History

Remembering Red Summer: Years Of Racial Violence 'Set The Stage' For Tulsa Massacre

4:15pm June 02, 2021

100 years later, the 1921 race massacre that destroyed a thriving Black neighborhood in Tulsa, Okla., is in the national spotlight. But at the time, this racist violence wasn't limited to Tulsa.

Civil rights activists are blocked by National Guard members brandishing bayonets while trying to stage a protest on Beale Street in Memphis, Tenn., in 1968.

Historian Uncovers The Racist Roots Of The 2nd Amendment

3:41pm June 02, 2021

by Dave Davies

Carol Anderson says the Second Amendment was designed to ensure slave owners could quickly crush any rebellion or resistance from those they'd enslaved. Her new book is The Second.

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How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America, by Clint Smith

Books
Arts

'How The Word Is Passed' Teaches The Importance Of Reckoning With History

1:29pm June 02, 2021

by Hope Wabuke

Clint Smith seeks out troubling history, including white supremacy, white violence — and the erasure of the oppression of Black Americans — to understand what America tells itself about who we are.

The Historical Perspective Behind The Latest Israel-Hamas Conflict

5:45am June 02, 2021

The team at NPR's history podcast Throughline guides us through one historical perspective behind the latest conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

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Clint Smith is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of the poetry collection Counting Descent.

Slavery Wasn't 'Long Ago': A Writer Exposes The Disconnect In How We Tell History

12:07pm June 01, 2021

by Terry Gross

In How the Word is Passed, Clint Smith visits eight places central to the history of slavery in America, including Thomas Jefferson's Monticello plantation and Louisiana's Angola prison.

In Voyages of an African Victorian, a woman wears a Victorian-style dress made of African fabrics.

Why A Zimbabwean Photographer Asked Her Subjects To Pose In Victorian Garb

6:32am May 31, 2021

by Diane Cole

"African Victorian," a series of unconventional portraits by Zimbabwean photographer Tamary Kudita, combines Victorian fashion with her country's culture to examine the impact of the colonial era.

Artist Paul Rucker is creating a new multimedia work to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. That's when a thriving African American community was destroyed in a horrific act of violence that wiped out hundreds of Black-owned busi

Arts

Artist's Black Wall Street Project Is About Tulsa 100 Years Ago — And Today

5:26am May 31, 2021

by Neda Ulaby

Paul Rucker's multimedia work tackles mass incarceration, lynching, police brutality and the ways America has been shaped by slavery. His latest marks the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

Helio Castroneves won his fourth Indianapolis 500 race Sunday, becoming the fourth racer in history to do so.

Sports

Helio Castroneves Ties Record As Four-Time Indy 500 Winner

6:55pm May 30, 2021

by Dustin Jones

At 46, the Brazilian race-car driver also became the fourth-oldest driver to win the Indy 500. Castroneves crossed the finish line less than a half-second ahead of 24-year-old Alex Palou.

"Little Africa on fire, Tulsa Race Riot, June 1, 1921"

Arts

3 Documentaries You Should Watch About The Tulsa Race Massacre

4:54pm May 30, 2021

by Eric Deggans

Monday is the 100th anniversary of one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history. A spate of books and documentaries are marking the moment; we round up three to watch this weekend.

To celebrate 50 years of NPR, we asked you, our listeners, what stories have captivated you over the decades.

National

Listeners Share The Stories That Stuck With Them Over 50 Years Of NPR

8:00am May 29, 2021

We asked you what stories have captivated you over the years. Your responses included stories that made you laugh, gave you a chance to connect with your family and made you see the world differently.

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