Anita Louise chats on the telephone in a scene from The Gay Lady, 1935

When the Telephone Was Considered Feminine

Being difficult to understand on the other end of the line was a badge of masculinity.
Komagata Maru

The 1917 Immigration Act That Presaged Trump’s Muslim Ban

Prohibitive laws like the 1917 Immigration Act barred many Asians from entering America. Cultural fears still determine who "deserves" to migrate.
Lorne Malvo

From Twain to Fargo: the Outsider in American Storytelling

The Lorne Malvo character on the new Fargo TV series, is like the character Satan in Mark Twain's final novel, The Mysterious Stranger.