Why Naming Anti-Gay Violence Matters
The Orlando shooting was an act of anti-gay violence, an element of the story many politicians have ignored.
Loving v. Virginia and the Origins of Loving Day
Loving Day celebrates the SCOTUS decision in Loving v. Virginia in 1967 which struck down the laws of the 16 states still forbidding interracial marriage.
A Brief History of Tobacco in America
Over the past 50 years, the portion of Americans who smoke dropped has dropped from 42 to 15 percent. The precipitous decline could mean the end of the fascination.
Free Love and the First Female Presidential Nominee
Victoria Woodhull who was known to her enemies as "Mrs. Satan," was the first woman to run for president of the United States.
The Confirmation of Louis D. Brandeis
Louis D. Brandeis was confirmed as a Supreme Court justice a century ago. The protracted nomination process may sound familiar.
Walt Whitman the… Politician?
Before Walt Whitman was a famous poet, he was a scandalous poet, but before even all that he was in the thick of local and national politics.
When Do We Grow Up? After Graduation?
The age when we grow up and begin our adult lives has changed over the years.
English Sweating Sickness: The Epidemic You Forgot to Be Terrified Of
The 15th and 16th epidemics of English sweating sIckness still fascinate historians and epidemiologists.
Brexit What? On the Foundations of the European Union
The foundations of the European Union, which the UK is deciding to remain in or leave, are in coal and steel.
The Invention of Retirement
Retirement as a mass phenomenon didn’t start as a way for older people to enjoy themselves.