It was called the Kennedy Center, but 3 different presidents shaped it Washington, D.C.'s performing arts center was named for President Kennedy after his assassination. But his vision for the arts as a cornerstone of democracy was shared by Eisenhower and Johnson. Anastasia Tsioulcas
Her 1951 walkout helped end school segregation. Now her statue is in the U.S. Capitol Barbara Rose Johns was 16 when she led a walkout at her high school, credited with helping end school segregation. Her statue replaces Robert E. Lee's, which was removed in 2020. Rachel Treisman
How ancient curses are helping create a Celtic dictionary We speak with a professor in Wales who's working on an ancient Celtic dictionary. Justine Kenin
A surge of history on TV reflects race to define collective memory A retelling of James Garfield's assassination and other recent TV programs about history show an interest in saying 'who we were, who we are and who we're going to be,' explains presidential historian Alexis Coe, senior fellow at New America. Sarah Robbins
50 years after the birth of special education, some fear for its future under Trump The Trump administration has fired, or tried to fire, many of the federal staff members who manage and enforce federal disability law in schools. Cory Turner
83 years ago, the Cocoanut Grove Nightclub fire changed safety codes and burn care After more than 80 years, the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire remains one of the nation's deadliest. Many safety lessons came from the tragedy that claimed more than 500 lives in Boston. Amanda Beland
Was the first 'Thanksgiving' feast actually along the Rio Grande? Thanksgiving is steeped in stories of pilgrims and native people enjoying a harvest feast in Plymouth. But historians say the first "Thanksgiving" was 23 years earlier, in 1598 along the Rio Grande. Angela Kocherga
Historic murals inside a D.C. federal building may face an uncertain future NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks to art historian Mary Okin about the significance and uncertain future of the historic murals painted inside the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building in Washington, D.C. Jeanette Woods
How the turkey trotted its way onto our Thanksgiving tables — and into our lexicon Much of the turkey's early history is shrouded in uncertainty, historians and etymologists say — which is particularly true of how the bird got its name. Natalie Escobar