By Colleen Kim, Historian Originally posted on May 14, 2020 Over the past weeks, takeout has been the only way most Americans can enjoy restaurant food and support businesses hit hard by shutdowns. But even before the coronavirus outbreak, food …
Anarchy in the USA: Fear and Loathing in the Early 20th Century
By Justin Broubalow, Research Historian On September 6, 1901, Leon Czolgosz—an unemployed factory worker, American-born son of Polish immigrants, and self-proclaimed anarchist—walked up to President William McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, and shot him. Czolgosz believed …
Is 2020 the Worst Year Ever?
By Colleen Kim, Historian When 2016 came to a close, many on the internet dubbed it “the worst year ever.” The trend continued, and commentators declared the following years to be the worst ever as well, touting each as “the …
Labor’s Holiday: A Look Back on the History of Labor Day
By Jen Giambrone, Historian Happy Labor Day! While the holiday has become an opportunity to enjoy a long weekend, revel in the final days of summer, and prepare for the start of the school year (whatever that looks like this …
Happy Birthday, NPS! Celebrating 104 Years of the National Park Service
By Scott Vierick, Historian From the mangrove forests of Everglades National Park in Florida to the frozen tundra of Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska, the National Park Service (NPS) protects a vast variety of natural, cultural, and …
Near Beer and Wine Bricks: Loopholes and Innovation During Prohibition
By Jen Giambrone, Historian One hundred years ago, the United States was months into a “noble experiment”—Prohibition. Officially in effect as of January 17, 1920, the nationwide prohibition on the manufacture, sale, and transportation of “intoxicating liquors” conjures up images …
Celebrating 30 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act
By Jenna Hill, Research Historian Just weeks ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) turned 30 years old. Signed on July 26, 1990, the ADA was a groundbreaking piece of legislation that today impacts 61 million Americans. The Act prohibits …
Straddling the Color Line: The Leland Giants and the Negro Leagues at 100
By Justin Broubalow, Research Historian Major League Baseball has finally returned after the COVID-19-induced shutdown that began in March. Aside from the impact of the global pandemic, this season is particularly noteworthy because MLB, along with players past and present, …
‘Hurrah, and vote for suffrage!’: The Fight to Ratify the 19th Amendment
By Jen Giambrone, Historian One hundred years ago today, the Tennessee General Assembly voted to ratify the 19th Amendment, becoming the 36th state to do so and the last required to make the amendment the law of the land. By …
A Dining Experience to Remember: A Brief History of the Automat, Part 2
By Colleen Kim, Historian If you haven’t already, learn about the origins of the Automat in Part 1 of this blog. No Glorified Slot Machine Despite its mechanical novelty, the Automat was “far from being a glorified slot machine,” as …
A Dining Experience to Remember: A Brief History of the Automat, Part 1
By Colleen Kim, Historian As the country begins to reopen and establish a “new normal,” the question of what the restaurant experience will look like in the coming months looms large. Today, we’re exploring the history of a long-forgotten, low-contact …
Picture This: Historical Approaches to Data Visualization
By Mimi Eisen, Historian Lately, I’ve been thinking about the work data visualization can do to make meaning and provoke action. Every day, it seems, we are inundated with new charts and figures that present as objective demographic and geographic …