Current Events that Relate to History
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CommentOklahoma Is Asking the Supreme Court to Ignore History
The Founders had disagreements about the role of religion in America’s public schools, but there was always one line they would not cross.The Atlantic -
DebunkVance’s Junk History
When Donald Trump and his followers go in search of historical forerunners to justify their regime, they turn with striking regularity to the presidency.New York Review of Books -
DispatchAmerica’s Forgotten Capital City
At Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texans flex their go-it-alone style.The Saturday Evening Post -
CommentRevolution and Progress on Lexington Green
The American Revolution’s first battle is a reminder that liberty isn't the result of inevitable progress but a prize won by those willing to fight for it.Law & Liberty -
Book ReviewThe Making of the American Culture of Work
Building the assumption of work’s meaningfulness happened across many different institutions and types of media.Commonplace -
CommentUS Defeat in Vietnam Was the Right Outcome for an Unjust War
The US invasion of Vietnam was catastrophic for the Vietnamese people, resulting in millions of deaths. Fifty years ago, the US-backed regime finally collapsed.Jacobin -
exhibitStrike!
Stories about American workers who have taken collective action to demand better conditions from those who benefit from their labor.
From the HNN Archive
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What Is the Role of the Historian?
Rethinking the job of history — and the American Historical Association — after the veto of the Gaza “scholasticide” resolution. -
“A Party for the White Man”
The scene at the 1964 Republican National Convention, when Barry Goldwater was nominated and black Republicans’ worst fears about their party were confirmed. -
Indifferent to the Fate of Freedom Elsewhere
Jimmy Carter is known for his defense of human rights worldwide. But in 1979, he threatened to deport thousands of Iranian student protesters. -
Ohio’s Little-Known Fascist Member of Congress
How a local prosecutor protected white supremacists and went on to a career in Washington, DC. -
Whose Side Are College Administrators On?
There’s a long history of politicians targeting student protesters — and of campus leaders abetting those efforts. -
The Constitution Does Not Speak for Itself
In 1841, John Tyler said he was the president. The Constitution said he wasn’t. What happened next? -
“At Any Future Time”
In 1880, the daughter of a Welsh politician turned to fiction to expose perspectives missing from the official record, upending histories for generations to come. -
Letting the World Scream
In 1984, the U.S. rejected the International Court of Justice’s jurisdiction, revealing its tendency to ignore international rules it sees as unfavorable — even when it helped write them.