The Colorado Cannibal
Prospector Alferd Packer, stranded in the San Juan Mountains, was forced to eat his companions to survive the brutal winter conditions. Or was he?
The Story Behind “This is Your Brain on Drugs”
How did the campaign behind the Partnership for a Drug Free America’s iconic commercials develop, and why were its products so memorable?
The “Trapeze Disrobing Act”
Strongwoman Charmion used Thomas Edison’s experiments with moving pictures to encourage women to embrace strength and physical activity.
Fighting Over the Dead
There was more than one violent altercation at the cemetery when one side of the family wanted to move a dead relative, and the other didn’t.
Heroic Newsboy Funerals
These collective rituals of death brought meaning and identity to urban, working-class youth.
Hiding The Radiation of the Atomic Bombs
The atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the U.S. came with censorship and obfuscation about the effects of the radiation on those who were exposed.
Black Soldier Desertion in the Civil War
The reasons Black Union soldiers left their army during the Civil war were varied, with poor pay, family needs and racism among them.
Graffiti: Jaytalking in 19th Century Paris
The files of Paris police from the late nineteenth century reveal the tumultuous politics of the time through the graffiti recorded in them.
Separate Spheres On Narrow Boats: Victorians At Sea
On the North Atlantic, the ships were small and the trips were long, making it difficult to maintain the land-based social distinctions.
A Short History of the Public Restroom
How come it's so hard to go in sweet privacy when you're out and about?