What Is Jazz Poetry?
May 7, 2021
The form flourished in the 1950s, as poets and musicians inspired each other to new heights.
Slave Collars in Ancient Rome
June 24, 2021
The objects purported to speak for the wearer: "Hold me! I have run away."
The Punk Rock Linguistics of Cottagecore
February 24, 2021
So you want to borrow a concept from another culture but don’t know what to call it? Try a morpheme!
The Ghosts of Slavery in Charles Chesnutt’s Fiction
October 31, 2021
What begins as a magical escape from the horrors of plantation life soon turns into a spine-chilling testament to slavery’s dehumanizing effects.
The Rise of Hollywood’s “Extra Girls”
September 8, 2021
They didn't have to do anything besides stand around and look pretty. At least, that was the myth the studios wanted the public to believe.
What’s the Difference between a Shanty and a Sea Song?
January 16, 2021
“Soon May the Wellerman Come” is the heart of ShantyTok—but it’s not a sea shanty at all. Two authoritative essays roil the waters.
How the IWW Grew after the Centralia Tragedy
January 13, 2021
A violent confrontation between the IWW and the American Legion put organized labor on trial, but a hostile federal government didn’t stop the IWW from growing.
Armed Self-Defense in the Civil Rights Movement
February 9, 2021
When idealistic nonviolent activists encountered violence in the South as they registered Black voters, local leaders lent them protection.
What Is Critical Race Theory?
September 2, 2021
Critical race theory has become a focus of conservative legislation, often with little understanding of its meaning and history.
The Bitter Truth About Bitters
July 9, 2021
A bottle of bitters from about 1918 had significant amounts of alcohol and lead—and not a trace of the supposed active ingredient.
Why the Belowground Ecosystem Matters
October 22, 2021
Trees get all the credit. But for biodiversity, look down, too.
How Early Sci-Fi Authors Imagined Climate Change
March 18, 2021
A century before the modern “cli-fi” genre, many authors envisioned unsettling worlds shaped by man-made climate chaos.
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