 1983, some 30,000 Argentines were "disappeared," their children seized by the junta. The Abuelas—the Grandmothers—of the Plaza refuse to forget.