History

A congratulatory telegraph from William Jennings Bryan, Democratic presidential candidate in 1896, is considered to be the first public concession in U.S. presidential politics.

How To Lose An Election: A Brief History Of The Presidential Concession Speech

4:04pm November 02, 2020

There's no legal or constitutional requirement that the loser of a U.S. presidential election must concede. But the public concession speech is an important tradition, perhaps now more than ever.

How The Electoral College Came To Choose The President Of The U.S.

3:58pm October 30, 2020

The history of the Electoral College is in part tied to America's history of slavery. NPR's podcast Throughline explores the complicated story of how the U.S. presidential election system came to be.

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A Connecticut prosecutor says the Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel, shown here, will not face a second trial in the 1975 murder of teenager Martha Moxley in Greenwich.

National

Connecticut Won't Retry Kennedy Cousin In Martha Moxley Murder Case

1:23pm October 30, 2020

by Jaclyn Diaz

Michael Skakel was previously accused of bludgeoning to death his 15-year-old neighbor. The prosecutor's office said many of the potential prosecution witnesses for the 1975 murder case have died.

Politics & Government

Who Can Vote In The U.S? The Answer Has Changed A Lot Throughout History

6:56am October 30, 2020

NPR's history podcast Throughline gives us insight onto the ongoing battle for the right to vote.

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Politics & Government

2 Visions Of America: Examining President Trump And Joe Biden's View

7:43am October 29, 2020

by Steve Inskeep

In the waning days of the U.S. presidential election, voters consider two candidates with divergent visions — not only of the nation's future, but also of its past.

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The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X, by Les Payne and Tamara Payne

'The Dead Are Arising' Sheds Light On Malcolm X — And Those That Influenced Him

10:14am October 28, 2020

by Gabino Iglesias

This isn't only a biography of Malcolm X; Les and Tamara Payne contextualize race in America prior to Malcolm's birth, and take a nuanced, unflinching look at his life, his death — and its aftermath.

Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death and Art, Rebecca Wragg Sykes

'Kindred' Dismantles Simplistic Views Of Neanderthals

10:12am October 27, 2020

by Barbara J. King

Rebecca Wragg Sykes describes evidence showing that as innovative tool- and fire-makers, Neanderthals adapted to changing climates, adopted symbolic cultural practices and expressed profound emotions.

Politics & Government

The History Of How We Vote: From Drunken Parties To Private Booths

8:25am October 26, 2020

As next month's elections near, the NPR podcast Throughline dives into the history of voting in the United States, and asks why the process went from a public affair to a private one.

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Politics & Government

Newport, Kentucky Mural Honoring Slave Owner And City Founder Sparks Intense Debate

7:52am October 25, 2020

by Cheri Lawson

Newport, Ky., is putting up murals to honor the city's 225th anniversary. One depicts city founder Gen. James Taylor, who was a slave owner. Residents are wrestling with what to do about the artwork.

Books
Arts

Washington Irving's Headless Horseman Of Sleepy Hollow Turns 200

7:51am October 24, 2020

NPR's Scott Simon talks to historian Elizabeth Bradley about the 200th anniversary of the publication of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.