City on a Hill
A History of American Exceptionalism
A fresh, original history of America’s national narratives, told through the loss, recovery, and rise of one influential Puritan sermon from 1630 to the present day In this illuminating book, Abram Van Engen shows how the phrase “City on a Hill,” from a 1630 sermon by Massachusetts Bay governor John Winthrop, shaped the story of […]
Research finds slave trade’s effect on firm ownership persists today
While closely held ownership isn’t necessarily bad, research co-authored by a faculty member at Washington University in St. Louis’ Olin Business School suggests some African firms may miss 21st century growth opportunities without the ability to raise capital through shared ownership.
Staging Frontiers
The Making of Modern Popular Culture in Argentina & Uruguay
Swashbuckling tales of valiant gauchos roaming Argentina and Uruguay were nineteenth-century bestsellers. But when these stories jumped from the page to the circus stage and beyond, their cultural, economic, and political influence revolutionized popular culture and daily life. In this engaging book, William Acree delivers a deep history of Latin American popular entertainment that culminates in […]
Michelangelo, God’s Architect
The Story of His Final Years and Greatest Masterpiece
The untold story of Michelangelo’s final decades—and his transformation into one of the greatest architects of the Italian Renaissance As he entered his seventies, the great Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo despaired that his productive years were past. Anguished by the death of friends and discouraged by the loss of commissions to younger artists, this supreme […]
What happened on July 4, 1776? Maybe not what you think
On that historic day 243 years ago, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. But it would be weeks before the Founding Fathers would actually sign the handwritten document now housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. In the meantime, official broadsides — one of which is showcased at Washington University in St. Louis — were printed and posted on the doors of courthouses across the nation.
Keeping track of lost restaurants
For his main dish, alumnus Harley Hammerman is a radiologist and entrepreneur. On the side, he collects historical memorabilia, including of playwright Eugene O’Neill and long-gone beloved restaurants in the St. Louis area.
On topic: Hope as an American tradition
In studying and teaching American history, Iver Bernstein noticed the prevalence and importance of hope in the American democratic experiment. Nowadays, it may seem that hope is in short supply, but Bernstein says that it continues to be part of America’s foundation and future.
A professor’s lasting impact
The late Edward G. Weltin Sr. was so beloved that that a group of his former students honored him by establishing an endowed lecture fund bearing his name.
Tracing a personal history of the Holocaust
After years of reluctance — and with the help of his journalist daughter, alumna Debbie Bornstein Holinstat — Michael Bornstein shares his remarkable story of surviving Auschwitz in “Survivors Club: The True Story of a Very Young Prisoner of Auschwitz.”
Trawling the waters
As a foreign correspondent, alumna Robin McDowell and a team of investigative reporters exposed the widespread use of slave labor in the fishing industry in Southeast Asia. Unbeknown to many, this seafood could end up in your local grocery store or favorite restaurant.
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