Drawing on contemporary newspapers, diaries, and official reports, this article reconstructs the 1950s as Americans experienced them: the post-war boom, the Cold War’s nuclear dread, the Korean War, the rise of rock ‘n’ roll, and the early civil rights movement.
Drawing on V-mail, personal letters, and home front reports, this article reveals how American soldiers and their families endured the Korean War through written words—capturing love, fear, and daily life in a conflict often called a ‘police action.’
Drawing on contemporary radio broadcasts, newspaper headlines, and eyewitness accounts, this article reconstructs how Americans first heard the beep-beep of Sputnik and how the press transformed a small Soviet satellite into a national crisis that launched the space race.
Drawing on letters from Florida, interviews from Midwest cities, and a Saskatchewan farm woman’s diary, this article reveals how women documented daily struggles and devised survival strategies during the Great Depression.
Drawing on contemporary headlines, editorials, and wire reports, this article reconstructs how Americans experienced the October 1929 stock market collapse through the pages of their daily newspapers—from the first wave of panic to the fragile hopes of recovery.
Drawing on President Kennedy’s July 1963 address, the Moscow joint statement, and contemporary press coverage, this article reconstructs how Americans and the world experienced the Limited Test Ban Treaty—the first tangible check on the nuclear arms race.
In 1966, Kuwait stood at a crossroads of tradition and modernity. With oil revenues transforming the economy, the founding of Kuwait University marked a milestone in education, while political changes solidified the ruling family’s leadership. This article explores daily life, major events, and primary sources from a pivotal year.
An essential guide to locating primary sources for historical research, drawing on the expertise of Princeton University, the Library of Congress, and the University of North Carolina. Discover how to navigate archives, libraries, and digital repositories to find the raw materials of history.
Drawing on contemporary accounts and the landmark history Crying the News, this article explores the lives of America’s newsboys—their labor, their struggles, and their symbolic power—from the 1830s to the 1930s, culminating in the 1899 strike against Hearst.
Drawing on first-hand testimony from Bloc Life and other primary sources, this article reconstructs the daily routines, fears, and small pleasures of ordinary people who lived under Communist rule in Eastern Europe—from the queues and shortages to the surprising sense of security many remember.