Beyond The Pail: NPR Unpacks The History Of The Lunch Box
From re-purposed lard pails to bento boxes, the way students carry lunch to school has changed almost as much as the classrooms they learn in.
American History
National Museum of African American History Opens Its Doors
More than 100 years after it was originally proposed, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is opening its doors in Washington, D.C.
Baked Alaska: A Creation Story Shrouded In Mystery
In March 1867, the U.S. purchased Alaska. This igloo-shaped, torched-meringue dessert came as a fringe benefit. Was it a sweet flash of genius, political satire — or maybe a bit of both?
In New England, Recognizing A Little-Known History Of Slavery
A burial ground including the remains of 18th century African slaves was uncovered in 2003 in Portsmouth, N.H. Over Memorial Day weekend, the city dedicated the grave site as a special memorial park.
Who Was John Wilkes Booth Before He Became Lincoln's Assassin?
On the 150th anniversary of President Lincoln's death, Morning Edition's Renee Montagne and historian Terry Alford explore John Wilkes Booth's life, and how the assassination affected his family.
Photographer Helped Expose Brutality Of Selma's 'Bloody Sunday'
Some of the most iconic images of marchers being attacked by Alabama state troopers at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965, were captured by a white photojournalist who stumbled onto the historic events.
New Museum Depicts 'The Life Of A Slave From Cradle To The Tomb'
A New Orleans attorney has turned an antebellum plantation into a new museum. You won't find hoop skirts and mint juleps but stark relics at a site devoted entirely to a realistic look at slavery.
Fleeing To Dismal Swamp, Slaves And Outcasts Found Freedom
Most Americans know about the Underground Railroad, which allowed Southern slaves to escape to the North. But some slaves stayed in the South, hidden in a place where they could resist enslavement.
A Journey Through The History Of American Food In 100 Bites
Thomas Jefferson loved macaroni and cheese so much he brought it home to Virginia from Europe. The American Plate reveals these and other stories behind America's most beloved foods.
Lt. Alonzo Cushing, Hero Of Gettysburg, Awarded Medal Of Honor
President Obama bestowed the nation's highest honor for battlefield bravery to the Union officer, who was killed defending a key ridge against Pickett's charge.