History

National

An Excerpt From Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'Letter From Birmingham Jail'

5:16pm January 21, 2019

In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. was jailed in Birmingham, Ala. He wrote "Letter from Birmingham Jail." James Earl Jones reads an excerpt of the letter at a 1988 event at New York's 92nd Street Y.

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The 'Very Particular' History Being Presented At Confederate Sites

1:59pm January 21, 2019

by Dave Davies

Journalist Brian Palmer toured several Confederate sites and monuments across the South and found a distorted message that celebrates the Confederacy and often omits the fact of slavery all together.

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Remembering Martin Luther King Jr., Who Touched Crowds With His Words

6:00am January 21, 2019

On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we hear portions of some of his most famous speeches — including his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech.

'Who Will Write Our History' Gives New Insight Into Warsaw Ghetto

6:19pm January 20, 2019

An unearthed archive of eyewitness accounts from the Warsaw ghetto forms the basis of a new Holocaust documentary Who Will Write Our History? NPR's Melissa Block interviews filmmaker Roberta Grossman.

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How Ted Kennedy's '80 Challenge To President Carter 'Broke The Democratic Party'

1:31pm January 17, 2019

by Dave Davies

Journalist Jon Ward talks about the chaos that led Kennedy to challenge Carter for the Democratic nomination — and the long-lasting damage it did to the party. Ward's new book is Camelot's End.

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Politics & Government

How Independent Is An Attorney General From The President?

7:46am January 17, 2019

David Greene talks to commentator and columnist Cokie Roberts, who answers listener questions about the relationship between presidents and their attorneys general.

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Alfred K. Newman, a Navajo Code Talkers, died at age 94.

One Of The Last Navajo Code Talkers Dies At 94

6:48pm January 15, 2019

by Sasha Ingber

Alfred Newman served from 1943 to 1945, transmitting codes in his native tongue which prevented the Japanese from gleaning U.S. intelligence during World War II.

Protestors Rally In Support Of Sex Abuse Survivors At R Kelly's Chicago Studios

Music & Culture

Black Women, #MeToo & 'Surviving R. Kelly'

3:43pm January 15, 2019

Allegations about the singer date back to 1994.

What The LA Teacher Strike Means For The Nation

3:43pm January 15, 2019

It's nearly twice as large as last year's strike in West Virginia

The US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 14, 2019, is seen following a snowstorm.

'Barely Treading Water': Why The Shutdown Disproportionately Affects Black Americans

3:06pm January 15, 2019

by Ari Shapiro

As the government shutdown enters its fourth week, federal workers are struggling to make ends meet. But according to Jamiles Lartey, the shutdown is having a disproportionate effect on black workers.

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