Retro Report

Independent. Objective. Nonprofit.

Retro Report is a growing series of over 150 short documentaries that tell the history behind the news.

Argentina's Stolen Babies, and the Grandmothers Leading the Search

The Mothers and Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a group of women dedicated to finding babies who were taken by Argentina's military regime in the 1970s and 1980s, have reunited their 130th family.

The Mothers and Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a group of women dedicated to finding babies who …

Transgender Rights: A Decades-long Struggle for Equality

This #PrideMonth, 50 years after Stonewall, many transgender people are still struggling for inclusion, even amongst the LGBT community.

This #PrideMonth, 50 years after Stonewall, many transgender people are still struggling for …

Why We Can't Have a Civil Conversation About Guns

In the 1980s, the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan and the shooting of his press secretary, Jim Brady, led to the Brady Bill. Decades later, are there lessons from that fight for the Parkland students?

In the 1980s, the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan and the shooting of his press secretary, …

Reproductive Rights and the Women Who Sparked a Movement

As the U.S. tightens restrictions on women's reproductive health, the new season of The Handmaid's Tale seems more relevant than ever. We look back on a group of women who broke sexual taboos in the 1970s, and how the fight over women's bodies continues today.

As the U.S. tightens restrictions on women's reproductive health, the new season of The Handmaid's …

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Context for this Week

Stories that shine a light on today’s news

Recently discovered documents from Republican strategist Thomas Hofeller outline how the GOP used gerrymandering to achieve political advantage. (The documents also outline how a proposed citizenship question on the 2020 census was designed to achieve the same ends.) Watch our piece delving into the racial aspects of gerrymandering here.

Gerrymandering's Surprising History and Uncertain Future

In 2019 alone, eight children have died after being left in hot cars. A growing movement is trying to pressure manufacturers into making cars safer for kids – but manufacturers are pushing back. And it’s not the first time – for decades, the auto industry lobbied hard against airbags, claiming the technology was untested and cumbersome. Watch our story here…

The Surprising Technological Revolution Launched by the Air Bag

Last month, the Supreme Court made a partial ruling on an abortion restriction in Indiana. In his opinion Justice Clarence Thomas linked the rise of abortion and contraception to eugenics. To learn more about America’s troubling history with eugenics, you can watch our doc here.

Genetic Screening: Controlling Heredity