Black Tom Explosion Diver

The Unlikely Spy Alliance Behind the 1916 Black Tom Explosion

German imperialists teamed up with Irish republicans and Indian nationalists during World War I; the resulting conspiracy trial ended in a courtroom assassination.
Marian Beyonce

Beyoncé, the Virgin Mary, and the Power of Imagery

Why did Beyoncé pose as the Virgin Mary in her pregnancy and birth announcements? Learn about her art historical referents and iconic portraiture here.
Guam Beach

Guam For Beginners

How did the island of Guam, over 5,000 miles from the West Coast, get to be the closest piece of U.S. territory to North Korea?
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?
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.
New York Journal 1898

To Fix Fake News, Look To Yellow Journalism

Fake news has plenty of precedents in the history of mass media, and particularly, in the history of American journalism.
Mahjong players

Making Sense of Social Gaming

What do social gaming habits reveal about the lives of those playing?
Eddie Aikau

Eddie Aikau: The Rad Life of a Hawaiian Surfing Legend

Eddie Aikau was a surfing legend during a time when Hawaiian legends were being resurrected. As a lifeguard, he attempted more than 500 daring rescues.
Children playing at the St. Francis Square Housing Development Play Center

St. Francis Square: How a Union Built Integrated, Affordable Housing in San Francisco

How a union built integrated affordable housing in early 1960s San Francisco.
Bulldozer

“The Phantom of Hollywood” and the Demise of the MGM Film Musical

The Hollywood musical was slaughtered onscreen for the entertainment of the spectator in The Phantom of Hollywood, a horribly tacky made-for-TV movie.