Opinion | A Political Road Not Taken in America

A brief look at the Confederate Constitution.

Opinion | The Forgotten Jews of the Forest

More than 70 years after World War II, we’re still learning about facets of the Holocaust.

Stephen B. Oates, Civil War Historian, Dies at 85

In a quartet of biographies, he explored how slavery and racial oppression could exist in a land based on the ideals of the Declaration of Independence.

James W. Loewen, Who Challenged How History Is Taught, Dies at 79

In a dozen books, most famously “Lies My Teacher Told Me,” he attacked historical misconceptions, particularly concerning the Black struggle in the South.

Gary B. Nash, 88, Dies; Drew Ire for Trying to Update History Education

A respected scholar of early America, he became a central figure in the culture wars that enveloped the country in the 1990s.

She Was Declared a Witch at Salem. These Middle Schoolers Want to Clear Her Name.

An eighth-grade class in North Andover, Mass., is seeking to clear the name of Elizabeth Johnson Jr., who was convicted of witchcraft in 1693.

Leon Litwack, 91, Dies; Changed How Scholars Portray Black History

One of Berkeley’s most popular professors, he brought passion and nuance — and a love for blues music — to his award-winning study of the marginalized and the oppressed.

Opinion | Ross Douthat Has Been ‘Radicalized a Little Bit, Too’

We debate the recent G.O.P. voting bills and how to teach racism in the context of U.S. history.

Opinion | We Disagree on a Lot of Things. Except the Danger of Anti-Critical Race Theory Laws.

We differ in our views on critical race theory. But we agree that the current attempts to ban it from K-12 education are misguided and dangerous.

The Battle for 1776

Plans for America’s 250th birthday in 2026 are getting underway. But can the spirit of 1776 survive the history wars of 2021?

A Coronavirus Epidemic Hit 20,000 Years Ago, New Study Finds

A few dozen human genes rapidly evolved in ancient East Asia to thwart coronavirus infections, scientists say. Those genes could be crucial to today’s pandemic.

Opinion | Tom Hanks and the History We Need to Learn

Reacting to an essay by Mr. Hanks, readers discuss the Tulsa race massacre and other parts of our history, both shameful and inspiring, that are often not taught.

Opinion | Tom Hanks: You Should Learn the Truth About the Tulsa Race Massacre

Schools and the entertainment industry, which help shape what is history and what is forgotten, must portray the burden of racism in our nation. 

Opinion | How the Father of Modern Policing ‘Abolished’ the Police

Reshaping American policing is not some shocking new idea from the radical left.

Disputing Racism’s Reach, Republicans Rattle American Schools

In a culture-war brawl that has spilled into the country’s educational system, Republicans at the local, state and national levels are trying to block curriculums that emphasize systemic racism.

Opinion | What I’ve Learned Teaching the Tulsa Race Massacre for Two Decades

The project of healing history’s wounds is difficult but necessary work.

How Texas Republicans Want to Recast History

We spoke with our reporter Simon Romero about legislative proposals that could shape the way future Texans see the world.