History

Dennis Christensen, a Danish Jehovah's Witness accused of extremism, is escorted into a courtroom to hear his verdict in the town of Oryol on Feb. 6.

Opinion: Jehovah's Witnesses Cling To Faith Despite Arrests In Russia

1:15pm February 23, 2019

by Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon reflects on the treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Branded as "religious extremists," dozens of Witnesses were arrested in recent raids in Siberia.

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Artificial flowers decorate barbed wire fence as Soviet army troops stop in Kabul, Afghanistan, in May 1988. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979 to shore up the pro-Soviet regime in Kabul.

World News

Many Russians Today Take Pride In Afghan War That Foretold Soviet Demise

3:24pm February 21, 2019

by Lucian Kim

Thirty years ago, the Soviet Union withdrew from a disastrous nine-year war in Afghanistan. "Those who fought are being looked up to again," says one Russian veteran.

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Martin Luther King, Jr., photographed in 1961.

The Power Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Anger

5:08pm February 20, 2019

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Martin Luther King Jr. dealt with anger in both his personal life and life's work. He often tried to turn his anger into constructive action, but he did occasionally struggle with that balance.

Stephen Stills (left) performs with Buffalo Springfield on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1967.

Music & Culture

A Thousand People In The Street: 'For What It's Worth' Captured Youth In Revolt

4:48pm February 20, 2019

by Danny Hajek

Though often associated with the Vietnam War, Buffalo Springfield's signature song was inspired by a confrontation back home, which erupted on a few famous blocks in Los Angeles.

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An enormous portrait of George Washington hangs alongside swastika banners and American flags at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1939 during the German American Bund's Pro American Rally.

When Nazis Took Manhattan

4:34pm February 20, 2019

by Sarah Kate Kramer

In 1939, an event at Madison Square Garden was billed as a "Pro American Rally." It was, in fact, a rally in support of Hitler and fascism.

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In 1949, Ku Klux Klan members ride down a street in Gadsden, Ala., as part of an 18-car parade.

Publisher Of An Alabama Newspaper Calls For The KKK To 'Clean Out' Washington

7:56pm February 19, 2019

by Sasha Ingber

"We'll get the hemp ropes out, loop them over a tall limb and hang all of them," said Goodloe Sutton, publisher of the Democrat-Reporter, after admitting he wrote an incendiary editorial.

The History Of American Imperialism, From Bloody Conquest To Bird Poop

1:27pm February 18, 2019

by Dave Davies

Historian Daniel Immerwahr shares surprising stories of U.S. territorial expansion, including how the desire for bird guano compelled the seizure of remote islands. His book is How to Hide an Empire.

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Music & Culture

Jazz Musician And Subject Of Iconic Photo Revisits 'A Great Day In Harlem'

5:54pm February 17, 2019

Sixty years ago, Esquire magazine published a now-iconic photo of jazz luminaries, titled "A Great Day In Harlem." NPR talks with saxophonist Sonny Rollins, one of only two surviving artists in the photo.

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Titian painted Portrait of a Lady in White around 1561. She's captivated historians and art lovers for centuries — but nobody knows who she is.

Arts

Who Was The 'Lady In White'? Titian Painted A Mystery Masterpiece

1:57pm February 15, 2019

by Susan Stamberg

The elegant woman — wearing pearls, a long dress, and a slight smile — has captivated historians and art lovers for centuries. Was she a daughter? A wife? A lover? No one knows for sure.

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Politics & Government

A History Of Presidential Tax Returns

5:13am February 15, 2019

Commentator Cokie Roberts talks with Steve Inskeep and answers listener questions about the history of presidents and their tax returns.

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