History

James Baldwin debated William F. Buckley in February 1965. Khalil Muhammad and David Frum are reimagining that debate for the 2020 March on Washington Film Festival.

Reimagining The James Baldwin And William F. Buckley Debate

6:11pm September 20, 2020

by James Doubek

In 1965, the two intellectuals debated whether the American dream "is at the expense of the American Negro." The Atlantic's David Frum and Harvard's Khalil Muhammad are now revisiting the idea.

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Ginsburg acknowledges applause at the 45th commencement at Brandeis University, where she received an honorary law degree in May 1996.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Champion Of Gender Equality, Dies At 87

10:22pm September 18, 2020

by Nina Totenberg

Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court, died from complications from cancer. Her death will set in motion what promises to be a tumultuous political battle over who will succeed her.

Scientists Discover 120,000-Year-Old Human Footprints In Saudi Arabia

3:58pm September 18, 2020

Scientists discovered 120,000-year-old human footprints in Saudi Arabia along with those of horses and elephants — hinting the region was once more hospitable to people moving out of Africa.

A house designed by Paul R. Williams in La Cañada Flintridge, Calif. The first licensed Black architect west of the Mississippi, Williams was known for using curves to create a sense of intimacy, even in grand spaces.

'Regarding Paul R. Williams' Honors Legacy Of LA's Barrier-Breaking Black Architect

4:14pm September 15, 2020

by Jonaki Mehta

Janna Ireland's photography has focused on Black life in America. Now, she turns her lens to Paul R. Williams, the first Black architect in the American West. He put good design within reach of all.

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Abraham Lincoln Artifacts Sell For More Than $81,000 At Auction

6:25am September 14, 2020

A lock of Abraham Lincoln's hair along with a blood-stained telegram about his 1865 assassination have been sold. No information about the buyer was disclosed.

Arts

'It Was Said' Podcast Breaks Down Iconic American Speeches

12:33pm September 12, 2020

NPR's Scott Simon talks with historian Jon Meacham about his new podcast, It Was Said, which examines impactful speeches from modern American history.

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A girl walks past a buchetta del vino, a small window to serve wine, typical in Florence.

World News

In Tuscany, Renaissance-Era Wine Windows Are Made For Social Distancing

11:36am September 12, 2020

by Sylvia Poggioli

Tuscany's wine windows, each 12 inches high and 8 inches wide, were indispensable during a 17th century plague. They've became useful again during the coronavirus pandemic — even after lockdown ended.

Landfill workers bury all plastic except soda bottles and milk jugs at Rogue Disposal & Recycling in southern Oregon.

How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

8:17pm September 11, 2020

by Laura Sullivan

An NPR and PBS Frontline investigation reveals how the oil and gas industry used the promise of recycling to sell more plastic, even when they knew it would never work on a large scale.

What Trump's And Biden's Speeches At Sept. 11 Memorial Say About Them As Leaders

4:04pm September 11, 2020

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Tolu Olorunnipa of The Washington Post about what Joe Biden and President Trump revealed about themselves as leaders as they marked the Sept. 11 anniversary.

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The Pandemic Changes The Look Of Annual Sept. 11 Memorial Events

4:04pm September 11, 2020

Public health safety precautions have changed the look of the traditional Sept. 11 memorial events, which took place Friday in New York.