American History
Bradford Freeman, Last Surviving Member of WWII 'Band of Brothers,' Dies at 97
The Easy Company veteran parachuted into France on D-Day and fought in major European campaigns during the last year of the war
When Coal First Arrived, Americans Said 'No Thanks'
Back in the 19th century, coal was the nation's newfangled fuel source—and it faced the same resistance as wind and solar today
The Southbound Underground Railroad Brought Thousands of Enslaved Americans to Mexico
Rather than head north, many of those in bondage made a different treacherous journey in a bold quest for freedom that historians are now unearthing
The Oldest Footage of New Orleans Has Been Found
Previously only rumored to exist, the two-minute film depicts a Mardi Gras parade from 1898
How the Ghost Army of WWII Used Art to Deceive the Nazis
Unsung for decades, the U.S. Army's 23rd Headquarters Special Troops drew on visual, sonic and radio deception to misdirect the Germans
Disney Reveals Rebranding for Controversial Splash Mountain Ride
Come 2024, the attraction—inspired by the racist 1946 movie "Song of the South"—will be reimagined as Tiana's Bayou Adventure
Who Was Norma McCorvey, the Woman Behind Roe v. Wade?
Dubbed "Jane Roe," McCorvey sought an abortion after becoming pregnant in 1969 but was thwarted by Texas' restrictive reproductive laws
What You Need to Know About the History of Monkeypox
Mired in misconception, the poxvirus is endemic in certain African countries but was rarely reported in Europe and the U.S. until recently
The True History Behind Baz Luhrmann's 'Elvis'
The new film dramatizes the life and legend of Elvis Presley from the perspective of his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker
Rare Timbers From 17th-Century Spanish Shipwreck Discovered Off Oregon Coast
The Manila galleon—and its cargo of silk, porcelain and beeswax—vanished en route to Mexico in 1693
A Doghouse Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Is Now on Display
The architect sketched "Eddie’s House," named for a Labrador retriever, on the back of an envelope in the 1950s
What Extreme Flooding in Yellowstone Means for the National Park's Gateway Towns
These communities rely almost entirely on tourism for their existence—yet too much tourism, not to mention climate change, can destroy them
The Black Buffalo Soldiers Who Biked Across the American West
In 1897, the 25th Infantry Regiment Bicycle Corps embarked on a 1,900-mile journey from Montana to Missouri
The Curious Case of Charles Osborne, Who Hiccupped for 68 Years Straight
A 1922 accident sparked the Iowa man’s intractable hiccups, which suddenly subsided in 1990
The First Broadway Theater to Bear a Black Woman's Name Will Honor Lena Horne
The Brooks Atkinson Theater will be renamed for the award-winning actor, singer and civil rights activist
A Brief History of Televised Congressional Hearings
From a 1951 investigation into organized crime to the Watergate scandal, the ongoing January 6 hearings are part of a lengthy political tradition
The Daring Rescue Mission That Freed 15 Hostages Held in the Colombian Jungle for Years
A new exhibition at the International Spy Museum revisits Operación Jaque, a covert 2008 plot led by the Colombian military
Fifty Years Later, Kim Phuc Phan Thi Is More Than 'Napalm Girl'
While the image freezes in time a moment of wartime horror, its subject has been moving forward
Where Could Gay Men Dine in the 1960s South? This Coded Guide Held the Answers
For locals and tourists alike, the "International Guild Guide" identified places of refuge in a ruthlessly homophobic society
A Museum Exploring the African American Experience Is Coming to Charleston
Slated to open early next year, the space will explore the legacy and contributions of enslaved people and their descendants
