Ralph H. Cameron in front of the Grand Canyon

The Man Who Tried to Claim the Grand Canyon

Ralph H. Cameron staked mining claims around the Grand Canyon, seeking to privatize it. When the federal government fought back, he ran for Senate.
Protesters Demand Resignation Of Puerto Rico's Governor Ricardo Rossello, July 22, 2019

“Jokes” about Genocide in Puerto Rico

The resignation of Puerto Rico's Governor Ricardo Rosselló echoes an incident from the 1930s.
A New England whaler

The Diverse Whaling Crews of Melville’s Era

The ship from Moby Dick was a fairly accurate portrayal of the multi-racial character of American whaling crews before the Civil War.
Busing in Charlotte, NC

Does Busing Work to Integrate Schools?

Busing as a means used to end school segregation remains controversial. Does it work? The case of Norfolk, Virginia, is highly instructive.
The Shinkansen N700A Series Set G13 high speed train travelling at approximately 300 km/h through Himeji Station, Japan

Will the U.S. Ever Catch a High-Speed Train?

Over 20 countries have high-speed train travel, carrying 1.6 billion passengers a year. The United States is lagging behind.
Cover of May 1967 issue of The Phoenix, a gay publication available via the Independent Voices collection from Reveal Digital

I Could Spend All Day Looking at the Covers of These LGBTQ Publications

A treasure trove of queer publications from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s are now available through Reveal Digital’s open access collection "Independent Voices."
Bobby Seale at John Sinclair Freedom Rally, 1971

African-American GIs and German Radicals: An Unexpected Alliance

In December 1969, radical German students reached out to the increasingly politicized black GIs. Together, they organized a series of rallies and teach-ins at German universities.
A Bunch of Bucking Broncho Busters, 1898

The Downfall of the American Cowboy

As the need for ranch workers has dwindled, the iconic status of cowboys has continued to grow.
The first black marines decorated by the famed 2nd Marine Dvision somewhere in the Pacific. (Left to right) Staff Sgt Timerlate Kirven and Cpl. Samuel J. Love, Sr., received Purple Hearts for wounds received in the Battle of Saipan.

Who Were the Montford Point Marines?

The first African-American recruits in the Marine Corps trained at Montford Point, eventually ending the military’s longstanding policy of racial segregation.
Girls in a swimming class entertain an audience of neighborhood residents at Mullanphy Pool in St. Louis, MO

When Cities Closed Pools to Avoid Integration

Many Americans lack nearby municipal pools, the lasting result of extralegal Jim Crow-era efforts to keep races segregated at all costs.