History

Actor, playwright and composer Noel Coward rehearses for a show in 1951. A rare recording of Coward introducing his play Peace in Our Time is just one of the millions of sounds and recordings the British Library is looking to preserve.

From Wax Cylinders To Records, Saving The Sounds Of History

2:27pm January 22, 2015

by NPR Staff

Many of the items in The British Library's vast collection of recorded sound are in danger of disappearing. Some just physically won't last much longer; others are stored in long-dead formats.

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Beware Of Japanese Balloon Bombs

1:21pm January 22, 2015

by Linton Weeks

During World War II, the Japanese aimed thousands of wind-borne explosives at North America. To this day, many have not been accounted for.

Politics & Government

'State Of The Union Machine' Patches Together Speeches Of Presidents Past

11:25am January 21, 2015

The "State of the Union Machine" randomly generates text based on different presidents' actual speeches. Their words and phrases can be patched together to create a multi-administration text.

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President Dwight Eisenhower delivers his State of the Union address before a joint session of the 86th Congress in 1959. Behind him are Vice President Richard Nixon (left) and Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn.

Obama Joins Ike, The Gipper, Bill And George II In A Club No One Wants To Be In

7:06pm January 20, 2015

by Ron Elving

Clinton began his seventh year with a unique if dubious distinction: He was the only president ever to give a State of the Union speech with impeachment charges pending against him in the Senate.

The Green-Meldrim House in Savannah, Ga., is where Gen. William T. Sherman held meetings with local black leaders, creating the plan later known as "40 acres and a mule."

National

The Story Behind '40 Acres And A Mule'

2:30pm January 20, 2015

by Sarah McCammon

As the Civil War was winding down 150 years ago, Union leaders asked their men how they could help the thousands of newly freed slaves.

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State Of The Union Will Tout Progress, But Is The Economy Fixed?

12:09pm January 20, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

The economy has improved greatly since President Obama took office on Jan. 20, 2009. But is his economic legacy impressive enough to justify taking a victory lap during his State of the Union address?

David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. and Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King in the new movie Selma.

A Vital Chapter Of American History On Film In 'Selma'

9:20pm January 19, 2015

by NPR Staff

Director Ava DuVernay speaks to NPR's Michele Norris about making Selma, a searing depiction of the battle for voting rights — and the first major movie about the life of Martin Luther King Jr.

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Cold Casing: The Mystery Of The Long-Lost Winchester Rifle

7:32pm January 19, 2015

by Robert Siegel

For archaeologist Eva Jensen, a happenstance find in Nevada has turned into an in-depth quest. Since stumbling across a Winchester rifle manufactured in 1882, she and other researchers have been seeking to unravel the mysteries behind it.

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Suzan Shown Harjo points to a signature on Treaty K at the National Archives. The document will be on display in 2016 at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian for an exhibit on treaties curated by Harjo.

Broken Promises On Display At Native American Treaties Exhibit

5:33pm January 18, 2015

by Hansi Lo Wang

A rare exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian explores the history of treaties between Native American nations and the U.S.

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Bernice King is in a protracted legal battle with her brothers over control of their father's bible and Nobel Peace Prize.

National

King's Family Builds Its Own Legacy Of Legal Battles

12:43pm January 18, 2015

by Gene Demby

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s children have feuded bitterly over his legacy for years. They're often criticized, but some believe their desire to tightly control their father's estate is fair.