HISTORY

Several Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Receive $650,000 Grant to Protect Their Campuses

The $650,000 in grant money will go to restoring and preserving the campuses of eight historically Black colleges and universities in the U.S.

An enamel pendant commemorating the death of Queen Victoria's daughter, Alice.

Pieces of Queen Victoria’s ‘Mourning Jewelry’ Are Going Up for Sale in London

Queen Victoria didn’t just wear black dresses to mourn the deaths of Prince Albert and other family members—she also commissioned special jewelry.

5 Things You Should Know About Mardi Gras

If you've ever wondered what Mardi Gras means in English, or what King Cake really is, we have the answers.

John F. Kennedy’s Harvard Sweater, Plus Locks of Abe Lincoln and George Washington’s Hair, Are Among Presidential Oddities Up for Auction

Six months after JFK’s assassination, a staff member lent his Harvard cardigan to a cold CBS cameraman. It could now fetch $35,000.

If they're not sitting at a desk all day, they might be a blue-collar worker.

Blue Collar vs. White Collar Jobs: What’s the Difference?

White collar jobs are purportedly better paying and more respectable than blue collar jobs—here’s how that came to be.

The 12 Most Googled Questions About the White House, Answered

The White House’s location hasn’t ever changed, but it’s seen a lot of renovations in its 229 years.

This magnificent Iron Age cauldron is just one of many amazing items found in a bog.

11 Incredible Things Found in Bogs

Bogs have an almost magical power to preserve organic material. From butter to bodies, here are 11 of the most amazing things archaeologists have recovered from bogs.

11 Romantic Bits of Dating Advice from the Regency Era

Long before Helen Gurley Brown, Oprah, or Dear Abby dished out a single bit of dating advice, Regency women had their own guidelines to follow.

Vintage illustration of Thomas Edison and the phonograph.

11 Surprising Facts About Thomas Edison

You may know that Thomas Edison was a prolific inventor who revolutionized the electric light bulb. But have you heard about his creepy talking dolls?

Watch the Only Surviving Footage of the Titanic Before Its Doomed Voyage

There are many photographs of the 'Titanic,' but this video shot in Belfast contains the only surviving footage of the ship before it sank.

These Neglected Presidents Are Getting the Bobblehead Treatment They so Richly Deserve

The Neglected Presidents line over at the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum gives the spotlight to Chester A. Arthur, Calvin Coolidge, and more.

New Spacecraft Named After Katherine Johnson Honors the Pioneering NASA Mathematician

A cargo craft delivering supplies to the International Space Station has been named after Katherine Johnson, the influential "human computer" who helped send the first Americans to space.

5 Precariously Placed Monasteries

Medieval monks picked some very isolated places to build their monasteries.

8 Pioneering Facts About Little House on the Prairie Author Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books are her biggest claim to fame—her relation to Franklin D. Roosevelt isn’t quite as well-known.

The Hess triangle, still spreading spite to this day.

New York City’s Legendary Hess 'Spite Triangle' Will Soon Be For Sale

David Hess’s family wanted everyone to know that their tiny sidewalk triangle wasn’t public property—so they wrote that message right on it.

Famed bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman starred in the reality TV show Dog the Bounty Hunter from 2004-2012.

8 Facts About Bounty Hunters

The history of bounty hunting goes back centuries, but the term itself is relatively new. Find out more about this unsavory profession.

The McDonald's Quarter Pounder is turning the big 5-0 in 2021.

50 Things Turning 50 In 2021

If you're celebrating a 50th birthday or anniversary this year, you're in excellent company. From the first e-mail to McDonald's Quarter Pounder, 1971 was a year full of change.

The lion dance is a traditional part of Lunar New Year celebrations.

9 Fierce Facts About the Lion Dance

Each winter at the turn of the lunar calendar, the lion dancers put on a lively performance, gamboling about to the beat of pounding drums and crashing cymbals in dazzling spectacle meant to bring luck and prosperity.

Amateur Treasure Hunter Discovers Henry VIII’s Missing Crown Ornament

A gold figurine unearthed by a metal detectorist in England turned out to be the centerpiece of King Henry VIII's long-lost crown.

The exterior of Los Angeles's Cecil Hotel, as seen in Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel (2021).

7 Facts About Los Angeles's Notorious Cecil Hotel

The Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles is one of those iconic landmarks that is as famous for what goes on behind closed doors as it is for its once-regal architecture and Art Deco interior.

6 Groundbreaking Facts About Elizabeth Blackwell, America’s First Woman Physician

When she graduated from medical school in 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell earned more than an M.D.: she also earned the distinction of becoming America’s first woman doctor.

Coco Gauff plays a backhand during the Wimbledon Championships in London on July 8, 2019.

Why Do Wimbledon Players Wear All-White?

Wimbledon's dress code is one of the most famous in sports. The rules, which specify that players must dress "almost entirely in white," are so strict that the referee can force players to change under threat of disqualification—and even the players' unde

"Would you be so kind as to pencil me in for a polka?"

My Dance Card Is Full: The “I Would If I Could” of Victorian Ball Etiquette

The Victorian era gave rise to puffy gowns, dance cards, and a fun new phrase for getting out of a date.

Edith Wharton in Newport, Rhode Island circa 1907.

10 Fascinating Facts About Edith Wharton

In 1921, Edith Wharton became the first woman ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel 'The Age of Innocence.'

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