american history

The Story Of Mae Capone, Who Stood By Al Capone As Syphilis Destroyed His Brain

Born in Brooklyn in 1897, Mae Coughlin's life changed forever when she became the wife of infamous Chicago gangster Al Capone.

By Marco Margaritoff • Feb 9, 2026

The Story Of Mae Capone, Who Stood By Al Capone As Syphilis Destroyed His Brain

Born in Brooklyn in 1897, Mae Coughlin's life changed forever when she became the wife of infamous Chicago gangster Al Capone.

By Marco Margaritoff • February 9, 2026

The Shocking Story Of George Metesky And How He Became New York’s ‘Mad Bomber’

For 16 years, George Metesky hid at least 33 pipe bombs in public places throughout New York City, leaving ominous notes signed "F.P." — short for "fair play."

By Andrew Milne • Feb 8, 2026

The Shocking Story Of George Metesky And How He Became New York’s ‘Mad Bomber’

For 16 years, George Metesky hid at least 33 pipe bombs in public places throughout New York City, leaving ominous notes signed "F.P." — short for "fair play."

By Andrew Milne • February 8, 2026

Unexploded WWII-Era Bombs Dropped By The U.S. Army Found On Hawaiian Volcano

A hiker in the Mauna Loa Forest Reserve happened upon the two bombs, which had been used to divert a dangerous lava flow.

By Marco Margaritoff • Feb 8, 2026

News

Unexploded WWII-Era Bombs Dropped By The U.S. Army Found On Hawaiian Volcano

A hiker in the Mauna Loa Forest Reserve happened upon the two bombs, which had been used to divert a dangerous lava flow.

By Marco Margaritoff • February 8, 2026

The Terrifying Story Of The Peshtigo Fire, The Deadliest Blaze In U.S. History

The Peshtigo Fire of 1871 killed up to 2,500 people, yet it was largely overshadowed by the more famous Great Chicago Fire, which occurred on the same night.

By John Kuroski • Feb 8, 2026

The Terrifying Story Of The Peshtigo Fire, The Deadliest Blaze In U.S. History

The Peshtigo Fire of 1871 killed up to 2,500 people, yet it was largely overshadowed by the more famous Great Chicago Fire, which occurred on the same night.

By John Kuroski • February 8, 2026

Carmine Galante Had A Mental Age Of 14 — And Was The King Of Heroin

Infamously ruthless, Carmine "Lilo" Galante became best known for masterminding the heroin trade and the grisly gangland execution that ended his reign.

By Joseph Williams • Feb 7, 2026

Carmine Galante Had A Mental Age Of 14 — And Was The King Of Heroin

Infamously ruthless, Carmine "Lilo" Galante became best known for masterminding the heroin trade and the grisly gangland execution that ended his reign.

By Joseph Williams • February 7, 2026

‘I Must Have Fame’: Inside Robert Peary’s Desperate Journey To Be The First Man To Reach The North Pole

It was once almost universally accepted that Robert Peary was the first man to make it to the North Pole in 1909, but a re-examination of his records in the 1980s cast serious doubt on his claim.

By Genevieve Carlton • Feb 7, 2026

‘I Must Have Fame’: Inside Robert Peary’s Desperate Journey To Be The First Man To Reach The North Pole

It was once almost universally accepted that Robert Peary was the first man to make it to the North Pole in 1909, but a re-examination of his records in the 1980s cast serious doubt on his claim.

By Genevieve Carlton • February 7, 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 • 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