RETROPOLIS

The past, rediscovered

In 1984, ‘Subway Vigilante’ Bernhard Goetz shot four Black men in NYC

Some have drawn parallels between Goetz’s case and that of Daniel Penny, who was charged with manslaughter in the death of Jordan Neely on New York City's subway.

By Andrea SalcedoMay 13, 2023

How Truman, who was known to disparage Jews, became godfather of Israel

Harry Truman used antisemitic slurs in private. But his surprise decision 75 years ago to recognize Israel, launching a fierce alliance, was a long time coming.

By Gordon F. SanderMay 13, 2023

With MLK and Malcolm X revelations, Alex Haley’s legacy takes new hit

Before questions about his Playboy interview with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Haley faced charges of plagiarism and inaccuracy in "Roots."

By Gillian BrockellMay 13, 2023

History’s worst moms, from Queen Victoria to George Washington’s

Maybe, as Mother's Day arrives, your mom isn’t perfect. But she's probably a lot better than Queen Victoria or George Washington’s mom.

By Michael FarquharMay 13, 2023

House GOP and D.C.: A historically strained marriage grows more tenuous

Bipartisan cooperation — especially around the management of the nation’s capital — is rare, if not nonexistent these days.

By Paul SchwartzmanMay 13, 2023

25 years later, America still loves ‘Seinfeld’ but some hate how it ended

“Seinfeld” became a smash NBC hit with relatable absurdity like the Soup Nazi. Its finale 25 years ago was a “terrible letdown.”

By Frederic J. FrommerMay 12, 2023

Before Trump’s beef with CNN, they had a cozy, made-for-TV relationship

Former president Donald Trump returns to CNN on Wednesday for a town hall. He regularly appeared on the network for decades before beginning his political career.

By Timothy BellaMay 10, 2023

MLK’s famous criticism of Malcolm X was a ‘fraud,’ author finds

Alex Haley’s transcript of his famous Playboy interview with Martin Luther King Jr. does not match what was published, author Jonathan Eig says.

By Gillian BrockellMay 10, 2023

Army base drops Confederate’s name, honors pioneering Hispanic general

Fort Hood will be renamed after Gen. Richard Cavazos, a Korean and Vietnam War veteran who was the nation’s first Hispanic four-star general.

By Andrew JeongMay 9, 2023

Muhammad Ali won a title fight in Maryland. Then he went to prom.

On May 1, 1976, Muhammad Ali was persuaded by a high school teacher to make an appearance at a Prince George's County prom.

By Nicole AsburyMay 8, 2023

Amazing base: A singer wed in a D.C. ballpark, and 19,000 paid to attend

Attendees packed D.C.’s Griffith Stadium in 1951 for the wedding spectacular of gospel singer Rosetta Tharpe, who’s now the subject of a show at Ford's Theatre.

By Terence McArdleMay 7, 2023

Diana knew she wouldn’t be queen — and doubted Charles wanted the crown

“I’d like to be a queen of people’s hearts, in people’s hearts, but I don’t see myself being queen of this country," Princess Diana said in 1995.

By Timothy BellaMay 6, 2023

Born into slavery, a Kentucky Derby champ became an American superstar

Black jockeys — Isaac Murphy foremost among them — won 15 of the first 28 Kentucky Derby crowns, as they tested the limits of freedom during Reconstruction.

By Sydney TrentMay 6, 2023

The Koh-i-Noor and Cullinan diamonds: British crown jewels have fraught history

South Africans have demanded the return of the Cullinan diamonds, which will feature heavily during King Charles III’s coronation Saturday.

By Gillian BrockellMay 5, 2023

Civil War soldiers’ remains uncovered in Virginia grave

The site in Colonial Williamsburg is near a church used as a hospital during and after the 1862 Battle of Williamsburg.

By Michael E. RuaneMay 4, 2023

How Jenny Craig built a weight-loss empire and battled her speech loss

Craig's self-named diet company plans to close its doors after four decades, NBC News reported.

By Marisa IatiMay 4, 2023

Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation was televised and captivated the world

Queen Elizabeth's husband, Prince Philip, argued that televising the 1953 coronation would help modernize the monarchy. More than 32 million Americans tuned in.

By Ronald G. ShaferMay 4, 2023

Experts unearth one of the first colonists: A teen with a broken leg

The skeleton found in Maryland belongs to an adolescent 17th-century boy, who experts said may have arrived on one of two ships in March 1634.

By Michael E. RuaneMay 3, 2023

These searing photographs helped ban child labor in America — until now

Some Republican lawmakers are trying to relax child labor regulations, which are rooted in the public outcry over Lewis Hine's photographs.

By Jessica Contrera and Gillian BrockellMay 1, 2023

A British king disappeared before his coronation. Was he killed?

As Britain prepares for the coronation of King Charles III, a look back at the 12-year-old monarch who vanished before he could be crowned.

By Jennifer HassanApril 30, 2023