Reaction was swift and condemning. There ought to be a law against that, some said. These Holocaust deniers are insulting to the victims of Nazis, and to the brave Americans who died in WWII saving the world from fascism and white nationalism. It’s all free speech, said Billy Roper, organizer of what he called […]
It’s the kind of modern history lesson that makes you glance sideways at the world while shaking your head, exclaiming, “Wow, I didn’t know that!” “Why didn’t they ever teach us this stuff in school?” It’s a common reaction to mind blowing revelations and new learnings about our past that public historians are pleased […]
We often say that local historical societies and small town museums are the best kept secrets in their communities—always present, yet hidden in plain sight. “Oh that place? I visited there a long time ago when I was a kid,” people frequently say. “It’s pretty neat. They have a lot of old stuff there.” Museums […]
Filmmaker Chris Padgett recognizes the value of community-based storytelling. His recently released video trailer for Rivertown Anthology: Voices of Beaver County is just the beginning of what promises to be a highly creative and deeply thoughtful ongoing film series about “the people and their stories” in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Padgett’s work falls in line with […]
It’s the shortest question, and yet the hardest to answer. It challenges public historians in ways that put their knowledge, competence, credibility, and authority on the line. So What? It’s a fair question, of course, but it can unsettle us. Behind these words is subtext: I don’t care. I’m not interested. This is irrelevant. For […]
“NFLplayer PatTillman joined U.S. Army in 2002. He was killed in action 2004. He fought 4our country/freedom.” ~President Donald Trump’s 2017 social media comment used to condemn NFL players who protest during the national anthem “The very action of self expression and the freedom to speak from one’s heart—no matter those views—is what Pat […]
In our system of government, citizens of each state send politicians to Washington DC as their representatives. But did you know that states are also represented in our capitol by representative artwork, such as murals, portraits, and paintings reflective of each state’s history. Perhaps the grandest display of state art can be found in the […]
Most people want to learn the truth about history, even if it rattles common sense or deflates comfortable–but dubious–accounts of history. We recently posted a provocative mini-essay about a particular populist conception of WWII veterans–that they were all heroes. Of course, many were. Some, if we are to be truthful with ourselves, were not. During […]
“We have recently become aware that several songs performed by Kate Smith contain offensive lyrics that do not reflect our values as an organization,” read an official statement from the Philadelphia Flyers sports organization. “As we continue to look into this serious matter, we are removing Kate Smith’s recording of ‘God Bless America’ from our […]