Gene Sharp

“A refusal by subjects to obey”: Gene Sharp’s Theory of Nonviolence

Gene Sharp, repeatedly nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, has been called the "Machiavelli of nonviolence" and the "Clausewitz of nonviolent warfare."
Buffalo Bill Cody

The Truth Behind Buffalo Bill’s Scalping Act

“Buffalo Bill” Cody was among history’s most intriguing showmen, fascinating a nation with a show that helped weave the modern myth of the Wild West.
civil rights marcher

Women Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement

Women leaders of the Civil Rights movement worked under the triple constraints of gender, race, and class. Their contribution hasn't gotten its due.
Harvard quad

The Infamous Tale of the Murderous Chemistry Professor

The murder of Dr. George Parkman on the campus of Harvard College was one of the most famous crimes in nineteenth century America.
Girl Scout camp

What the Girl Scouts’ Founder Wanted Girls to Know

Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world celebrate World Thinking Day, a holiday aimed at helping global scouts connect and reflect on their past.
Siege of Leningrad

The Nazis’ Nightmarish Plan to Starve the Soviet Union

Before the infamous Wannsee conference, Nazis had another meeting during which they planned the mass starvation of millions of Eastern Europeans.
General strike, Spain

The Curious Character Who First Called For a General Strike

The idea of a general strike is to shut down all but essential services in a city, region, or nation. America has had its share. A Briton invented the idea.
Peterloo Massacre

Identity Politics and Popular Movements

Issues tied to gender have often been part of broad-based popular movements, like the Zetetic movement in early nineteenth-century England.
Saturday Evening Girls Club

The Saturday Evening Girls’ Guide to Helping Immigrants Succeed

The “Saturday Evening Girls" was a Progressive-Era club that afforded urban, Jewish and Italian girls and women a chance at coveted social mobility.
Hollerith Machine

WWII and the First Ethical Hacker

Rene Carmille has been called the first ethical hacker for sabotaging the computerization of data about French Jews during World War II.