History

A woman prepares a Japanese Christmas cake at the Patisserie Akira Cake shop on Dec. 23, 2011. The sponge cake is drenched in symbolic meaning.

Japan's Beloved Christmas Cake Isn't About Christmas At All

2:32pm December 19, 2014

by Alison Bruzek

The Japanese Christmas cake takes its name from the Christian holiday, but it actually symbolizes building a life of prosperity from nothing. And it's ubiquitous (it's even in your smartphone).

In Jerusalem, Syrian Orthodox Christian Nadia Ishaq prepares her burbara porridge with boiled what kernels, raisins, dried plums and dried apricots, topped with ground coconut in the shape of a cross. The holiday honors St. Barbara, an early convert to Ch

A Holy Land Christmas Porridge Honors A Damsel In Distress

4:19pm December 18, 2014

by Daniella Cheslow

Some Christians in Israel and the West Bank celebrate Eid el-Burbara on Dec. 17. The feast honors St. Barbara, an early convert to Christianity whose story is echoed in the Rapunzel tale.

Books
Arts

Between World Wars, Gay Culture Flourished In Berlin

1:32pm December 17, 2014

In Gay Berlin, Robert Beachy describes the rise of a gay subculture in the 1920s and '30s, how it contributed to our understanding of gay identity and how it was eradicated by the Nazis.

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Wrapped in gold and silver foil, chocolate gelt are often handed out as a little treat for children (and adults) during Hanukkah. Turns out, the tradition is rooted in real money.

Hanukkah History: Those Chocolate Coins Were Once Real Tips

2:09pm December 16, 2014

by Deena Prichep

Many Jewish families celebrate the holiday by handing out gelt, chocolate coins covered in gold and silver. These days they're treats for kids. But the practice began as a way to thank labor.

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As part of their annual remembrance, descendants of massacre survivors erected teepees at the historic site over the weekend of Dec. 13. Some were for public visitors, while others were used in closed ceremonies.

National

150 Years Later, A Formal Apology For The Sand Creek Massacre

10:16am December 16, 2014

by Megan Verlee

The Sand Creek Massacre of December 1864 left nearly 200 people dead. Now, hundreds of Cheyenne and Arapaho are returning to the Colorado site to mark the 150th anniversary of the tragedy.

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Ollies Barbecue was a Birmingham, Ala., landmark where where white plumbers and electricians sat next to white doctors and bank presidents, but in 1964, blacks weren't allowed to eat there.

National

Forced To Seat Blacks, Ala. Restaurant Complied With History

2:21pm December 13, 2014

by Andrew Yeager

Fifty years ago Sunday, the Supreme Court told Ollie's Barbecue in Birmingham, Ala., that the government had a right to order it — and all restaurants — to seat African-Americans.

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Religion

Hanukkah's Real (And Imagined) History

6:16pm December 12, 2014

Robert Siegel speaks with Simon Schama, author of The Story of the Jews, about the political history of Hanukkah.

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Interactive touch screens at the newly redesigned Cooper Hewitt museum let visitors sort through the catalog and create their own designs.

Arts

Please Touch! Cooper Hewitt Creates A Museum For The Internet Age

2:00pm December 12, 2014

by Laura Sydell

The design museum is housed in a historic building, but it has been remade into one of the country's most technologically advanced museums. Officials hope it attracts younger visitors — and donors.

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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.