History

National

New African-American Museum In D.C. Remembers Imprisoned Leesburg Stockade Girls

9:13am September 17, 2016

by Bradley George

A photo in Washington's new African-American history museum brings back a forgotten chapter of the civil rights era: the jailing in a Georgia stockade of young black girls who protested segregation.

Train journeys in India were once defined by food, brought by passengers from their homes and purchased from vendors like this one. Passengers shared food with each other, exchanging stories and family histories, and sometimes striking new friendships th

In India, A Rich Food Culture Vanishes From The Train Tracks

7:00am September 17, 2016

by Charukesi Ramadurai

Once upon a time, most of the millions of people who travel on India's vast train network brought their own food or bought it from vendors at stations. Sharing meals could turn strangers into friends.

Pleasure boats are docked along the Erie Canal in Fairport, N.Y. Some are asking whether the canal is worth subsidizing now that it's no longer a major commercial waterway.

A Piece Of The Past, A Price In The Present: Paying For The Erie Canal

5:19am September 16, 2016

by Hansi Lo Wang

The Erie Canal was once one of the country's most important trade routes. Some are questioning whether this historical relic is still worth the tens of millions of dollars needed to maintain it.

Tour guide Ron Craig points to a photo in Jack Daniel's old office at the whiskey maker's distillery in Lynchburg, Tenn. The photo, taken in the 1890s, shows Jack Daniel (wearing a black-banded white hat and a gray goatee), seated next to an African-Ameri

Jack Daniel's Heralds A Slave's Role In Its Origin Story

7:42pm September 15, 2016

by Blake Farmer

Jack Daniel learned how to make whiskey from a preacher. That's how the story goes. But a new figure is gaining prominence in the brand's corporate history.

Queue Listen Now

Toll booth cashier Henry Gregorio collects change from drivers at the New Rochelle Toll Plaza on I-95. Gregorio has worked in a toll booth since 1980. Toll booths are gradually being replaced by E-ZPass technology.

National

Music, Spies And Exact Change: The Strange History Of Electronic Tolls

4:31pm September 15, 2016

by Stephen Nessen

The surprising history of electronic toll collection can be traced back to the theremin, and a Russian spy program. It's still in use, even as toll booths are being eliminated.

The 'Racial Cleansing' That Drove 1,100 Black Residents Out Of Forsyth County, Ga.

2:07pm September 15, 2016

In 1912, white mobs set fire to black churches and black-owned businesses. Eventually the entire black population of Forsyth County was driven out, says Blood at the Root author Patrick Phillips.

Queue Listen Now

Herbed gefilte fish is baked in a terrine for a brighter, fresher take on tradition.

'The Gefilte Manifesto': A Loved, And Loathed, Jewish Staple Gets Updated

4:03pm September 14, 2016

by Joel Rose

Gefilte fish was a staple of old world Jewish cuisine. But many Americans can barely look at the stuff. Now two chefs in Brooklyn want to reboot gefilte fish and other classic Jewish foods.

Queue Listen Now

Critics voice concern over this proposed Mexican-American heritage textbook. Some scholars on in the subject say that the textbook, "Mexican American Heritage," is riddled with factual errors, is missing content and promotes racism and culturally offensiv

Texas Textbook Called Out As 'Racist' Against Mexican-Americans

3:16pm September 14, 2016

by Laura Isensee

Professors, activists and students alike are calling for the Texas School Board not to approve a textbook many find offensive.

When it opens, the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., will be the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African-American life, history and culture.

100 Years In The Making, Black History And Culture Museum Ready For Reveal

1:58pm September 14, 2016

by Tanya Ballard Brown

The complicated history of how the National Museum of African American History and Culture finally moved from conversation to construction may be as compelling as the artifacts in its exhibits.

A bowl of pho, a beef and noodle soup, served in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. Pho has a rich role in Vietnamese, Vietnamese-American, and now, American culture.

Don't Call It 'The New Ramen': Why Pho Is Central To Vietnamese Identity

6:41pm September 13, 2016

by Andrea Nguyen

Pho has a rich role in Vietnamese, Vietnamese-American, and now, American culture. That's why a video featuring a white chef explaining how to eat pho as the next trendy food angered so many.