Sex Panic at the Department Store
Were shopgirls selling more than scents at the perfume counter? Three investigators were determined to find out.
The Hidden History of Biology Textbooks
American biology textbooks supposedly became less scientific after the Scopes trial. One scholar argues that this isn't the whole story.
The Ugly History of Chicago’s “Ugly Law”
In the nineteenth century, laws in many parts of the country prohibited "undeserving" disabled people from appearing in public.
How Do Indigenous Athletes Fit into the Olympics?
Olympic athletes are divided into teams of nations. To Indigenous competitors, though, that can mean representing oppressive settler-colonial states.
ADHD: The History of a Diagnosis
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has been a controversial diagnosis since it was first described, back in the 1940s.
Shoplifting, for Fun and Profit
"Hoisting" at the professional level could bring a sense of pride, along with the relief of avoiding grueling domestic work.
Integrating Baseball, before Jackie Robinson
Black players were banned from Major League Baseball during the Jim Crow era. Other players walked the color line—gently.
When Statutory Rape Laws Led to Forced Marriages
In early 20th-century New York, men accused of "ruining" women under eighteen could avoid prosecution by marrying them.
The Sorry History of Car Design for Women
A landscape architect of the 1950s predicted that lady drivers would want pastel-colored pavement on the interstate.
Gay Bars and Gay Rights
One of the flash points in the LGBTQ+ movement was liquor licenses, which were the subject of important legal cases.