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The Latest Breaking News from David Blight

Memorial Day 2026 moment of silence time: When is National Moment of Remembrance?

Memorial Day 2026 holiday's origins can be traced to the American Civil War, which killed more than 600,000 service members, Union and Confederate, between 1861 and 1865.

The Economic Times

The history of Memorial Day and how it has evolved from its Civil War origins

A pivotal change occurred in 1971 when Congress moved Memorial Day from a fixed May 30 to the last Monday of May, creating a three-day weekend

The Independent UK

Turmoil at US constitution museum as leader exits ahead of 250th anniversary

Leadership disputes claim of political motive for ousting Jeffrey Rosen, who was praised for non-partisan approach

The Guardian - US

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What is Memorial Day and why did it quickly become a source of contention?

The holiday evolved alongside baseball and the automobile, the five-day work week and summer vacation

The Independent UK

‘It reminds you of a fascist state’: Smithsonian Institution braces for Trump rewrite of US history

Normally staid historians sound alarm at authoritarian grasping for control of the premier US museum complex

The Guardian - US

Performance, Museums, History: Trump's Cultural Power Grab

Washington's Smithsonian is a sprawling chain of museums dedicated to both celebrating and scrutinizing the American story -- and the latest cultural institution targeted by President Donald Trump's bid to quash diversity efforts.

International Business Times

‘Let’s dig into the archives and tell the truth’: interrogating Yale’s connections to slavery

Pulitzer prize winner David Blight follows his biography of Frederick Douglass with a deep dive into his university’s dark past

The Guardian - US

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The 14th Amendment was introduced to help racial justice. Trump’s plans ensure the opposite

Black activists championed the idea of birthright citizenship long before it was introduced to the U.S. Constitution, reports Katie Hawkinson

The Independent UK

1789 or 1866 is not 2024: Why historians have a difficult task in guiding Supreme Court justices as they decide today’s legal issues

History matters at the U.S. Supreme Court, where most justices either embrace or occasionally rely on a form of interpretation called “originalism,” which holds that the original meaning of the Constitution should be sought, and relied on, to decide cases.

The Conversation

Five things to know about Memorial Day and its profound original purpose: ‘It isn’t just the barbecue’

Someone has always lamented the holiday’s drift from its original meaning

The Independent UK

‘The threat isn’t over’: the expert arguing to the supreme court Trump is an insurrectionist

Jill Habig has filed an amicus brief saying the 14th amendment applies to Trump – and the brief gives the court’s originalists a taste of their own medicine

The Guardian - US

From the Civil War to today’s mattress sales, Memorial Day is full of contradiction

Memorial Day is supposed to be about mourning the nation’s fallen service members

The Independent UK

Hope and loss on Memorial Day

White supremacy and Trumpism are not in retreat — but with our somber spring holiday comes hope and inspiration

Salon

From the Civil War to today's mattress sales, Memorial Day is full of contradiction

Memorial Day is supposed to be about mourning the nation’s fallen service members

The Independent UK

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Roll Call

What to read (and gift): Capitol Hill insiders share their favorite books of 2022 - Roll Call

Books are the ultimate power gift in political Washington, so we asked some people with impressive-sounding job titles for their picks.

The Independent UK

Monument honoring Black Civil War unit rededicated

A Boston memorial to a famed Civil War unit made up of Black soldiers has been rededicated at a ceremony filled with song and somber reflection

Axios

HBO film on Frederick Douglass uses his speeches from 150 years ago to pose questions today

"Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches" comes as some states pass restrictions on how schools can teach history.

People

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