Aug 18 Watch 14:45 The 1619 Project details the legacy of slavery in America By PBS NewsHour Four hundred years ago this month, the first enslaved people from Africa arrived in the Virginia colony. To observe the anniversary of American slavery, The New York Times Magazine launched The 1619 Project to reframe America’s history through the lens… Continue watching
Jul 17 Watch 10:26 Trump’s racist tweets and the ‘politics of distraction’ President Trump’s attacks on women of color in the House have launched fierce debate about whether his meaning was racist. There is no doubt, though, that his words echo threats and insults that have been lobbed against perceived outsiders in… Continue watching
Nov 20 Watch 8:22 How teachers are debunking some of the myths of Thanksgiving By Kavitha Cardoza, Education Week School children in the U.S. often celebrate Thanksgiving by dressing up as pilgrims and “Indians.” But these traditions tend to perpetuate myths that are offensive to Native American communities. Education correspondent Kavitha Cardoza takes a look at a new movement… Continue watching
Nov 05 Watch 6:57 In ‘These Truths,’ historian Jill Lepore weaves in underappreciated political stories A new, single volume of history sets out to explore the experiment in government that is the United States. Jeffrey Brown sits down with award-winning Harvard historian Jill Lepore, author of “These Truths: A History of the United States,” to… Continue watching
Oct 19 How the Smithsonian helped the FBI in the case of stolen ruby slippers By Julia Griffin Conservators put the FBI’s slippers through a battery of scientific tests. Their conclusion? These weren’t just any pair of heels. Continue reading
Aug 01 Watch 8:06 Unearthing Sally Hemings’ legacy at Monticello By Jeffrey Brown Visitors have long come to Monticello to see and admire Thomas Jefferson's mansion, but a new silhouette and exhibition bring a largely hidden life into the open. No portrait exists of Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman who had a decades-long… Continue watching
Oct 13 Watch 3:15 What traveling abroad can teach you about your history By PBS News Hour In her first years reporting overseas, American journalist Suzy Hansen felt hesitant to write about other countries, but countless conversations with citizens of other countries helped her uncovered the dynamics between America and other nations she hadn’t understood before. Hansen… Continue watching
Jun 29 Watch 11:54 How do Trump’s Twitter taunts affect the presidency? By PBS News Hour President Trump's Twitter attack on MSNBC hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough -- whom he called "low I.Q. Crazy Mika" and "Psycho Joe" -- ignited a firestorm of sharp criticism, even from the president's Republican allies. John Yang reports and… Continue watching
Nov 08 Watch What makes the 2016 election unique in history By PBS News Hour Has there ever been an election like 2016? What would the founding fathers think of the candidates? Judy Woodruff and Hari Sreenivasan speak with presidential historian Michael Beschloss to get some historical perspective. Continue watching
Sep 14 300 years on, America’s first lighthouse shines over Boston By Julia Griffin The original tower was blown up in an incident during the Revolutionary War and was rebuilt by the newly-formed United States in 1783. Continue reading