american history

The Story Of C.P. Ellis, The KKK Leader Whose 1971 Meeting With A Black Activist Changed His Life

When C.P. Ellis was tasked with working with Ann Atwater to desegregate Durham, North Carolina schools, he was an "Exalted Cyclops" of the KKK. Ten days later, he was a strong supporter of the civil rights movement.

By Genevieve Carlton • Feb 6, 2026

The Story Of C.P. Ellis, The KKK Leader Whose 1971 Meeting With A Black Activist Changed His Life

When C.P. Ellis was tasked with working with Ann Atwater to desegregate Durham, North Carolina schools, he was an "Exalted Cyclops" of the KKK. Ten days later, he was a strong supporter of the civil rights movement.

By Genevieve Carlton • February 6, 2026

What Did Charles Manson Do? Inside The Surprisingly Thin Case Against Him

Did Charles Manson kill anyone? No. Who said he ordered any killings? Only the killers themselves. So what did Charles Manson actually do?

By Andrew Lenoir • Feb 6, 2026

What Did Charles Manson Do? Inside The Surprisingly Thin Case Against Him

Did Charles Manson kill anyone? No. Who said he ordered any killings? Only the killers themselves. So what did Charles Manson actually do?

By Andrew Lenoir • February 6, 2026

The Story Of The Famous Photo ‘The Soiling Of Old Glory’ And Boston’s Civil Rights Struggle Over Busing

On April 5, 1976, newspaper photographer Stanley Forman captured a shocking photo of a white demonstrator attacking a Black man with an American flag during an anti-busing protest in Boston — and it was soon clear that the image symbolized something much larger than the busing crisis.

By Kaleena Fraga • Feb 5, 2026

The Story Of The Famous Photo ‘The Soiling Of Old Glory’ And Boston’s Civil Rights Struggle Over Busing

On April 5, 1976, newspaper photographer Stanley Forman captured a shocking photo of a white demonstrator attacking a Black man with an American flag during an anti-busing protest in Boston — and it was soon clear that the image symbolized something much larger than the busing crisis.

By Kaleena Fraga • February 5, 2026

Jack Kerouac’s First Draft Of ‘On The Road,’ A 121-Foot Scroll He Typed In Three Weeks In 1951, Is About To Be Sold At Auction

Expected to fetch as much as $4 million, this original manuscript pauses for neither paragraph breaks nor chapter titles, instead presenting its epic tale of Beat Generation misadventures in one unbroken stream.

By Cara Johnson • Feb 5, 2026

News

Jack Kerouac’s First Draft Of ‘On The Road,’ A 121-Foot Scroll He Typed In Three Weeks In 1951, Is About To Be Sold At Auction

Expected to fetch as much as $4 million, this original manuscript pauses for neither paragraph breaks nor chapter titles, instead presenting its epic tale of Beat Generation misadventures in one unbroken stream.

By Cara Johnson • February 5, 2026

The Tragic Story Of Tracy Edwards, The Only Man To Escape From Jeffrey Dahmer’s Deadly Clutch

Tracy Edwards was 32 years old when he went home with Jeffrey Dahmer one night in 1991 and nearly became the serial killer's 18th victim. His life was never the same after.

By Austin Harvey • Feb 5, 2026

The Tragic Story Of Tracy Edwards, The Only Man To Escape From Jeffrey Dahmer’s Deadly Clutch

Tracy Edwards was 32 years old when he went home with Jeffrey Dahmer one night in 1991 and nearly became the serial killer's 18th victim. His life was never the same after.

By Austin Harvey • February 5, 2026

The Unlikely Story Of Sarah Rector, The Oklahoma Teenager Who Became A Millionaire Oil Baron

By the time she turned 18, Sarah Rector's net worth was estimated at over $1 million — about $28 million today. And it all came from undesirable land that the federal government gave her.

By Gina Dimuro • Feb 5, 2026

The Unlikely Story Of Sarah Rector, The Oklahoma Teenager Who Became A Millionaire Oil Baron

By the time she turned 18, Sarah Rector's net worth was estimated at over $1 million — about $28 million today. And it all came from undesirable land that the federal government gave her.

By Gina Dimuro • February 5, 2026

‘Dewey Defeats Truman’: The True Story Behind One Of American History’s Most Iconic Images

The editors of the Chicago Daily Tribune were so sure that New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey was going to win the presidential election of 1948 that they sent the November 3rd issue to print with the headline "Dewey Defeats Truman" — and then Harry S. Truman emerged victorious.

By Kaleena Fraga • Feb 4, 2026

‘Dewey Defeats Truman’: The True Story Behind One Of American History’s Most Iconic Images

The editors of the Chicago Daily Tribune were so sure that New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey was going to win the presidential election of 1948 that they sent the November 3rd issue to print with the headline "Dewey Defeats Truman" — and then Harry S. Truman emerged victorious.

By Kaleena Fraga • February 4, 2026

Meet Rachel Knight, The Enslaved Woman Who Helped Found The Free State Of Jones

During the Civil War, Rachel Knight joined forces with a white Southern Unionist named Newton Knight — and helped him wage a guerrilla campaign against Confederates in Mississippi.

By Jessica O'Connor • Feb 4, 2026

Meet Rachel Knight, The Enslaved Woman Who Helped Found The Free State Of Jones

During the Civil War, Rachel Knight joined forces with a white Southern Unionist named Newton Knight — and helped him wage a guerrilla campaign against Confederates in Mississippi.

By Jessica O'Connor • February 4, 2026

Claudine Longet Killed A Beloved Olympian ‘By Accident’ — And Spent Only 30 Days In Jail For It

A successful actress and singer, Claudine Longet became infamous after she shot skier Spider Sabich to death inside their Aspen, Colorado home on March 21, 1976.

By Marco Margaritoff • Feb 3, 2026

Claudine Longet Killed A Beloved Olympian ‘By Accident’ — And Spent Only 30 Days In Jail For It

A successful actress and singer, Claudine Longet became infamous after she shot skier Spider Sabich to death inside their Aspen, Colorado home on March 21, 1976.

By Marco Margaritoff • February 3, 2026

Bob Ross’ Death: How The Final Days Of The Happy Painter Led To A Bitter Feud Over His Estate

Bob Ross was 52 years old when he died from lymphoma in Orlando, Florida. His company was worth $15 million — and his former business partners wanted it all.

By Tim Brinkhof • Feb 3, 2026

Bob Ross’ Death: How The Final Days Of The Happy Painter Led To A Bitter Feud Over His Estate

Bob Ross was 52 years old when he died from lymphoma in Orlando, Florida. His company was worth $15 million — and his former business partners wanted it all.

By Tim Brinkhof • February 3, 2026