Hubert Humphrey’s Vice Presidential Dilemma
Hubert Humphrey was well-respected as Lyndon B. Johnson's vice president—but he failed to capture the imagination of the young Democrats of the late 60s.
The Civilian Solution to Bank Robberies
The surprising story of the vigilantes who took it upon themselves to catch bank robbers in the 1920s and 30s.
The Mob Violence of the Red Summer
In 1919, a brutal outburst of mob violence was directed against African Americans across the United States. White, uniformed servicemen led the charge.
When an Argument Over Macbeth Incited a Bloody Riot
On May 10th, 1849, protestors rioted at Astor Place Opera House, leading to the deadliest civic insurrection in American history up to that time.
Go West, You Nervous Men
The "Rest Cure" for women is notorious. But the "West Cure" for men, though little known today, is a fundamental part of American mythology.
The Destruction of a Civil Rights Center
The Highlander Research and Education Center is "the most notable American experiment in adult education for social change." One of its buildings recently burned down.
The Many Meanings of Yellow Ribbons
The strange and convoluted history of why yellow ribbons became a symbol of the Gulf War in the 1990s.
The New Legacy of Casimir Pulaski
New findings reveal that the Polish war officer who aided the American Revolution may have been intersex.
How Florida Got Its Name
506 years ago, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León landed in what he christened "Florida." Historians still wonder where the name came from.
A Horse’s-Eye View of the Civil War
Horses and mules played a major role in the American Civil War. In the end, there were about twice as many dead equines as humans.