Lessons From History, Relevant Today: Articles, Essays and PhotosFrom Our Archives, Roots of ExtremismUnwanted at Past Inaugurals: Tensions, Politics and Unruly GuestsNo Second Term: Presidents Who Weren't Re-ElectedLearn something new from historyGet our weekly newsletterEmail Address Sign UpLone Watchman to a Force of Thousands: A Brief History of the Capitol PoliceSection 230 Was Created to Shield Sites Like Pornhub. It Might Be Killed for the Same Reason.Democrats and Republicans agree that the law doesn’t serve Americans but disagree on why. Will a repeal help any of their cases?Don’t leave fact-checking to the fact-checkersTo stop misinformation at its source, everyone (students especially) should learn how to verify information.Where the City’s Marshals Get Their PowerThese city appointees, who enforce evictions and earn their incomes from fees, are once again emerging as symbols of housing insecurity.How the Electoral College Upends the Popular Vote, and What’s Needed to Abolish ItOur arcane – some say undemocratic – system dates back to the nation’s founding.More US Teens Are Getting a Lesson in EvolutionFor decades evolution has been a contentious topic in American schools. Something seems to be changing.As Evictions Loom, Cities Revisit a Housing Solution From the 70sProposals giving tenants the right to purchase their building are being revived as Covid-19 puts renters at risk.What Happens When a Sheriff Challenges an Eviction Order?Millions of Americans risk losing their homes when back rent comes due in 2021. These two sheriffs, working decades apart, sought compassionate treatment for renters facing eviction.The Presidential Debates Will Be Weirdly Educational This YearOnstage sparring between politicians has been a part of U.S. elections for decades. Covid-19 could change that.Distance Learning Has Been Part of American Culture for 100 Years. Why Can’t We Get it Right?Educators and parents have let technology solve school in a pandemic. There’s a better way.The Pig Who Would Be PresidentPigasus the Immortal was announced as the Youth International Party nominee during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. What followed was chaos.75 Years After Atomic Bombs Shook Japan, Witness Accounts SurviveResearchers have found few health differences between survivors of the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – known as hibakusha – and other Japanese. But many suffer from lingering psychological effects.States Are Expanding Access to Absentee Voting Over Concerns About Coronavirus.The United States has a long history of voting by mail.Pandemics Go to the MoviesHollywood's fascination with diseases, infections and disease-infected zombies has a long history.The Supreme Court Rules on President Trump's Tax RecordsOnly three past presidents have been served with subpoenas.How the Fight Against AIDS Can Inform the Fight Against Covid-19Dr. Anthony S. Fauci grappled with another health crisis decades ago. What he told Retro Report about the effort against AIDS could apply to the battle against the coronavirus.The 1968 Kerner Commission Report Still Echoes Across AmericaAnger over policing and inequality boiled over more than 50 years ago, and a landmark report warned that it could happen again.Philadelphia's Divisive Mayor Rizzo, In His Own WordsLike President Trump, former Mayor Frank Rizzo styled himself as a straight talker.When Presidents Send In Federal TroopsThe 1807 Insurrection Act has sometimes been used to protect, not suppress, civil rights protests.Covid-19, Like Other Real-World Events, Has Changed SportsBaseball, football and college sports have been transformed by what's in the headlines.In the Race for a Covid-19 Vaccine, History Has Some Red FlagsImmunizations have saved lives, and side effects are rare. But there have been missteps.A Coronavirus Vaccine in Months? Not So Fast, Scientists Say.Over 100 Covid-19 vaccines are in the works. History suggests it could take years.Long-Distance Learning Isn’t NewWhen a polio outbreak closed Chicago schools in 1937, teachers turned to technology.As Covid-19 Spreads, Why Does Congress Risk Meeting in Person?Face-to face meetings are a long tradition, and changes have always been a hard sell.Covid-19 Contact Tracing Raises Privacy ConcernsDetecting points of contact has become a critical weapon in the fight against the coronavirus.Superspreaders Are a Covid-19 MysteryLike Typhoid Mary, some people are experts at passing along infection. No one knows why.After Covid-19, How Should We Handle the Handshake?Handshakes, cheek kisses and high-fives are out. What should replace them?Scapegoating Immigrants During Disease Outbreaks Has a Long HistoryAs reports of attacks on Asian Americans rise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued language guidelines.How the Democrats' Biden-Sanders Split Echoes the 1964 GOP ConventionAn ideological split among Democrats emerged in the 2020 primary. In 1964, Republicans had to select Nelson Rockefeller, the establishment choice, or Barry Goldwater, a staunch conservative.Gerrymandering Has Led to Odd Political AlliancesRedistricting battles over Congressional seats have roots in a Supreme Court decision 30 years ago.Lives and Profits in the Balance: The High Stakes of Medical PatentsDecades after Dr. Jonas Salk opposed patenting the polio vaccine, the pharmaceutical industry has changed. What does that mean for the development of innovative drugs and for people whose lives depend on them?
