History

Rev. Raphael Warnock, senior pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, pictured at a gathering last week of African-American clergy, academics and activists outside Washington D.C.

In Troubled Times, Does 'The Black Church' Still Matter?

2:52pm December 11, 2014

by Michel Martin

As the nation endures a season of racial tension, NPR's Michel Martin talks about the mission of the black church and whether it remains relevant in the social justice movement.

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Begun The Christmas Tree War Has

2:03pm December 10, 2014

by Linton Weeks

When it comes to Christmas trees — like just about everything else — America is split.

Books
Arts

WWII By The Books: The Pocket-Size Editions That Kept Soldiers Reading

11:11am December 10, 2014

by NPR Staff

In the 1940s, U.S. publishers printed paperbacks — everything from romances to Westerns — that were designed for battle. Molly Guptill Manning explores their history in When Books Went to War.

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John Coltrane during the recording of A Love Supreme in December 1964.

Music & Culture

50 Years Of John Coltrane's 'A Love Supreme'

6:29pm December 09, 2014

by Arun Rath

Half a century ago, the saxophonist and his band stepped into the studio to lay down the tracks of what would become his most important statement: The "love supreme" in the title refers to God's love.

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Raimund Larat at a recent Sinterklaas parade in Amsterdam. He and his family object to the Black Pete tradition and believe the Christmas character should change.

World News

Santa's Black-Faced Helpers Are Under Fire In The Netherlands

6:49pm December 08, 2014

by Eleanor Beardsley

Since the 19th century, Christmas in the Netherlands has always included Santa's helpers, known as Black Pete. He's a Christmas tradition to some and a racist stereotype to others.

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An Israeli Antiquities Authority Prevention of Antiquities Robbery officer stands at the opening to a high cave in the Judean desert. Six men were indicted Sunday for looting from this cave.

World News

6 Arrested For Looting Antiquities From Israel's 'Cave Of The Skulls'

4:43am December 08, 2014

by Emily Harris

Israeli authorities released a photo of a 2000-year-old lice comb that was captured along with the men, who are accused of stealing objects from the area where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

Remembering Altamonte: The Rolling Stones Concert That Went Awry

5:36pm December 06, 2014

On this day back in 1969, the Rolling Stones held a free concert in Altamont, Calif., that quickly descended into a near-riot state. The Hell's Angels provided security and one concert-goer ended up dead.

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National

Remembering Rodney King, Southern Calif. Watches Ferguson, NY

11:51am December 06, 2014

by Kirk Siegler

LA's Leimert Park neighborhood saw riots after the Rodney King verdict. Nearby in the Simi Valley, where many in law enforcement live, residents see the recent shootings from their own perspective.

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25 Years Ago, Malta Summit Marked Unofficial End Of Cold War

10:34am December 04, 2014

Many say that the Malta Summit between U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev — which took place 25 years ago Wednesday — marked the end of the Cold War.

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U.S. athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raise their gloved fists at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968 to express their opposition to racism in the U.S.

National

A Brief History Of Racial Protest In Sports

2:22pm December 02, 2014

by Kat Chow

On Sunday, players from the St. Louis Rams ran onto the field with their arms raised in the "hands up, don't shoot" pose that's been used in protests of the shooting death of Michael Brown.