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Articles

Alonzo Hamby.

Alonzo Hamby on “Parties to History”

Rick Perlstein

Rick Perlstein on “Parties to History”

tomato stacks

Tomato Recipes

Chef Craig Von Foerster of Sierra Mar Restaurant at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California shares two of his favorite tomato recipes

Buck's Row, site of the murder of Mary Ann Nichols

August Anniversaries

Momentous or Merely Memorable

Red, white and bruising: at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, conflicts within the hall were amplified in violence on Chicago’s streets.

Parties to History

Four Political Conventions That Changed America

Theodore Roosevelt giving a campaign speech.

1912 Republican Convention

Return of the Rough Rider

Truman committed the Democrats to civil rights. After the party splintered, Strom Thurmond ran as the candidate of the States’ Rights Party.

1948 Democratic Convention

The South Secedes Again

Delegates to the Republican National Convention stage a huge demonstration for Senator Barry Goldwater, after his name was placed in nomination for the Presidency.

How the 1964 Republican Convention Sparked a Revolution From the Right

At the ugliest of Republican conventions since 1912, entrenched moderates faced off against conservative insurgents

Inside the convention hall, delegates battled over the Vietnam War and the power of the party establishment. Outside, Chicago police prepared for a parallel battle with antiwar protesters who flooded the city.

1968 Democratic Convention

The Bosses Strike Back

The DefendantsNathan Leopold (left) and his lover Richard Loeb confessed that they had kidnapped and murdered Bobby Franks solely for the thrill of the experience.

Leopold and Loeb’s Criminal Minds

In defense of murderers Leopold and Loeb, attorney Clarence Darrow thwarted a nation’s call for vengeance

Frederick Douglass

Conventional Facts

Hungarian water polo player Ervin Zador's eye is injured during the closing minutes of a game against the Soviets.

Blood in the Water at the 1956 Olympics

Political turmoil between Hungary and the Soviet Union spills over into an Olympic water polo match

Jamar Roberts and Amos J. Machanic Jr. help Olivia Bowman defy gravity at the Ailey studio in 2007.

Points of Interest

Notable American Destinations and Happenings

Paul Polak, author of the book, "Out of Poverty: What Works When Traditional Approaches Fail."

Paul Polak, Social Entrepreneur, Golden, Colorado

His new book advocates helping the world’s poorest people one tool at a time

Sun Zhenyuan views preserving the wall as a sacred mission: “If you had an old house that people were damaging, wouldn’t you want to protect it?”

The Great Wall of China Is Under Siege

China’s ancient 4,000-mile barrier, built to defend the country against invaders, is under renewed attack

William Edgar Geil on the Great Wall at Luowenyu, June 7, 1908. William Lindesay had thumbed through Geil’s book The Great Wall of China, and was stunned by the photographs, particularly one showing Geil near a tower on a remote section of the wall. Lindesay had a photo of himself in that very spot but noticed that in his the tower was missing.

A Yankee in China

William Lindesay follows the trail of forgotten traveler, William Edgar Geil, the first man to traverse the Great Wall of China

Basking sharks can be found in coastal waters and feed on plankton.

Wild Things: Life as We Know It

From zombie caterpillars to basking sharks at sea

Pseudoryx nghetinhensis Saola (aka Vu Quang ox) 4 - 5 month old female at the Forest Inventory & Planning Institute Botanical Garden. Hanoi, Vietnam

A Wildlife Mystery in Vietnam

The discovery of the saola alerted scientists to the strange diversity of Southeast Asia’s threatened forests

Where did you think tomato paste came from? A harvester in California’s Sacramento Valley gathers tons of Roma-type tomatoes for Morning Star, the world’s largest tomato-processing company.

A Passion for Tomatoes

Whatever the variety—commercial hybrid or precious heirloom—the plump juicy “vegetable” has a place in our hearts

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Tainted Tomatoes

A food-poisoning scare spurs debate

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