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Glenn Youngkin’s Virginia history

John Fea   |  February 3, 2022

Washington Post writer Dana Milbank got his hands on a 7th grade Virginia history textbook used in the commonwealth’s public schools from the 1950s through the 1970s. Here is a taste of his piece: Virginia’s Glenn Youngkin opened a tip line so […]

The history of “woke”

John Fea   |  February 3, 2022

In a piece at The Washington Post, writer Bijan C. Bayne argues that “woke” is “the least woke word in U.S. English.” Here is a taste: You want to talk about Black history? Well, here’s a bit of etymology about […]

New York City mayor Eric Adams “isn’t easily placed on the traditional left-right spectrum”  

John Fea   |  February 3, 2022

I have long been attracted to figures–both in history and in the present–who do not fit well into the political boxes we try to create for them. Fordham University political scientist Christina Greer puts New York City mayor Eric Adams […]

What is Corey Lewandowski up to these days?

John Fea   |  February 3, 2022

Perhaps you remember Corey Lewandowski. He was Trump’s first campaign manager. Remember? He was the loudmouth who shoved a reporter in Florida, roughed-up a protester in Tuscon, mocked an immigrant child with Down syndrome, slapped a woman in the butt […]

What happened when a conservative student took a course on critical race theory at the University of Mississippi?

John Fea   |  February 3, 2022

Here is a taste of Molly Minta’s piece at Mississippi Today: Brittany Murphree was born and raised in Rankin County, Mississippi, one of the most Republican counties in one of the most Republican states.  She went to Northwest Rankin High […]

The Author’s Corner with Jonathan White

Rachel Petroziello   |  February 3, 2022

Jonathan White is Associate Professor of American Studies and Director of the Pre-Law Program at Christopher Newport University. This interview is based on his new book, A House Built by Slaves: African American Visitors to the Lincoln White House (Rowman […]

Evangelical roundup for February 3, 2022

John Fea   |  February 3, 2022

What is happening in Evangelical land? A conservative website claims that the federal government used Ed Stetzer, Russell Moore, Tim Keller, Rick Warren, Relevant, and the Gospel Coalition to spread “Covid propaganda” to churches. (Just to be clear, to this […]

Joyce Appleby is added to the Randall Stephens Collection

John Fea   |  February 2, 2022

Appleby is the latest entry in Stephens’s historian baseball card series. See the entire collection here. Who is Joyce Appleby? Who is Randall Stephens?

What the six California Super Bowl stadiums tell us about The Golden State

John Fea   |  February 2, 2022

The Super Bowl has been (or will be) held in: SoFi Stadium (2022) Levi’s Stadium (2016) Stanford Stadium (1985) The Rose Bowl (1977, 1980, 1983, 1987, 1993) Jack Murphy Stadium (1988, 1998, 2003) Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (1967, 1973) Here […]

Peter Meijer is the only freshman representative in U.S. history to vote to impeach a president of his own party

John Fea   |  February 2, 2022

Over at The Atlantic, Tim Alberta has a fascinating piece on Peter Meijer‘s first year in the House. On the morning of the impeachment vote the newly elected Grand Rapids (Michigan’s 3rd District–Justin Amash‘s old seat) Republican received an encrypted […]

Episode 33: “The 2004 Republican Convention: Part One”

John Fea   |  February 2, 2022

Compassionate conservatism gives way to Iraq, economic freedom, and Frank Sinatra Episode 33: “The 2004 Republican Convention: Part One” dropped last night. Subscribers to Current at the Longshore level and above have access to new episodes of this narrative history podcast. Here […]

Kinzinger calls for an “uneasy alliance” among Republicans, Democrats, and independents to fight Trump’s influence

John Fea   |  February 2, 2022

He is one of the few honest Republicans in the House of Representatives. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL), who is not running for reelection in 2022, is asking Democrats and independents to help him save his party from Trumpism. Here is […]

The Author’s Corner with Paul A. Lombardo

Rachel Petroziello   |  February 2, 2022

Paul A. Lombardo is a Regents’ Professor and Bobby Lee Cook Professor of Law at Georgia State University. This interview is based on his book, Three Generations, No Imbeciles: Eugenics, the Supreme Court and Buck v. Bell (Johns Hopkins University […]

How the 1918 pandemic ended

John Fea   |  February 1, 2022

Historian John Barry, author of The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, has taught us a lot over the past two years as we have tried to make sense of the COVID-19 pandemic in the context […]

Why is Black History Month celebrated in February?

John Fea   |  February 1, 2022

Jonathan Franklin explains at NPR: Critics have long argued that Black history should be taught and celebrated year-round, not just during one month each year. It was Carter G. Woodson, the “father of Black history,” who first set out in 1926 […]

The Author’s Corner with G. Kurt Piehler

Rachel Petroziello   |  February 1, 2022

G. Kurt Piehler is Associate Professor of History and Director of the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience at Florida State University. This interview is based on his new book, A Religious History of the American GI […]

The National Archives confirms that Trump ripped-up presidential documents

John Fea   |  February 1, 2022

After receiving over 700 pages of documents from the National Archives, the House January 6th Committee noticed that some of the papers seemed to have been ripped-up and reconstructed using tape. The National Archives has confirmed that this is indeed […]

The Marxist scholar who believes anti-racism is a cover for capitalism

John Fea   |  February 1, 2022

If you listen to some folks on the Right these days you might conclude that there is little difference between the anti-racism and Marxism. But as Benjamin Wallace-Wells reveals in his recent piece on political scientist Adolph Reed, there are […]

George W. Bush donates to the Liz Cheney and Lisa Murkowski campaigns

John Fea   |  February 1, 2022

Representative Cheney (R-Wyo) and Sen. Murkowski (R-Alaska) are facing challenges in their 2022 primaries from Trump-supported candidates. Those primaries will take place on August 16, 2022. Here is Brittany Gibson at Politico: Bush donated a maximum individual contribution of $5,800 […]

Ted Cruz is eyeing a run in 2024

John Fea   |  February 1, 2022

Texas Senator Ted Cruz is a man of great ambition and he wants to be president of the United States. Here is a taste of Allan Smith’s piece at NBC News: “The race in ’24 will very much hinge on […]

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