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Peter Feuerherd

Peter Feuerherd

Peter Feuerherd is a professor of journalism at St. John’s University in New York and a correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter.

Halie Selassie

Why a Coup in Ethiopia Created a Faith Crisis in Jamaica

Rastafarians emerged from anti-colonial, anti-racism movements of the 60s, they also looked back toward their African ancestry.
Los Angeles skyline with palm trees in the foreground

How Marketing Made L.A.

In the early 20th century, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce started marketing L.A as an earthquake-free alternative to San Francisco.
Saco and Vanzetti

Is There a Place in Public History for Sacco and Vanzetti?

How Boston has marked the controversial trial and alleged crimes of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, Italian immigrants executed for murder.
Roloff Family

Little People on TV: Educational or Exploitative?

Little people have been used for entertainment purposes in royal courts from ancient Egypt to medieval Europe. But can this be more than exploitative?
Marilyn Monroe

The Many Meanings of Marilyn Monroe

The life, times and image of Monroe has been expounded upon tirelessly in the decades after her tragic death at age 36.
US Dollar

The Strange History of Masons in America

Often the subject of conspiracy theories, Masons captured the allegiance of much of the early American elite.
Jimmy Hoffa

When Jimmy Hoffa Vanished, He Took Union Strength With Him

The July 30, 1975, disappearance of labor leader Jimmy Hoffa sparked public fascination because he was an important cog in the nation's economy.
John Calvin

John Calvin: The Religious Reformer Who Influenced Capitalism

Both the blame and the credit for capitalism has often been placed at the feet of a 16th-century Christian theologian named John Calvin.
Barnum and Bailey poster

How P. T. Barnum Gave The Public What It Wanted

P.T. Barnum, born July 5, 1810, was "the first great advertising genius and the greatest publicity exploiter the world has ever known."
President Garfield

The Unexpected Impact of James Garfield’s Assassination

On July 2, 1881, less than a year after President James Garfield was elected the 20th president of the United States, he was shot by Charles Guiteau.
Franz Ferdinand assassination

Does Political Violence Generate Real Change?

U.S. law prohibits American leaders from assassinating their counterparts in other nations. But targeted assassination has long been a part of history.
Marshall McLuhan

The Mystical Side of Marshall McLuhan

Communication theorists don't usually merit international celebrity, with one giant exception: Canadian professor and author Marshall McLuhan.
Eisenhower before D-Day

What Eisenhower’s Unsent Letter Reveals About True Leadership

Before the D-Day landing on June 6th, 1944, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, commander of the invasion force, wrote two letters for public consumption.
Brigham Young and wives

Brigham Young and the Defense of Mormon Polygamy

Mormon leader Brigham Young tried to create a culture of polygamy in the nineteenth century. How did he justify the practice in Victorian-era America?
Birthday Cake

Happy Birthday to “Happy Birthday” Composer Mildred J. Hill

Happy Birthday, Mildred J. Hill! How the early childhood educator's humble song "Happy Birthday To You" became a worldwide institution.
retired couple

Why Retirement Age Is 65 (And Why It’s Getting Higher)

Is there something magical about age 65? The history behind the retirement age involves economics, aging, and Otto von Bismarck.
Lakewood Church

Does the “Prosperity Gospel” Explain Trump?

According to the Prosperity Gospel, wealth is a sign of God's favor. Trump Tower is not just his monument. It is seen as God's gift.
Citizen Kane William Randolph Hearst

Why William Randolph Hearst Hated Citizen Kane

Most Americans know about William Randolph Hearst through his fictional alter-ego, the protagonist of the film Citizen Kane. Was it an accurate portrait?
Aristocratic family

Noblesse Oblige in American Politics

What responsibility does the very wealthy have to the rest of the population? United States governor Winthrop Rockefeller provides a historical case study.
Central Park Olmsted

Frederick Law Olmsted: The Complicated Man Behind Central Park & The Nation

Struck by something naturally beautiful in an American city? Odds are that you have stumbled across the work of Frederick Law Olmsted.
Waco compound in flames

How Religious Literacy Might Have Changed the Waco Tragedy

Religious scholars argue that the Waco raid was not justified and that with more understanding of theology, the loss of life could have been avoided.
A postcard featuring the Castillo de San Marcos

St. Augustine, the Real First European Settlement in America?

By the time Jamestown, Virginia was settled, St. Augustine, Florida was already 42 years old. The rich history of America's oldest settlement.
Jefferson statue

What Are We to Make of Thomas Jefferson?

There is perhaps no more enigmatic figure in American history than Thomas Jefferson, born April 13, 1743. How should his legacy be understood today?
Houdini poster

The Man Who Pulled the First Houdini

Harry Houdini wasn't always famous for his daring escapes. A look at how the humble Hungarian immigrant became the world's most famous magician.
NATO headquarters meeting

NATO Survives its Identity Crisis

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) began on April 4, 1949, creating an alliance promising mutual defense against potential Soviet aggression.