Living on a Prayer: Poverty and the American Dream

Both abolitionists and slaveholders agreed on the wording of the U.S. Constitution in 1787, but it came at a price. As the compromises in that foundational document became…

Psychologist John Money pioneered the now-common practice of surgically altering the sex of infants with ambiguous genitalia. But many intersex people have suffered trauma from…

The May 1968 Paris student uprising was the spark that lit a blazing conflagration throughout the nation, shutting down the country. Daniel Cohn-Bendit – “Danny the Red” – led…

Threatened with a career-ending diagnosis of HIV, basketball legend Magic Johnson rebounded in health and in life. He made an impact by becoming a spokesperson for HIV/AIDS…

Marriage is a global institution. Practiced for millennia, it is a bit of a contradiction. Marriage has conferred social benefits but also reflected deep-seated discriminatory…

The Cuban Revolution had its roots in Spain’s colonial domination and America’s later exploitation of the island nation’s resources. How did Fidel Castro rise to power and…

As far back as our earliest depictions, we’ve imagined justice is about judgment, reward, and punishment. From the ancient Egyptians to today’s courtrooms, images of justice…

Venezuelan political activist Leopoldo López has sacrificed many things, including his freedom, to oppose the regimes that have caused endless misery for the people of his…

The hippies’ Summer of Love was seeded in the early 1960s and blossomed during 1967 – but it withered before year’s end. Here’s the incredible story behind why it flowered, how it…

Over 900 people died gruesomely at Jonestown, a symbol of “doomsday” cults. Charismatic, autocratic Jim Jones ruled with brute force, leading his followers to madness and beyond.…

The history of the United States is complicated and often distressing. Public schools that ignore or gloss over the difficulties do a great disservice to the children who will…

An astounding photograph and two ecological catastrophes combined with a classic book to inspire a crusading U.S. senator to institute what he called a “national teach-in.” Fifty…

Three men in Mississippi were kidnapped and murdered in June 1964, awakening the nation to the horror of race-based violence and oppression affecting Blacks and civil rights…

The Ku Klux Klan reappeared in the 1920s, promoted by a pair of public relations executives using images drawn from a blockbuster movie. But the Klan soon collapsed from internal…

The 21st century has had rapid progress for members of the LGBTQ community. But in fact, recent advances in gay rights stand on a foundation that was laid by courageous activists…

“Whiteness” is a relatively new category, used to describe a race that (some historians argue) doesn’t actually exist. What can it help us understand about America today?

Millions of criminals with mental health issues are incarcerated each year, but unfortunately, the prison infrastructure is unequipped to handle their needs. Without proper…

Meet Canada’s first trans beauty queen and explore various ways to live outside the “gender binary” of stereotypical male/female distinctions. To mark Pride Month, let’s take a…

Research into homosexuality has led to interesting and sometimes surprising discoveries, as well as to previously unconsidered questions about the balance between nature and…