Adelbert von Chamisso

The Long Shadow of Adelbert von Chamisso

An exiled French aristocrat who wrote in German and explored California in the name of Russia, von Chassimo inspired Marx, Offenbach, and even Wilde.
Sa Ga Yeath Pieth Tow, King of the Maquas by John Simon

Indigenous Kings in Londontown

In 1710, Queen Anne of England feted four Native American dignitaries—would-be political allies. Their presence at a performance of Macbeth caused a stir.
Child's shoe discovered in a wall, probably put there to protect a child from evil spirits, Lancashire, 1704

Hidden Charms

Why is there a shoe in your wall?
Akkai Padmashali, a prominent transgender activist holds a placard during a protest against violence in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, on July 21, 2023 in Bengaluru, India.

Identity and Violence in Manipur, India

A history of political and economic mismanagement, paired with armed militancy based in ethnic identity, helps explain the protracted violence in the region.
From a pamphlet about the discovery of a witch, 1643

Sex and the Single Witch

On witch-hunting and the pursuit of sexual knowledge in early-modern England.
The continent of Antarctica, circa 2006

Inventing Antarctica

We're only just getting to know "the Ice."
Coster-girl by H.G Hine and E. Whimpers, 1851

The Radical Street Sellers of London

Many considered street vendors dangerous, not just for their general skirting of the law but because they comprised an outspoken political force.
Yeshaia Leibowitz

Revisiting Yeshayahu Leibowitz

The late Israeli thinker spoke of the occupation's moral cost for both sides of the conflict. A philosopher considers how his nuanced arguments hold up in 2023.
1922 Women's World Games athletes

How a Paris Meet Changed Women’s Track and Field

In the early twentieth century, women were discouraged from competing in track and field. The First International Track Meet for Women helped change that.
Matthew Alexander Henson, 1910

The First Black American to Reach the North Pole

Matthew Henson partnered with Robert Peary on seven Arctic adventures, but their final success brought an end to a longstanding collaboration.