Frederick Douglass

Civil War historian David Blight reflects on America’s Disunion – then and now.

Frederick Douglas had another, lesser known, impact on Baltimore.

As a young woman, civil rights pioneer Pauli Murray discovered that the flag could be used as a symbol of defiance.

Recovering black radicalism.

On the abolitionists, Reconstruction, and winning “freedom” from the Right.

Fara Dabhoiwala’s case against free speech.

Calls to attenuate the brutality of slavery in museum depictions is absurd when our institutions already downplay one of its most horrific features.

A sweeping new history explores facial hair as a proving ground for notions about gender, race, and rebellion.

We live in polarized times when freedom is threatened but this Juneteenth we should remind ourselves that we have overcome far worse.

Since the earliest days of the Republic, American citizenship has been contested, subject to the anti-democratic impulses of racism, suspicion, and paranoia.

At the Met, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" shows how clothing became a way for Black men to assert presence and push back against control.

The Fugitive Slave Act erased the most basic of constitutional rights for enslaved people and incentivized US Commissioners to support kidnappers.

What the Constitution asks of us.

Manisha Sinha’s history of Reconstruction sheds fresh light on the period that fleetingly opened a door to a different America.

Delivered 250 years ago, the famous oration marked the Henry’s influence. The politician also served in key roles in Virginia’s state government.

Widening the lens to capitalism itself could yield insights on how to close the gap.

Rich Benjamin’s new book reveals a shared spirit between the world’s first Black republic and the United States.

Does the text mean what it plainly says?

After the Civil War, Andrew Johnson issued the biggest act of presidential clemency in our history. It angered his party and led to his eventual impeachment.

The week between Christmas and the new year offered a rare opportunity for enslaved people to reclaim their humanity.