History
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The Jewish Refugees Who Fled Nazi Germany—Then Returned to Fight
When U.S. soldiers fought Germany during World War II, there was one group that was particularly motivated—about 2,000 mostly German…
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What Is the Difference Between Memorial Day and Veterans Day?
The federal holidays of Memorial Day and Veterans Day are both designed to celebrate members of the U.S. military, but…
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10 Major Labor Strikes Throughout U.S. History
Since colonial times, when fishermen, bakers, refuse collectors and tailors tried to get more money or fairer treatment by refusing…
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Henry A. Kissinger
Henry Kissinger, the nation’s 56th secretary of state, played a key role in influencing U.S. foreign policy on a global…
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How Asian Americans United to Free a Wrongfully Convicted Prisoner from Death Row
In 1974, Chol Soo Lee, a Korean immigrant in his early 20s, was accused and wrongfully convicted of a gangland…
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China’s Overlooked Role in World War II
More than two years before German tanks blitzed Poland and four years before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, what some…
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What Happened at the Wounded Knee Massacre?
The slaughter of some 300 Lakota men, women and children by U.S. Army troops in the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre…
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How an Enslaved Man Helped Jack Daniel Develop His Famous Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s stands as one of the most iconic American brands and most popular spirits in the world. Yet while…
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How Las Vegas Became a Gambling Mecca
Las Vegas was a small railroad town when Nevada formally established it in 1905. Five years after its founding, the…
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How an Anti-Obscenity Crusader Policed America’s Mail for Decades
Anthony Comstock knew obscenity when he saw it, and the famous anti-vice crusader saw it everywhere. From the 1870s into…
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How President Buchanan Deepened Divisions Over Slavery Before the Civil War
When James Buchanan gave his inaugural address on March 4, 1857, he was remarkably optimistic that the United States’ debate…
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How the Neutral Countries in World War II Weren’t So Neutral
Two days after Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany, and World War II…
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The Buffalo Soldiers at San Juan Hill: What Really Happened?
It remains one of the most mythologized images of the Spanish-American war: Theodore Roosevelt charging on horseback, leading his Rough…
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7 Surprising Facts About the Nuclear Bomb Tests at Bikini Atoll
Contents 1. The First Atomic bomb dropped at Bikini Atoll Missed the Target 2. The Second Atomic Bomb Test at…
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10 of the Most Consequential Executive Orders and Proclamations in Presidential History
Executive orders aren’t mentioned once in the U.S. Constitution, but presidents starting with George Washington have used executive orders and…
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Teddy Roosevelt Championed Conservation Efforts—That Also Displaced Native Americans
Theodore Roosevelt is known as the “conservation president” for his undaunted efforts, at the dawn of the 20th century, to…
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Henry Kissinger’s Controversial Role in the Vietnam War
As advisor to President John F. Kennedy, then national security advisor (1969-75) and secretary of state (1973-77) to President Richard…
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This Woman Built a Formidable Gambling Empire in 1920s Harlem
Madame Stephanie St. Clair was a Harlem entrepreneur with a head for numbers and a skill for minting cash—even during…
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Steps the Supreme Court Takes to Reach a Decision
Contents 1: Accept the Case 2: File Briefs 3: Oral Arguments 4: Conference 5: Assign Opinions 6: Circulate Drafts of…
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Hawaii’s Long Road to Becoming America’s 50th State
More than 60 years after the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, Hawaii (Native spelling: Hawaiʻi) officially became America’s 50th state…
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