Why Eisenhower Called in the 101st Airborne After Brown v. Board, Little Rock Nine

A photo of Madam C.J. Walker, the first woman to become a self-made millionaire in the United States, driving a car, circa 1911. From the New York Public Library.

How Mixed-Race Children in Post-WWII Germany Were Deemed a ‘Social Problem’

Customers stand outside Berry's Service Station in Tulsa.

The Children's Crusade: When the Youth of Birmingham Marched for Justice

Vegetable workers, migrants, waiting after work to be paid.Vegetable workers, migrants, waiting after work to be paid. Near Homestead, Florida, 1939. (Photo by: Photo 12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

When Barbara Jordan Defended the American System of Checks and Balances

Black Americans Who Served in WWII Faced Segregation and Second-Class Roles

How the Tulsa Race Massacre Was Covered Up

<p><a class="" title="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://journalism.columbia.edu/faculty/alexis-clark__;!!CyZMqN24eIU!AZzh9AfrVSzqrVjkXVwVTZDjyu1BuxMAPbKWJLTT853A3ao-xz1N50tRH4v6SqAh_mRiiLa7QuAchFGsbjyjZJfDOJI$" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://journalism.columbia.edu/faculty/alexis-clark__;!!CyZMqN24eIU!AZzh9AfrVSzqrVjkXVwVTZDjyu1BuxMAPbKWJLTT853A3ao-xz1N50tRH4v6SqAh_mRiiLa7QuAchFGsbjyjZJfDOJI$">Alexis Clark</a> writes about race, culture and politics during major events and eras in American history. She has written for <em class="">The New York Times</em>, <i class="">Smithsonian,</i> <i class="">Preservation</i> and other publications. She <span class="">is the author of</span><em class=""> <a class="" title="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__thenewpress.com_books_enemies-2Dlove&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=bHpC9irXhivtSwyVyKc43lLt4-cAwmmH7TeQLPqTb5E&amp;r=0ZpTu-He2V3GUI-VETMmkwm8-GyOWSyeMJXqt7G42KA&amp;m=vpFTYcUfVUs9GtGQRA6WwT5-iH1bgnHi-HxUwTDh-qg&amp;s=6PFqlRd5x1ncA6c6zYc483kOI3Xx1ktVv1OJnGYyLxM&amp;e=" href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__thenewpress.com_books_enemies-2Dlove&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=bHpC9irXhivtSwyVyKc43lLt4-cAwmmH7TeQLPqTb5E&amp;r=0ZpTu-He2V3GUI-VETMmkwm8-GyOWSyeMJXqt7G42KA&amp;m=vpFTYcUfVUs9GtGQRA6WwT5-iH1bgnHi-HxUwTDh-qg&amp;s=6PFqlRd5x1ncA6c6zYc483kOI3Xx1ktVv1OJnGYyLxM&amp;e=">Enemies in Love: A German POW, A Black Nurse, and an Unlikely Romance</a>, </em>and an assistant professor at Columbia Journalism School.</p>


Alexis Clark

Alexis Clark writes about race, culture and politics during major events and eras in American history. She has written for The New York Times, Smithsonian, Preservation and other publications. She is the author of Enemies in Love: A German POW, A Black Nurse, and an Unlikely Romance, and an assistant professor at Columbia Journalism School.

Alexis Clark Archives | HISTORY

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HISTORY

Alexis Clark writes about race, culture and politics during major events and eras in American history. She has written for The New York Times, Smithsonian, Preservation and other publications. She is the author of Enemies in Love: A German POW, A Black Nurse, and an Unlikely Romance, and an assistant professor at Columbia Journalism School.

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<p>America’s Founding Fathers decided that one elected civilian—the U.S. president—would lead the executive branch of the federal government, a governmental structure that has remained in place for more than 200 years.</p>


U.S. Presidents

<p>The 1970s was an era when the women's rights, gay rights and environmental movements gained momentum. The Vietnam War came to a close, the Watergate scandal led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon, the United States ended direct involvement in the Vietnam War and President Jimmy Carter grappled with an energy crisis, inflation and the Iran Hostage Crisis.</p>


1970s

<p>In the Roaring Twenties, a surging economy created an era of mass consumerism, as Jazz-Age flappers flouted Prohibition laws and the Harlem Renaissance redefined arts and culture.</p>


Roaring Twenties

<p>The U.S. government, with its three branches of government and a system of checks and balances, is responsible for governing the 50 states and all districts and territories of the United States.</p>


U.S. Government and Politics

<p>In the early 20th century, America was flexing its economic and political muscle on the international stage. The era was defined by the temperance movement, Progressive-era activism, the sinking of the Titanic and World War I.</p>


Early 20th Century U.S.

<p>World War II was the biggest and deadliest war in history, involving more than 30 countries. Sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, the war dragged on for six bloody years until the Allies defeated the Axis powers of Nazi Germany, Japan and Italy in 1945. Explore the battles, leaders and atrocities from the war and its impact on geopolitics and humankind.</p>


World War II

<p>Though the 19th century saw the rise of populism, the labor movement and Jacksonian democracy, it also ushered in the Gilded Age, when men like Cornelius Vanderbilt and J. P. Morgan wielded vast control over politics and business.</p>


19th Century

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<div class="p-rich_text_section">African Americans have played a central role in shaping U.S. history. From slavery and its abolition to the Great Migration, the civil rights movement and military, scientific, cultural and political achievements, explore key moments, milestones and figures in Black History.</div>
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Alexis Clark ‑ Stories

How Madam C.J. Walker Became a Self‑Made Millionaire

How Southern Landowners Tried to Restrict the Great Migration

Why Mixed‑Race Children in Post‑WWII Germany Were Deemed a ‘Social Problem’

9 Entrepreneurs Who Helped Build Tulsa’s ‘Black Wall Street’

How Barbara Jordan’s 1974 Speech Marked a Turning Point in the Watergate Scandal

How the Tulsa Race Massacre Was Covered Up

The Children’s Crusade: When the Youth of Birmingham Marched for Justice

Black Americans Who Served in WWII Faced Segregation Abroad and at Home

Why Buffalo Soldiers Served Among the Nation’s First Park Rangers

How the Police Shooting of a Black Soldier Triggered the 1943 Harlem Riots

Why Eisenhower Sent the 101st Airborne to Little Rock After Brown v. Board

The Black Businessman Who Built an Empire Despite Jim Crow Oppression