Trusted Writing on History, Travel, and American Culture Since 1949
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No figure in the Revolutionary era inspired as much affection and reverence as Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette
After we published the Papers at the Washington Post, the Supreme Court decision in our favor has underpinned American freedom of the press.
The New York Times reporter who spent months in hiding analyzing the Pentagon Papers remembers how they broke the story.
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History around the web
We nearly lost our first president to the flu. The country could have died, too, by Gillian Brockell
In 1790, George Washington fell severely ill, threatening his life and the young nation he led.
Yes, Women Could Vote After The 19th Amendment — But Not All Women. Or Men, by Melissa Block
Even after that milestone, millions of people — women and men alike — were still excluded from the vote, as many barriers to suffrage remained.
I’m a Historian. I See Reason to Fear—And to Hope, by Joanne Freeman
We can’t assume that all will be fine in the end, but history shows us that times of unrest are opportunities, too.
The Mask Slackers of 1918, by Christine Hauser
As the influenza pandemic swept across the United States in 1918 and 1919, masks took a role in political and cultural wars.
How a Lincoln-Douglass Debate Led to Historic Discovery, by Ted Mann
Texting exchange by two professors led to Frederick Douglass letter on Emancipation Memorial
In 'Hamilton', Angelica Schuyler's husband is called 'not a lot of fun.' Here's his real story, by Daryl Austin
While the play's creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, has delivered Hamilton his long-overdue public acclaim, many other historical figures are overlooked or represented in a less-than-flattering manner throughout the production.
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Nathan Hale hanged
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Lincoln announces Emancipation Proclamation
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US Postmaster General office formed