History

Fred Rogers rehearses the opening of his PBS show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, which premiered Feb. 19, 1968.

Arts

It's A Beautiful 50th Birthday For 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'

3:45pm February 19, 2018

by David Bianculli

Fred Rogers debuted on national public television in 1968 and quickly became known for his deliberate manner of relating to children. "Every one of us longs to be in touch with honesty," he once said.

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Civil War-Era Slave Auction Re-Enacted At St. Louis Courthouse

Education

How Do You Teach Slavery?

12:37pm February 19, 2018

Americans' knowledge of slavery is varied, and often inaccurate.

'Tell Them We Are Rising' Tackles Impact Of Historically Black Colleges

6:11pm February 18, 2018

NPR's Michel Martin talks with Stanley Nelson, who showcases the history of black colleges and universities in a new documentary Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities.

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Union College says it recently stumbled across a surprising find in its archive: a lock of George Washington's hair.

National

N.Y. College Says Forgotten Book Reveals Lock Of George Washington's Hair

3:53pm February 16, 2018

by Amy Held

Union College believes the hair made its way from Alexander Hamilton's family to its archives and remained buried between the pages of a book until a librarian stumbled across it.

Mei Lum holds a pair of iconic Fu Dogs in a discontinued turquoise glaze from Jingdezhen, China. Mei put grad school plans on hold to take over her family's business.

National

In One Of Chinatown's Oldest Landmarks, A New Generation Readies For Lunar New Year

12:19pm February 15, 2018

by Kat Chow

Mei Lum put off grad school to take over a porcelain shop in New York City that's been in her family for five generations. But Lum wonders, how can she lay new roots without eroding what's there?

Sen. McConnell's Statements On Immigration Echo Former Chinese Communist Leader

5:55pm February 14, 2018

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell described the open-ended immigration debate in the Senate as "an opportunity for a thousand flowers to bloom." With those words, some heard echoes of Mao Zedong, the former chairman of the Communist Party of China.

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Politics & Government

The History Of Military Parades In The U.S.

8:06am February 14, 2018

Steve Inskeep talks with commentator Cokie Roberts, who answers listener questions about the history of military parades in the U.S.

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The John Hancock Center, one of Chicago's most famous skyscrapers, must change its name.

Chicago's Iconic John Hancock Center To Lose Its Name

3:56pm February 13, 2018

by Laurel Wamsley

One thing is clear: Whichever company buys the building's naming rights, getting Chicagoans to change what they call it is another matter.

While much of the world gorges on pancakes for Fat Tuesday, the semla is the go-to delicacy of the North, traditionally devoured just before Lent. It takes various forms (and names) throughout Scandinavia.

'Semla Man': The Pastry-Eating Superhero Sweden Needs On Fat Tuesday

12:05pm February 13, 2018

by Sidsel Overgaard

The Swedes are fiercely devoted to almond paste- and whipped cream-filled semla. (One king died after gorging on them.) And the day before Lent is game time for feasting before the fast.

Arts

When Did Marriage Become So Hard?

9:00pm February 12, 2018

Marriage is hard — and there are signs it's become even harder in recent decades. We examine how long-term relationships have changed, and whether we might improve marriage by asking less of it.

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