The history behind current events.

If you'd like to sort this department listing by headline, author or date, please use the Slate search.

• Ye Olde Gitmo When Americans were unlawful combatants.
  John Fabian Witt Dec. 9, 2008
  
• McCain Ran the Sleaziest Campaign in History? Not even close.
  David Greenberg Nov. 5, 2008
  
• Presidential Firepower How FDR saved capitalism in eight days.
  David Greenberg Oct. 24, 2008
  
• "Negro to Address Ole Miss Class" The headline you won't be reading about tonight's presidential debate.
  Walter Dellinger Sept. 26, 2008
  
• You Won't Learn Much From the Debates But you should watch them anyway.
  David Greenberg Sept. 25, 2008
  
• The Write Stuff? Why Biden's plagiarism shouldn't be forgotten.
  David Greenberg Aug. 25, 2008
  
• Waving the Flag How the "patriotism" debate might actually help Obama.
  David Greenberg July 2, 2008
  
• After the Assassination How Gene McCarthy's response to Bobby Kennedy's murder crippled the Democrats.
  David Greenberg June 4, 2008
  
• The Greatest Manhunt of World War II How a black soldier killed an officer, disappeared into the Burmese jungle, and joined a tribe of headhunters.
  Brendan I. Koerner May 29, 2008
  
• Cold Fusion History suggests an Obama-Clinton ticket could work.
  David Greenberg May 22, 2008
  
• Watershed Moment The death of a Montana dam.
  Caitlin DeSilvey April 17, 2008
  
• The Lincoln-Douglas Debates Unplugged A new book strips away the nostalgia around this classic encounter.
  David Greenberg April 7, 2008
  
• The Long Goodbye It's too early to talk about Hillary's withdrawal.
  David Greenberg March 5, 2008
  
• Memo to Obama Fans Clinton's presidency was not a failure.
  David Greenberg Feb. 12, 2008
  
• Attack in the Other Direction! How to recover from a big loss in the early primaries.
  Jeff Greenfield Jan. 8, 2008