Why Black Women Activists Started Wearing Denim
Members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee adopted denim clothing for activist work. This had special significance for Black women.
How the Media Can Define Terrorism
Two scholars argue that the language used to describe violent events influences whether people see it as terrorism—with real-world consequences.
Black Images and the Politics of Beauty
How Black-owned charm schools and modeling agencies challenged stereotypes of African American women after World War II.
Lydia Maria Child and the American Way of Censorship
Facing ostracism by literary elites and attacks from pro-slavery mobs, an abolitionist blunted her politics.
The Black Cops Who Fought Brutality on Their Own Force
In 1960s Chicago, members of the Afro-American Patrolman's League challenged oppressive policing in Black communities.
The US Army’s Remarkable Camel Corps of the 1850s
Imported from Mediterranean ports, the marvelous pack animals served to great acclaim in the military.
The Physics of Karate
A human hand has the power to split wooden planks and demolish concrete blocks. A trio of physicists investigated why this feat doesn't shatter our bones.
Hair Embroidery as Women’s Buddhist Practice
In late imperial China, it was a devotional art using hairs plucked from devotees' own heads.
Slavery in a Free State: The Case of California
California came into the Union as a free state in 1850, but proslavery politicians held considerable sway there.
Madame Stephanie St. Clair: Numbers Queen of Harlem
The colorful career of a woman who ran a gambling ring, fought police corruption, and challenged white mobsters.