Why Coffee is Sometimes Called Mocha
Coffee. Everybody's favorite stimulant has many nicknames, and every one of these words has a story to tell. Consider "mocha."
The Role of Children in War, from Lidice to Aleppo
Images of children in wartime, like those from Aleppo, can shock the world. But what happens after that isn't so clear.
Phyllis Schlafly and the Meaning of Antifeminism
From today’s vantage point, many of the anti-feminist ideas Phyllis Schlafly espoused sound extreme. But are they?
The Shrines of September 11th
In the immediate aftermath of September 11th, impromptu shrines appeared.
Thomas Edison and the War of the Currents
Thomas Edison had a big stake in the AC/DC war of the currents and would say anything to win.
The Evolution of the New York Restaurant Scene
In colonial America, restaurants as we know them today were virtually unheard of.
Viral Black Death: Why We Must Watch Citizen Videos of Police Violence
We should acknowledge and absorb the pain captured in videos of police violence, just as antiracist activists bore witness in the past to lynchings.
The Politics of Kindness in 2016
Kindness matters. It’s just that our politicians have their own reasons for their own kind behavior.
Rags, Riches, and Cross-Class Dressing in Elizabethan England
In Elizabethan England, strict sumptuary regulations made sure that people dressed according to their rank in life, but many transgressed.