History

A blaa is a soft, doughy white roll – with either a soft or crusty top. It has a chewy texture that makes it a perfect vehicle for butter. Only the ones baked in Waterford, Ireland, can officially be called "blaa," but you can try out the recipe below a

Corned Beef, Guinness And ... Blaa? The Irish Bread You Never Knew About

4:34pm March 15, 2016

by Elizabeth Rushe

For an authentically Irish St. Patrick's Day meal, why not give the blaa a try? This roll from the town of Waterford is a protected Irish food heritage product, and the subject of fierce allegiances.

Sybil Morial has written a memoir about growing up in segregated New Orleans.

'Witness To Change' Recounts Civil Rights Struggles Of New Orleans

6:00pm March 13, 2016

Sybil Morial's memoir details her formative experiences living under Jim Crow laws.

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Sports

Words You'll Hear: Seeding

5:27pm March 13, 2016

Sunday is selection day for the NCAA basketball tournament. Sports columnist John Feinstein describes how the word "seeding" has become the term of art to describe bracketing in sports tournaments.

Incumbent Gerald Ford (left) listens as Gov. Ronald Reagan delivers a closing speech at the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Mo.

1976: The Last Time Republicans Duked It Out To The Last, Heated Minute

9:31am March 13, 2016

by NPR Staff

That year was the last genuinely contested political convention. In a heated race to amass the most delegates, Ronald Reagan nearly denied Pres. Gerald Ford the presidential nomination.

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A Century of GOP Intra-Party Wars Sets Stage for Cleveland Convention

7:00am March 13, 2016

by Ron Elving

Again and again since 1912, splits between establishment GOP figures and the party's most ardent conservatives have hobbled the party's performance in November.

Walt Whitman's letter on behalf of a soldier dated Jan. 21, 1865 was recently discovered.

National

Walt Whitman's Letter For A Dying Soldier To His Wife Discovered

5:00pm March 12, 2016

by NPR Staff

Jackie Budell of the National Archives talks about a newly discovered a letter written by Walt Whitman, who visited hospitals and wrote letters on behalf of injured soldiers during the Civil War.

Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Isaac Newton, Gandhi, Pythagoras, Balzac, Marie Curie — scanning history's greatest minds, we find many were inspired by certain food or drink, repulsed by others, or had some very peculiar dining habits.

Books
Arts

Gastronomy Of Genius: History's Great Minds And The Foods That Fueled Them

8:14pm March 11, 2016

by Eric Weiner

From Pythagoras to Balzac, Darwin to Marie Curie, many a genius was inspired by certain edibles, repulsed by others — or had some very peculiar dining habits.

Members of the Fat Men's Club of New York gather at a meeting, circa 1930.

The Forgotten History Of Fat Men's Clubs

5:29pm March 10, 2016

by Tanya Basu

These clubs of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were spectacular celebrations of wealth and girth. At their gatherings, networking and eating — a lot of it – were on the menu.

William Jelani Cobb attends the 2015 New Yorker Festival Wrap Party in New York City.

Jelani Cobb On His Epic 'New Yorker' Piece On Black Lives Matter

10:20am March 09, 2016

by NPR Staff

NPR's Kelly McEvers spoke with Jelani Cobb, who has charted the genesis and evolution of the Black Lives Matter movement.

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Indian Air Force jet fighter aircrafts fly over an airbase in 2014. Starting this summer, female fighter jet pilots will be allowed in the Air Force.

Happy International Women's Day! India To Induct Female Fighter Pilots

5:39pm March 08, 2016

by Laura Wagner

India's Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha has announced that the Air Force will induct its first female fighter pilots this summer.