Burning Kelp for War
World War I saw the availability of potash plummet, while its price doubled. The US found this critical component for multiple industries in Pacific kelp.
The Age of the Birth Certificate
When states began restricting labor by children, verifying a person's age became an important means of enforcement.
Freedom Libraries and the Fight for Library Equity
Freedom libraries in the south provided Black residents with access to spaces and books, whether in church basements or private homes.
Making the (California) Desert Bloom
The question of Zionism in post World War II America did not have a single answer. One group proposed bringing agriculture to the California desert instead.
How LGBTQ Groups Supported Striking Miners vs. Thatcher
During a national miners strike, LGBT activists became unexpected allies, united against the Thatcher government.
50 Years Later: The Evolution of Prison Policy
Buried within Adelante is evidence of a fleeting attempt at prison reform and oversight in Connecticut. Is history repeating itself?
How the Maya Kept Time
Many scholars contrast linear and cyclical time and note that cycles were an important part of Maya concepts of temporal reality.
The Emancipation Proclamation: Annotated
Abraham Lincoln proclaimed freedom for enslaved people in America on January 1, 1863. Today, we've annotated the Emancipation Proclamation for readers.
Our Most Popular Stories of 2021
This year, readers were into peanut butter and jelly, semi-conductors, bayonets, Victorian knitting manuals, plus the hard-working dogs of Medieval Europe.
Our Writers’ Favorite Stories of 2021
Without our writers (and editors and fact checkers and producers) and you, we're nothing.