History

Boarded-up homes on Osage Avenue in Philadelphia. Thirty years ago this street was bombed in a standoff between MOVE and the Philadelphia police.

I'm From Philly. 30 Years Later, I'm Still Trying To Make Sense Of The MOVE Bombing

10:43am June 04, 2015

by Gene Demby

Philadelphia native Gene Demby was 4 years old when city police dropped a bomb on a house of black activists in his hometown. Thirty years later, he's still trying to make sense of it all.

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Arts

Slavery, Famine And The Politics Of Pie: What Civil War Recipes Reveal

7:02am June 03, 2015

by Nina Martyris

From recipes for apple pie without apples to advice on how to treat servants, the era's cookbooks hint at the turbulence outside the kitchen window. Indeed, food helped decide the war's outcome.

(Left) Sgt. William Shemin distinguished himself with bravery under fire during World War I. (Right) Sgt. Henry Johnson of the 369th Infantry Regiment was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for bravery while outnumbered during a battle with German soldier

National

Harlem Hellfighter And Jewish Soldier Get Long-Overdue Medals Of Honor

4:59pm June 02, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Historians say Sgts. Henry Johnson and William Shemin hadn't been properly recognized for their bravery under fire.

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An adult gymnastics club performs a group stunt on the parallel bars at the Rochester, N.Y., YMCA at the beginning of the 20th century.

How The YMCA Helped Shape America

3:53pm June 02, 2015

by Linton Weeks

Many of today's fitness trends can be traced back to the pioneering programs of the YMCA.

Underwater archaeology researchers explore the site of the São José slave ship wreck near the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

Wreck Of 1794 Slave Ship Is Confirmed Off South Africa

2:24pm June 02, 2015

Researchers say it's the first discovery of a wreck that sank while carrying slaves. Renee Montagne talks to Lonnie Bunch of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African-American History and Culture.

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Obama To Honor Harlem Hellfighter With Medal Of Honor

8:05am June 02, 2015

by Tom Bowman

President Obama will award the Medal of Honor posthumously to Henry Johnson, an African-American soldier whose combat bravery occurred during World War I, but whose actions were ignored for decades.

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The National Hurricane Center introduced a new storm surge forecast map this year. This map, centered on New Orleans, is a prototype.

10 Years Since Katrina: A Look Back At The Busiest Hurricane Season

10:26am June 01, 2015

by Greg Allen

Meteorologists say this year's hurricane season will be quieter than usual. But if a Category 3 or higher hit the U.S., it would be the first time since 2005, one of the worst years on record.

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Arts

An Epic Art Tale: Commissioned By Hitler, Recovered By German Police

11:14am May 30, 2015

Dutch art detective Arthur Brand helped recover the pieces — including two bronze horses that used to stand outside the Reich Chancellery and which were thought to have been destroyed in the war.

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Books
Arts

Bringing Tales Of WWII To American Radios And Bookshelves

11:14am May 30, 2015

Bill Shirer brought stories of war in Europe into American homes. NPR's Scott Simon talks with Ken Cuthbertson about his new book, A Complex Fate: William L. Shirer and the American Century.

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A man shows his pitted windshield to a police officer in Seattle in 1954

National

The Windshield-Pitting Mystery Of 1954

6:56pm May 29, 2015

by Linton Weeks

For some strange reason, people across America began to notice that thousands of automobile windshields were dotted with teeny-tiny pockmarks.