american history

Why Some Wounded Civil War Soldiers Actually Glowed In The Dark – And Lived Because Of It

"Angel's Glow" was a phenomenon of the Civil War in which soldiers' wounds seemed to glow in the dark. It took 139 years to figure out why.

By Aimee Lamoureux • Jul 12, 2018

Why Some Wounded Civil War Soldiers Actually Glowed In The Dark – And Lived Because Of It

"Angel's Glow" was a phenomenon of the Civil War in which soldiers' wounds seemed to glow in the dark. It took 139 years to figure out why.

By Aimee Lamoureux • July 12, 2018

How Mob Hitman Johnny Martorano Admitted To Killing At Least 20 People — And Then Walked Free

The government not only let Johnny Martorano off the hook, they also gave him $20,000 to start a new life after he testified against Whitey Bulger.

By William DeLong • Jul 11, 2018

How Mob Hitman Johnny Martorano Admitted To Killing At Least 20 People — And Then Walked Free

The government not only let Johnny Martorano off the hook, they also gave him $20,000 to start a new life after he testified against Whitey Bulger.

By William DeLong • July 11, 2018

Elizabeth Magie: The Inventor Of Monopoly Who Tried To Teach Us Progressive Economic Ideas

The Inventor of Monopoly Elizabeth Magie designed the game to reveal the dangers of land-grabbing, but we all learned the wrong lesson from it.

By Gina Dimuro • Jul 10, 2018

Elizabeth Magie: The Inventor Of Monopoly Who Tried To Teach Us Progressive Economic Ideas

The Inventor of Monopoly Elizabeth Magie designed the game to reveal the dangers of land-grabbing, but we all learned the wrong lesson from it.

By Gina Dimuro • July 10, 2018

Why John Colter May Be The Most Badass Mountain Man Of The American West

How John Colter ventured into the uncharted West with Lewis and Clark, explored Yellowstone before any non-Native, and survived being hunted for sport by Blackfeet warriors.

By Wyatt Redd • Jul 9, 2018

Why John Colter May Be The Most Badass Mountain Man Of The American West

How John Colter ventured into the uncharted West with Lewis and Clark, explored Yellowstone before any non-Native, and survived being hunted for sport by Blackfeet warriors.

By Wyatt Redd • July 9, 2018

This Writer Argued To Keep The South Full Of Black Slaves — And White Ones Too

George Fitzhugh was a slave-owner and sociologist who had some oddly egalitarian defenses of chattel slavery.

By Gina Dimuro • Jul 9, 2018

This Writer Argued To Keep The South Full Of Black Slaves — And White Ones Too

George Fitzhugh was a slave-owner and sociologist who had some oddly egalitarian defenses of chattel slavery.

By Gina Dimuro • July 9, 2018

The Forgotten Bear River Massacre May Be The Deadliest Native American Slaughter Ever

When the Bear River Massacre ended in Preston, Idaho on January 29, 1863, hundreds lay dead — hundreds who are largely forgotten today.

By Gina Dimuro • Jul 9, 2018

The Forgotten Bear River Massacre May Be The Deadliest Native American Slaughter Ever

When the Bear River Massacre ended in Preston, Idaho on January 29, 1863, hundreds lay dead — hundreds who are largely forgotten today.

By Gina Dimuro • July 9, 2018

Elizabeth Van Lew – The Unlikely Woman Who Started A Union Spy Ring

How Elizabeth Van Lew, a woman born to wealthy Virginia slaveholders, became one of the Union's most important spies.

By Gina Dimuro • Jul 8, 2018

Elizabeth Van Lew – The Unlikely Woman Who Started A Union Spy Ring

How Elizabeth Van Lew, a woman born to wealthy Virginia slaveholders, became one of the Union's most important spies.

By Gina Dimuro • July 8, 2018

430-Year-Old Mystery Of The Lost Colony Of Roanoke May Finally Be Solved Thanks To This Stone

This stone tells a dark tale of war, suffering, and murder — but is it legitimate or an astounding forgery?

By Kara Goldfarb • Jul 6, 2018

News

430-Year-Old Mystery Of The Lost Colony Of Roanoke May Finally Be Solved Thanks To This Stone

This stone tells a dark tale of war, suffering, and murder — but is it legitimate or an astounding forgery?

By Kara Goldfarb • July 6, 2018

The C.I.A. Had A Project Called ‘Acoustic Kitty’ To Spy On The Soviets Using Wired Up Cats

The 1960s were a weird time. That’s been pretty well documented. But in case you needed another example, look no further than the C.I.A. project known as Acoustic Kitty. Acoustic Kitty, despite what the name may suggest, wasn’t a kitten singing without heavy instrumentation. Rather, it was a legitimate secret...

By Kara Goldfarb • Jul 6, 2018

The C.I.A. Had A Project Called ‘Acoustic Kitty’ To Spy On The Soviets Using Wired Up Cats

The 1960s were a weird time. That’s been pretty well documented. But in case you needed another example, look no further than the C.I.A. project known as Acoustic Kitty. Acoustic Kitty, despite what the name may suggest, wasn’t a kitten singing without heavy instrumentation. Rather, it was a legitimate secret...

By Kara Goldfarb • July 6, 2018

The Jamestown Colony’s Desperate Descent Into Cannibalism During The Starving Time

Starving Time was a particularly gruesome era in early colonial America when ravenous Jamestown colonists exhumed corpses for sustenance.

By Wyatt Redd • Jul 5, 2018

The Jamestown Colony’s Desperate Descent Into Cannibalism During The Starving Time

Starving Time was a particularly gruesome era in early colonial America when ravenous Jamestown colonists exhumed corpses for sustenance.

By Wyatt Redd • July 5, 2018