The Media’s Bottom-Line Problem
The health of our democracy depends on a free press. What happens when the thirst for profits, eyeballs, and clicks drives political coverage?
Riot! At the Theater
One audience demanded more censorship, another less. Both challenged the reach of anti-obscenity laws in the early twentieth century.
A Million Americans Once Voted for an Incarcerated Socialist
Eugene Debs campaigned for both president and prison reform from a federal penitentiary. His critiques of the prison system still resonate.
Lyndon B. Johnson’s Decision Speech: Annotated
United States President Lyndon B. Johnson’s televised announcement that he would not run for re-election shocked a nation divided by the Vietnam War.
Celebrate World Bear Day!
The joy and concern we feel on World Bear Day perfectly represents our complicated—and sometimes contradictory—feelings about these massive mammals.
Chainlink Chronicle: Celebrating Black History in Louisiana
An exploration of one prison newspaper’s commitment to celebrating Black History with a unique focus on its home state.
The Pre-Captain Planet Eco-Heroes of Animation
Environmentally oriented films from the classical era of Hollywood animation delivered powerful messages about the negative consequences of technological progress.
Daughters of Bilitis
The first lesbian rights organization in the United States originated as “a social club for gay girls.”
The Pardon of President Nixon: Annotated
President Ford’s unconditional pardon of Richard Nixon created political controversy. It also tarnished Ford’s own reputation with the American public.
How Wattstax Ushered in a New Era of Black Art
Organized in the aftermath of the 1965 Watts uprising, the music festival showed that something powerful was happening in the Black community.