Autism Education, “Silent Sam,” and Regulating TV
New books and scholarship from UNC Press, The University of Texas Press, and Oxford University Press.
How Alex Haley Popularized Ancestral Searching
Today it's easy to have DNA tested. But before that technology was available, Alex Haley's Roots inspired generations to trace their families' histories.
The History of the History of American Slavery
In an age when the White House is being asked if slavery was a good or bad thing, perhaps we should take a look at the history of the history of slavery.
Ralph Ellison on Race
Ralph Ellison believed fiercely in the American project and in the centrality of black people to it.
What’s So Bad About A Monopoly?
Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods has drawn the ire of a new antitrust movement, which argues against the dangers of industry monopoly.
A Precedent for Today’s Political Violence
Illegal violence has always been a political tool, often serving the interests of the powerful. A historian looks at the case of 1930s Birmingham, Alabama.
Automation in the 1940s Cotton Fields
Automation is a bit of a Rorschach test for anyone interested in workers’ rights. In the 1940s, the mechanization of cotton farming changed the US economy.
Slavery and the Church
It wasn't just educational institutions like Georgetown University that profited off of slavery; churches, too, were complicit in the system.
The First Ugly Election: America, 1800
The 1800 election saw America's first contested presidential campaigns: Thomas Jefferson vs. John Adams.