History Buzz: March 2008

History Buzz

By Bonnie K. Goodman

Ms. Goodman is the Editor/Features Editor at HNN. She has a Masters in Library and Information Studies from McGill University, and has done graduate work in history at Concordia University.

March 24-31,2008

CAMPAIGN 2008 WATCH:	PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 2008 WATCH: Primary Season Election Results – NYT All the Way to the Convention? – History.com Bruce Schulman on “Democratic squabbles could give McCain a boost”: McCain is not anti-immigration, “and he’s even from that part of the world. Actually, the historical odds are pretty good for John McCain, if you think about the 15 presidential elections there have been since the end of World War II, and ask yourself how many times has a Democrat won a majority of the popular vote. The answer is just three, and Al Gore, who lost the election, was one of those three. The other two were Jimmy Carter, narrowly, and Lyndon Johnson’s landslide. John Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Harry Truman, they never won majority of the popular vote.” Republican winners Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush all got between 35 and 40 percent of the Hispanic vote, Schulman said, while the losers, George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford, got about 20 percent. – San Francisco Chronicle, 3-30-08 Julian Zelizer on “Democratic squabbles could give McCain a boost”: The white vote is another wild card. Should Obama win the Democratic nomination, he may struggle with conservative white “Reagan Democrats” much as he has through the primaries, said Julian Zelizer, a historian at Princeton University. Even the war may not prove deadly to McCain’s prospects. “You know, in 1968 the country voted for Nixon, not Humphrey, not an anti-war activist,” Zelizer said. “They went for the hawk to get us out of the war.” – San Francisco Chronicle, 3-30-08 John Hope Franklin on “Where Should Conversation on Race Start?”: “We’ve almost come to a position, where at least I can live like a human being without climbing up some back step.” But the incremental change only proves the value of the conversation we’ve long been having and the need to keep having it, he says. Reflecting on Clinton’s race panel, which was derided by critics, Franklin says, “It was clear to me that we couldn’t get very far and we didn’t get very far and I was very much distressed over the way in which the country reacted to what we were trying to do. I think this is a better time.” – AP, 3-30-08 Julian Zelizer on “Clinton walks tightrope on strength and emotion”: “It’s not the first time in the campaign she’s tried to humanize herself…. She can’t afford to lose votes because people don’t connect with her.” – Reuter, 3-28-08 James Klotter on “Clinton draws a crowd”: “For Kentucky to be in the spotlight during the primary is highly unusual.” Prior to the 1970s most of the nominees were picked at the convention and primaries and caucuses were rare, Klotter said. Since primaries have become more important, most candidates have spent their time and money in larger battleground states, he said. “It’s historically unusual to have a primary of this significance in Kentucky,” he said – State Journal, 3-26-08 Jeremy Varon on “In polls, McCain edges ahead of Clinton, Obama”: “McCain wants to do the war right – in a way that’s principled, and that functions as a positive example of the differences between us and the terrorists. This is the way in which people on the left see him as somewhat admirable: because principles seem to matter to him.” – Boston Globe, 3-25-08 Robert Dallek on “To Tell or Not? Disclosing Candidate Health Issues”: “The candidates are very leery about letting on to any weakness, any flaws, because they are so afraid that it will bring them down…” – NPR, 3-24-08 Ira Berlin on “What Politicians Say When They Talk About Race”: “It’s not an easy subject for black people or white people. As Obama indicated, there are lots of legitimate hurts on both sides. It is extremely easy for people to misspeak. In part because we don’t speak a lot and because we don’t speak a lot you don’t understand the language. People don’t understand where the land mines are. They sometimes use the wrong words or are condescending or seem to be condescending when they’re trying to be honest. It’s easy for people to take offense when the wrong language is used, particularly when they’ve got within them a lot of anger and are looking for someone to beat with a small stick. In those circumstances, it’s often better to say nothing.” – NYT, 3-25-08 David Goldfield on “What Politicians Say When They Talk About Race”: “I think he is uniquely positioned because he straddles the racial divide very well. I think some of what he said will resonate. But it’s a gamble.” – NYT, 3-25-08 Julian Zelizer on “Obama Edges Clinton in Cash and Spending in February”: “This is a horse race, and it is a close one. Every ad, every appearance, every dollar counts.” – Bloomberg, 3-21-08 Julian Zelizer: Comment: How Democrats can lose in November – Reuters, 3-20-08 Akhil Reed Amar: Law prof. who often doubles as historian suggests both Clinton and Obama become president! – Slate, 3-21-08 Edward J. Blum: Interviewed about Obama and race – Newsweek, 3-19-08 Julian Zelizer on “Obama Condemns Pastor’s Remarks, Won’t ‘Disown’ Him”: Obama’s speech fits in with his promise to bring a new perspective to major issues. “He will need to continue to demonstrate to supporters and opponents that he has a different vision for the nation. Candidates must deal with the virtues and vices of their supporters, which sometimes is more difficult than the attacks from their opponents.” – Bloomberg, 3-18-08
BIGGEST STORIES: Women’s History Month	BIGGEST STORIES: Women’s History Month ‘Remarkable Women’ Part of Women’s History Celebration at City Tech – Brooklyn Daily Eagle, NY, 3-14-08 Women’s History Month at Southern Miss Kicks off today – Hattiesburg American, MS, 3-3-08
HNN STATS THIS WEEK:	HNN STATS THIS WEEK: Most Popular Article: Carol V. Hamilton: “A Christian Nation?” – 2-18-08 Most Popular Blog Entry: Judith Apter Klinghoffer: “OBAMA ON HIS NOT “TYPICAL WHITE” GRANDPARENTS” Deja Vu -Judith Apter Klinghoffer, 3-22-2008 Hottest Topic: About the History of Iraq Most Popular Feature: Ferenc M. Szasz: “Quotes About History” All-Time Favorite: “What Is the Difference Between Sunni and Shiite Muslims–and Why Does It Matter?” 9-9-02
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY:	THIS WEEK IN HISTORY: 03-24-1603 – Queen Elizabeth I died at age 69 after ruling England for more than 40 years. 03-24-1934 – The Philippine Islands in the South Pacific were granted independence by President Franklin D. Roosevelt after nearly 50 years of American control. 03-24-1999 – NATO begins launching air strikes in an attempt to force Serbia to cease hostilities against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. 03-25-1634 – Maryland was founded by settlers sent by the late Lord Baltimore. 03-25-1894 – Jacob Sechler Coxey and his “army” of unemployed men began their march from Ohio to Washington, DC. 03-25-1911 – A fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Co. in New York City killed 145 workers. 03-25-1931 – The Scottsboro boys were arrested in Alabama. 03-25-1965 – The 25,000-person Alabama Freedom March to protest the denial of voting rights to blacks, led by Martin Luther King Jr., ended its journey from Selma on the steps of the State Capitol in Montgomery, Ala. 03-26-1945 – The battle of Iwo Jima ended; about 22,000 Japanese troops were killed or captured in the fighting and more than 4,500 U.S. troops were killed. 03-26-1979 – In a ceremony at the White House, President Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Begin of Israel signed a peace treaty ending 30 years of war between the two countries. 03-26-1982 – Groundbreaking ceremonies for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial took place in Washington, DC. 03-26-2000 – Vladimir Putin was elected president of Russia. 03-27-1794 – Congress authorizes the construction of six frigates, including the Constitution (Old Ironsides), for the U.S. Navy. 03-27-1866 – President Andrew Johnson vetoed a civil rights bill which later became the 14th amendment. 03-27-1958 – Nikita Khrushchev became Soviet premier and first secretary of the Communist Party. 03-28-1797 – Nathaniel Briggs patented a washing machine. 03-28-1939 – The Spanish Civil War ended. 03-29-1867 – The North America Act was passed by the British parliament, creating the dominion of Canada. 03-29-1951 – Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were found guilty of passing atomic secrets to the Russians and were sentenced to death. 03-29-1971 – Lt. William Calley was convicted of murdering 22 Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai massacre. 03-29-1973 – The last U.S. troops left South Vietnam. 03-30-1856 – The Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the Crimean War. 03-30-1867 – A treaty for the purchase of Alaska from Russia for the sum of $7.2 million, approximately two cents an acre, was submitted to the U.S. Senate. 03-30-1870 – The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect, guaranteeing the right to vote regardless of race. 03-30-1981 – President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest by John Hinckley as he left a Washington hotel. 03-31-1492 – Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain expelled Jews who would not accept Christianity. 03-31-1889 – The Eiffel Tower in Paris officially opened. 03-31-1918 – Daylight Saving Time went into effect in the United States. 03-31-1949 – Newfoundland became Canada’s tenth province. 03-31-1959 – The Dalai Lama, fleeing Chinese repression of an uprising in Tibet, arrived at the Indian border and was granted political asylum. 03-31-1968 – President Lyndon Johnson announced that he would not run for re-election 04-01-1789 – Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania was elected the first Speaker of the House of Representatives. 04-01-1933 – The Nazi persecution of Jews began in Germany with a boycott of Jewish businesses. 04-01-1945 – American forces landed on Okinawa during World War II. 04-01-1970 – President Nixon signed a bill into law banning cigarette ads from radio and television. 04-01-1979 – Ayatollah Khomeini proclaimed the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 04-01-2003 – Pvt. Jessica Lynch was rescued by U.S. commandos in a raid on an Iraqi hospital. 04-01-2004 – President Bush signed the “Laci Peterson” bill making it a separate federal crime to harm a fetus during an attack on the mother. 04-02-1513 – Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon landed in Florida. 04-02-1792 – Congress authorized the first U.S. mint, in Philadelphia. 04-02-1865 – Confederate president Jefferson Davis and most of his cabinet fled the Confederate capital of Richmond, Va. 04-02-1870 – Victoria Claflin Woodhull announced her candidacy for president of the United States. 04-02-1917 – President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war against Germany. 04-02-1932 – Charles Lindbergh paid a $50,000 ransom for the return of his kidnapped son. 04-02-1982 – Argentina seized the Falkland Islands from Britain 04-02-2005 – Pope John Paul II died. 04-03-1882 – Outlaw Jesse James was shot in the back by Bob Ford, one of his own gang members, reportedly for a $10,000 reward. 04-03-1936 – Bruno Hauptmann was electrocuted for the kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh baby. 04-03-1948 – President Truman signed the Marshall Plan, which would foster the recovery of war-torn Europe. 04-04-1818 – Congress adopted a U.S. flag with one star for each state. 04-04-1841 – President William Henry Harrison died from pneumonia, one month after his inauguration. 04-04-1945 – The Ohrdruf death camp was liberated from Nazi occupation. 04-04-1949 – The treaty establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was signed. 04-04-1968 – Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated. 04-04-1973 – The ribbon was cut to open the World Trade Center in New York City. 04-05-1614 – Pocahontas married John Rolfe. 04-05-1792 – George Washington cast the first presidential veto. 04-05-1951 – Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were sentenced to death for giving away atomic secrets to the Russians. 04-05-1955 – Winston Churchill resigned as prime minister of Britain. 04-06-1862 – The Battle of Shiloh in the American Civil War began. 04-06-1917 – U.S. declared war on Germany and entered World War I. 04-06-1994 – The presidents of Rwanda and Burundi were killed in a plane crash.
IN THE NEWS:	IN THE NEWS: Christopher Smout: Queen’s Scots historian joins battle to save graveyard – The Scotsman, 3-29-08 Alon Confino: An anti-history historian – Haaretz, 3-27-08 Gideon Remez: Discovers error in Pentagon history. Pentagon admission – Secrecy News, written by Steven Aftergood, is published by the Federation of American Scientists, 3-27-08 Study: Profs lean left, but students unaffected – Inside Higher Ed, 3-27-08 Scholars Question Library of Congress’s Plan to Relocate a Reading Room – Chronicle of Higher Ed, 3-26-08 Outcry at BBC’s ‘English perspective’ on history of Scotland Outrage at ‘Anglo-centric’ nature of documentary – The Edinburgh Journal, 3-26-08 TV’s The History Channel drops ‘the’ and ‘channel’ from its name – The Canadian Press, 3-20-08 David Kaiser: Should Harvard University Press have published his JFK conspiracy book? – Scott McLemee at the website of Inside Higher Ed, 3-19-08 JSTOR for all AHA Members – Robert Townsend at the AHA blog, 3-17-08 David Rattray: Two killers jailed for life – http://www.dispatch.co.za, 3-18-08 Rwanda: Historians Want to Write True History – http://allafrica.com, 3-17-08
REVIEWED AND FIRST CHAPTERS:	REVIEWED AND FIRST CHAPTERS: Evan Thomas on Max Hastings: Death in the Pacific RETRIBUTION The Battle for Japan, 1944-45 – NYT, 3-30-08 Max Hastings: RETRIBUTION The Battle for Japan, 1944-45, First Chapter – NYT, 3-30-08 Joe Jackson: An act of “biopiracy” 130 years ago enriched England and devastated Brazil THE THIEF AT THE END OF THE WORLD Rubber, Power, and the Seeds of Empire – WaPo, 3-30-08 Martin Evans and John Phillips: Algeria’s Dirty Wars After the French tortured the Algerians, the Algerians tortured each other ALGERIA Anger of the Dispossessed – WaPo, 3-30-08 Nicholson Baker: How Good a War? Novelist Nicholson Baker argues that World War II was not inevitable or necessary HUMAN SMOKE The Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilization – WaPo, 3-30-08 Jorg Friedrich: Editor of The Fire says he knew Friedrich’s book would be special – Peter Dimock, at the Columbia University Press Blog, 3-26-08 Gordon Wood: American history author seeks to appeal to general public, academics – Deseret News, 3-23-08 Matthew Connelly: Says backers of family planning made terrible mistakes – Nicholas Kristof in the NYT Book Review, 3-23-08 Tim Weiner: Book on CIA comes under scathing attack – CQ Politics, 3-15-08 Nicholson Baker: Novelist turned historian claims Churchill should have negotiated with Hitler – Patrick T. Reardon in the Chicago Tribune, 3-18-08
OP-EDs:	OP-EDs: Martin E. Marty: To his former professor, congregant, and friend, Jeremiah Wright has been both – Chronicle of Higher Ed, 3-28-08 Michael Wreszin: Says Obama’s race speech was truly impressive – Letter to the Editor of the NYT, 3-20-08 Roy Strong: A historian puts three diets from the past on trial – Daily Mail, 3-14-08
BLOGS:	BLOGS: Stephen Peter Rosen and Martin Kramer: Scholars announce debut of new message board – Middle East Strategy at Harvard (MESH blog), 3-26-08
PROFILED:	PROFILED: Edward Renehan: Historian charged with stealing Theodore Roosevelt letter – AP, 3-27-08
INTERVIEWS:	INTERVIEWS: Douglas Blackmon: The Untold History of Post-Civil War ‘Neoslavery’ – NPR, 3-25-08 Ilan Pappe: I’m not a traitor (Interview) – Israel News, 3-15-08
FEATURES:	FEATURES: History, story telling make books enjoyable – The Current-Argus, 3-22-08 Scholars’ roundtable at Salon.com on the looting of Iraq’s museum and archaeological sites – Salon, 3-20-08 John Patrick Diggins vs. Steven Waldman: Is HBO’s John Adams series any good? – Exchange in the New Republic, 3-18-08 Melvyn Leffler: Compared with John Lewis Gaddis – H-Net Roundtable on Melvyn P. Leffler. For the Soul of Mankind: The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War, 2-22-08 David McCullough: Says he knew Tom Hanks was serious about a film on Adams – Seattle PI, 3-14-08
QUOTED:	QUOTED: Ron Bryant on “Davis’ bicentennial eclipsed by Lincoln”: “I’ll say it this way – winners write history. We need heroes, we need villains. Lincoln became a hero and Davis a villain.” – Kentucky Kernel, 3-28-08 Jo Paoletti on “Prolonged economic pessimism has a silver lining”: “I believe that it is life’s tough and painful experiences that give humans their best perspective into what is truly valuable about existence… That is as true for personal loss such as death as it is for economic loss.” For example, after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, families began “nesting” together at home. Residents of New Orleans vowed to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, and others donated to the cause. Paoletti said some even had positive recollections of family life during the Great Depression. – Baltimore Sun, 3-30-08 Edmund Kern on ” Pottermania lives on in college classrooms”: “As a kind of global cultural phenomenon, Harry Potter in a sense is unprecedented. I think movies have been extremely popular around the world, I think that certain music has been extremely popular around the world, but never before has a single literary endeavor caught the attention of so many people.” – CNN, 3-25-08 Glenn Williams: Clears up myths about GW’s campaign against Iroquois – The Newsletter of the New York American Revolution Round Table, 3-19-08 Craig Canning: Historian says ties between US and China have long been built of trade – Richmond Times-Dispatch, 3-19-08 John L. Esposito: Sad that his predictions came true about Iraq War – Middle East Strategy at Harvard (MESH blog), 3-20-08
HONORED / AWARDED / APPOINTED:	HONORED, AWARDED, APPOINTED: Karl Campbell: ASU historian’s bio of ‘Sen. Sam’ wins state award – Asheville Citizen-Times, 3-29-08 Deborah Lipstadt: Scholar to Receive Honorary Degree in April at Ohio Wesleyan University – Connect 2 OWO, 3-26-08 David Greenberg, Historian of Presidents and Politics, Receives Hiett Prize – Media Newswire (press release), NY, 3-27-08 Columbia Announces 2008 Bancroft Prize Winners – Media Newswire (press release), NY, 3-27-08 Bancroft prizes in history announced – Ralph Luker at HNN blog, Cliopatria, 3-18-08
EXHIBITS:	EXHIBITS: McLean County Museum of History offers look into Lincoln Legacy Starting May 12, students can take a tour to Springfield to learn more about President Abraham Lincoln – Daily Vidette, IL, 3-26-08
CALENDAR:	CALENDAR: April 2, 2008: Margaret Humphreys, the Josiah Charles Trent Professor in the History of Medicine and an associate clinical professor of medicine at Duke University, will speak on “The South’s Secret Weapons: Disease, Environment and the Civil War” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, in Giffels Auditorium at the University of Arkansas – University of Arkansas Daily Headlines, AR, 3-27-08 April 3, 2008: The Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas will host a panel discussion titled “First Spouses: Changing Roles and Expectations” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3. Panelists include South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford; Carl Sferrazza Anthony, an expert and biographer of first families and their political impact; and Paul Boller, a presidential historian. – infozine.com, 3-23-08 April 11-13-08: Honestly, how many Abes can there be? Scores of Lincoln impersonators heading to Alton – Belleville News-Democrat, 3-30-08 May-September 2008: Elizabeth Brand Monroe, Deborah A. Lee, Lectures Showcase Leesburg’s History for 250th Anniversary – WaPo, 1-18-08 David Zabecki: Hooks up with Stephen Ambrose Tours / Zabecki will lead the 14-day tour to visit historic World War II sites in Gdansk, Krakow, Warsaw and Berlin from May 16-30, 2008.- Press Release–Stephen Ambrose Tours, 1-10-08
ON TV:	ON TV: History Listings This Week C-Span2, BookTV: History This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War Author: Drew Gilpin Faust – Monday, March 31 @ 5:00am ET – C-Span2, BookTV PBS: American Experience: “Minik, the Lost Eskimo,” Monday, March 31 @ 8pm ET History Channel: “Andrew Jackson,” Monday, March 31, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “Cities Of The Underworld :New York: Secret Societies,” Monday, March 31, @ 9pm ET/PT History Channel: “Journey to 10,000 BC,” Tuesday, April 1, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “Tsunami 2004: Waves of Death,” Tuesday, April 1, @ 4pm ET/PT History Channel: “Quest for the Lost Ark,” Wednesday, April 2, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “Mysteries of the Garden of Eden,” Wednesday, April 2, @ 4pm ET/PT History Channel: “History’s Mysteries :Japan’s Mysterious Pyramids,” Wednesday, April 2, @ 5pm ET/PT History Channel: “Titanic’s Achilles Heel,” Thursday, April 3, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “Titanic’s Final Moments: Missing Pieces,” Thursday, April 3, @ 4pm ET/PT History Channel: “Cities Of The Underworld :Underground Apocalypse,” Thursday, April 3, @ 10pm ET/PT History Channel: “Last Stand of The 300,” Friday, April 4, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “Lost Worlds :City of Armageddon,” Friday, April 4, @ 5pm ET/PT History Channel: “Battle 360 :The Grey Ghost” Friday, April 4, @ 10pm ET/PT History Channel: “A Global Warning?,” Saturday, April 5, @ 8pm ET/PT History Channel: “Decoding The Past :Doomsday 2012: The End of Days,” Saturday, April 5, @ 10pm ET/PT History Channel: “King,” Sunday, March 6, @ 8pm ET/PT
SELLING BIG (NYT):	SELLING BIG (NYT): Jonah Goldberg: LIBERAL FASCISM #6 — 11 weeks on list – 4-6-08
FUTURE RELEASES:	FUTURE RELEASES: Gilbert King: The Execution of Willie Francis, March 31, 2008 Charles Lane: The Day Freedom Died: The Colfax Massacre, the Supreme Court, and the Betrayal of Reconstruction, April 1, 2008 Philip Bobbitt: Terror and Consent: The Wars for the Twenty-First Century, April 1, 2008 Louis P. Masur: The Soiling of Old Glory: The Story of a Photograph That Shocked America, April 1, 2008 Cokie Roberts: Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation, April 8, 2007 Tony Judt: Reappraisals: Reflections on the Forgotten Twentieth Century, April 17, 2008 Ted Sorensen: Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History, May 6, 2008 Scott McClellan: What Happened, May 12, 2008 William F. Buckley, Jr.: Flying High: Remembering Barry Goldwater, May 12, 2008 John Lukacs: Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat: The Dire Warning: Churchill’s First Speech as Prime Minister, May 12, 2008 Peter Clarke: The Last Thousand Days of the British Empire: Churchill, Roosevelt, and the Birth of the Pax Americana, May 13, 2008 Thurston Clarke: Last Campaign, May 27, 2008 John S. Eisenhower: Zachary Taylor: The 12th President, 1849-1850, May 27, 2008 Paul Finkelman (Editor): Congress and the Emergence of Sectionalism: From the Missouri Compromise to the Age of Jackson, May 28, 2008 Shane O’Sullivan: Who Killed Bobby?, June 3, 2008 Gil Troy: Leading from the Center, June 9, 2008
DEPARTED:	DEPARTED: Distinguished emeritus professor dies William Mulder taught at the U for 41 years – The Daily Utah Chronicle, UT, 3-28-08

Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 10:25 PM

March 17, 2008

CAMPAIGN 2008 WATCH:	PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 2008 WATCH: Primary Season Election Results – NYT Democratic race might break pattern of racial history The presence of a major black candidate makes race a natural factor in the Democratic contest – Miami Herald, 3-15-08 David Kennedy on “Valley donors’ dream: Clinton, Obama share ticket”: “There is some logic to it. The person is a perceived vote getter,” said Kennedy, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Stanford historian and professor. But even this presidential historian is a bit conflicted over the 2008 Democratic contest. Kennedy himself has given money to both Clinton and Obama, and voted for the latter. “I prefer him, but I would enthusiastically vote for her if she wins the nomination,” he said While Kennedy understands “the great electoral appeal” of having two candidates share the ticket who can win millions of votes and raise hundreds of millions of dollars, he wonders what kind of governing coalition they would make. “It seems to me Hillary Clinton would be temperamentally very uncomfortable as No. 2 when for so long she’s been aiming for the presidency,” he said. “And I think anyone would be uncomfortable of being her vice president because with Bill around you’d be No. 3 or maybe even No. 4 or 5.” – San Jose Mercury News, 3-16-08
BIGGEST STORIES: Women’s History Month	BIGGEST STORIES: Women’s History Month ‘Remarkable Women’ Part of Women’s History Celebration at City Tech – Brooklyn Daily Eagle, NY, 3-14-08 Women’s History Month at Southern Miss Kicks off today – Hattiesburg American, MS, 3-3-08
HNN STATS THIS WEEK:	HNN STATS THIS WEEK: Most Popular Article: Carol V. Hamilton: “A Christian Nation?” – 2-18-08 Most Popular Blog Entry: Mark A. LeVine: “Gaza’s Insanity, and Ours” Mark A. LeVine, 3-3-2008 Hottest Topic: About the History of Iraq Most Popular Feature: Ferenc M. Szasz: “Quotes About History” All-Time Favorite: “What Is the Difference Between Sunni and Shiite Muslims–and Why Does It Matter?” 9-9-02
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY:	THIS WEEK IN HISTORY: 17/03/1762 – The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in New York City. 17/03/1776 – British forces evacuated Boston during the Revolutionary War. 17/03/1870 – Wellesley Female Seminary (later Wellesley College) received its charter from the Massachusetts legislature. 17/03/1942 – Gen. Douglas MacArthur became supreme commander of Allied forces in the southwest Pacific theater during World War II. 17/03/1969 – Golda Meir was sworn in as prime minister of Israel. 17/03/2003 – President Bush delivered an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein: leave Iraq within 48 hours or face an attack. 18/03/1584 – Russian czar Ivan IV, or Ivan “The Terrible,” died at age 53. 18/03/1766 – After months of American protests, Britain repealed the Stamp Act. 18/03/1925 – The most violent single tornado in U.S. history, the “Tri-State Tornado,” hit Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois, killing 689 people and injuring 13,000 others. 18/03/1963 – The Supreme Court held in Gideon v. Wainwright that public defenders must be provided for indigent defendants in felony cases. 18/03/1965 – Soviet cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov made the first spacewalk. 18/03/1990 – The biggest art theft in U.S. history occurs at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The works, including pieces by Vermeer and Rembrandt, were never recovered. 03-19-1853 – During the Taiping Rebellion in China, the rebels captured Nanking and renamed it T’en-ching (Heavenly Capital). 03-19-1920 – The United States Senate voted down signing the Treaty of Versailles for the second time. 03-19-2003 – Operation Iraqi Freedom is launched with air strikes on Baghdad, the beginning of the war with Iraq (March 20 in Iraq). 03-20-1602 – The Dutch East India Company was established. During its 196-year history, it became one of the world’s most powerful companies. 03-20-1852 – Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was published. 03-20-2003 – Ground troops entered Iraq and a second round of air strikes against Baghdad was launched. 03-21-1556 – The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, was burned at the stake as a heretic. 03-21-1804 – The French civil code, the Code Napoleon, was officially put forth. 03-21-1963 – Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco Bay, a harsh maximum security jail which once housed gangster Al Capone, closed. 03-21-1965 – Martin Luther King, Jr., led the start of a civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. 03-22-1765 – The Stamp Act was enacted on the American colonies by Britain. 03-22-1820 – U.S. naval hero Stephen Decatur was killed in a duel with dishonored former Chesapeake captain James Barron. 03-22-1895 – Auguste and Louis Lumiere first demonstrated motion pictures using celluloid film in Paris. 03-22-1972 – Congress approved the Equal Rights Amendment and sent it to be ratified by the states. The amendment would fail to get the required 38 states to ratify it. 03-23-1775 – Patrick Henry declared “Give me liberty, or give me death.” 03-23-1806 – Lewis and Clark began their return journey east. 03-23-1983 – U.S. President Ronald Reagan proposed a space-based missile defense system called the Strategic Defense Initiative or “Star Wars.” 03-24-1603 – Queen Elizabeth I died at age 69 after ruling England for more than 40 years. 03-24-1934 – The Philippine Islands in the South Pacific were granted independence by President Franklin D. Roosevelt after nearly 50 years of American control. 03-24-1999 – NATO begins launching air strikes in an attempt to force Serbia to cease hostilities against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. 03-25-1634 – Maryland was founded by settlers sent by the late Lord Baltimore. 03-25-1894 – Jacob Sechler Coxey and his “army” of unemployed men began their march from Ohio to Washington, DC. 03-25-1911 – A fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Co. in New York City killed 145 workers. 03-25-1931 – The Scottsboro boys were arrested in Alabama. 03-25-1965 – The 25,000-person Alabama Freedom March to protest the denial of voting rights to blacks, led by Martin Luther King Jr., ended its journey from Selma on the steps of the State Capitol in Montgomery, Ala.
IN THE NEWS:	IN THE NEWS: Ilan Pappe: I’m not a traitor – Ynet News, 3-15-08 Scots ashamed of role in Jamaican slavery – Jamica Gleaner, 3-17-08 Fury at BBC’s English history of Scotland – The Scotsman, 3-11-08 Bernard Lewis: Conservatives taking him to task now – Andrew G. Bostom at frontpagemag.com, 3-14-08 Dorothea E. Wyatt: Founding Professor Leaves U. of Michigan at Flint Its Largest Donation = Chronicle of Higher Ed, 3-13-08 Historians asked to rally behind Iranian scholar fired for “ideological nonconformity” – Network of Concerned Historians (NCH), 3-12-08 NCH asks historians to back $177 million for NEH – Press Release–National Coalition for History, 3-10-08 Historians asked to write Congress in support of funds for National History Day – Press Release–Cathy Gorn, executive director of National History Day, 3-10-08 Richard H. Immerman: Temple University historian under attack by conservatives for role in NIH on Iran nuke program – Gabriel Schoenfeld in the Weekly Standard, 3-3-08
REVIEWED AND FIRST CHAPTERS:	REVIEWED AND FIRST CHAPTERS: Gordon S. Wood: A sage historian laments the “present-mindedness” of many of his colleagues THE PURPOSE OF THE PAST Reflections on the Uses of History – WaPo, 3-16-08 Daniel Lord Smail: I Feel Good ON DEEP HISTORY AND THE BRAIN – NYT, 3-16-08 Eric Alterman: What’s Left WHY WE’RE LIBERALS A Political Handbook for Post-Bush America – NYT, 3-16-08 Gabriela Arredondo: New book spotlights the experiences of Mexicans in Chicago – UC Santa Cruz, CA, 3-17-08
OP-EDs:	OP-EDs: Frederick Kagan: Says US has most effective counterinsurgency military in the world – Kagan in an op ed in the NYT, 3-16-08 Orlando Patterson: Sociologist sees racist overtones in Hillary Clinton’s Red Phone ad – NYT, 3-11-08 Stan Katz: His hopes for the History Center – Stan Katz in the Chronicle of Higher Ed, 3-10-08
BLOGS:	BLOGS: Samantha Power: Max Boot comes to her defense – Max Boot at his Commentary blog, 3-9-08 Thomas A. Bailey: Anecdote told about him – Eric Rauchway at The Edge of the American West (Blog), 3-10-08
PROFILED:	PROFILED: John Dizikes: An American Professor – City on a Hill Press, CA, 3-6-08 Samantha Power: Profiled in NYT after monster slip – NYT, 3-16-08 Richard Bushman: Mormon historian sees perfect storm in recent Mormon-related events – Deseret News, 3-13-08 James McPherson: Called greatest living historian of the Civil War – http://www.news-gazette.com, 3-10-08 Michael Burleigh: The reluctant guru – John Crace in the Guardian, 3-11-08
INTERVIEWS:	INTERVIEWS: Thomas Sugrue: Talks about his upcoming book, Sweet Land of Liberty – http://www.sas.upenn.edu, 3-10-08 Bernard Lewis: One on One: When defeat means liberation – Jerusalem Post, 3-6-08 Michael K. Honey: Interviewed about his new book, Going Down Jericho Road: The Memphis Strike, Martin Luther King’s Last Campaign – http://www.solidarity-us.org, 1-1-08
FEATURES:	FEATURES: To study New South, where better than here? New center at UNC Charlotte focuses on a rich area to explore – Charlotte Observer, NC, 3-16-08
QUOTED:	QUOTED: Bruce Cumings on “North Korea would be tough to invade Speaker stresses peaceful negotiation “: “It would make [the occupation of] Iraq look like a picnic.”… “We stalemated in Korea, lost in Vietnam and are not winning in Iraq,” Cumings said. Because of this U.S. military history, Cumings said “we need to rethink” how to deal with major military powers.” – LSU The Daily Reveille, 3-12-08 Dominick Lizzi: Historian who wrote book about impeached NYS governor reacts to Spitzer scandal – http://capitalnews9.com, 3-11-08 John Sharp: Historian says organ not always welcome among Mennonites – http://www.hesston.edu, 3-10-08
HONORED / AWARDED / APPOINTED:	HONORED, AWARDED, APPOINTED: Daniel Walker Howe: Historian to Receive New-York Historical Society $50,000 Prize and Title of American Historian Laureate – Press Release, 3-11-08 British art historian elected grand master of Knights of Malta Source: AP (3-11-08) H-Net celebrates (quietly) 15th anniversary – Wendy Plotkin at H-Net, 2-25-08
WEB SITES:	EXHIBITS: Exhibition Review John Milton at 400 A Giant’s Roaring, Faintly Echoed, New York Public Library – NYT, 3-15-08
SPOTTED:	SPOTTED: David Irving: Historian discuss the Holocaust at Bletchley Park – http://www.mk-news.co.uk, 3-14-08 Arab/Israeli Conflict Debate between Hatem Bazian, David Meir-Levy – Cinnamon Stillwell at the website of Campus Watch, 3-10-08
CALENDAR:	CALENDAR: March 18, 2008: Eric Goldstein, editor of the American Jewish History journal and associate professor of history and Jewish studies at Emory University, will speak March 18 at the University of Louisville. Goldstein’s talk is entitled “Negotiating the Color Line: Southern Jews, Whiteness and the Rise of Jim Crow.” It will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Ekstrom Library on Belknap Campus. – Louisville Courier-Journal, KY, 3-8-08 March 19, 2008: Roy Foster, Carroll Professor of Irish History at the University of Oxford, will deliver a lecture on “The Strange Death of Romantic Ireland” at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, in the Niles Gallery of the University of Kentucky Fine Arts Library. – UK News, KY, 3-7-08 May-September 2008: Elizabeth Brand Monroe, Deborah A. Lee, Lectures Showcase Leesburg’s History for 250th Anniversary – WaPo, 1-18-08 David Zabecki: Hooks up with Stephen Ambrose Tours / Zabecki will lead the 14-day tour to visit historic World War II sites in Gdansk, Krakow, Warsaw and Berlin from May 16-30, 2008.- Press Release–Stephen Ambrose Tours, 1-10-08
ON TV:	ON TV: History Listings This Week PBS: American Experience: “Minik, the Lost Eskimo,” Monday, March 31 @ 8pm ET History Channel: “The Dark Ages,” Tuesday, March 18, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “Alaska: Dangerous Territory,” Wednesday, March 19, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “Organized Crime: A World History :Colombia,” Wednesday, March 19, @ 4pm ET/PT History Channel: “Man, Moment, Machine :Hunting Bonnie & Clyde,” Wednesday, March 19, @ 5pm ET/PT History Channel: “UFO Files : Alien Engineering,” Thursday, March 20, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “Cities Of The Underworld :Viking Underground,” Thursday, March 20, @ 10pm ET/PT History Channel: “The Exodus Decoded,” Friday, March 21, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “The Bible Code: Predicting Armageddon,” Friday, March 21, @ 4pm ET/PT History Channel: “Bible Code II: Apocalypse and Beyond :Bible Code II: Apocalypse and Beyond” Friday, March 21, @ 5pm ET/PT History Channel: “Battle 360 :Bloody Santa Cruz” Friday, March 21, @ 10pm ET/PT History Channel: “Journey to 10,000 BC,” Saturday, March 22, @ 5pm ET/PT History Channel: “Quest for the Lost Ark,” Saturday, March 22, @ 8pm ET/PT History Channel: “The Protestant Reformation,” Saturday, March 22, @ 10pm ET/PT History Channel: “Biblical Disasters,” Sunday, March 23, @ 3pm ET/PT History Channel: “Banned from The Bible II,” Sunday, March 23, @ 5pm ET/PT History Channel: “Crucifixion,” Sunday, March 23, @ 8pm ET/PT C-Span2, BookTV: History Charlatan: America’s Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam Author: Pope Brock – Saturday, March 22 @ 12:00pm ET – C-Span2, BookTV C-Span2, BookTV: After Words: Carl Cannon co-author of “Reagan’s Disciple: George W. Bush’s Troubled Quest for a Presidential Legacy” interviewed by Bob Schieffer, chief Washington correspondent for CBS News – Saturday, March 22 @ 10:00pm ET – C-Span2, BookTV C-Span2, BookTV: Politics Saviors or Sellouts: The Promise and Peril of Black Conservatism, from Booker T. Washington to Condoleezza Rice Author: Christopher Alan Bracey – Saturday, March 22 @ 11:00pm ET – C-Span2, BookTV
SELLING BIG (NYT):	SELLING BIG (NYT): Jonah Goldberg: LIBERAL FASCISM #3 — 9 weeks on list – 3-23-08 Jacob Weisberg: THE BUSH TRAGEDY #13 — 1 week on list – 3-23-08 Drew Gilpin Faust: THIS REPUBLIC OF SUFFERING #34 – 3-23-08
FUTURE RELEASES:	FUTURE RELEASES: Susan Nagel: Marie-Therese, Child of Terror: The Fate of Marie Antoinette’s Daughter, March 18, 2008 Matthew Parker: Panama Fever: The Epic History of One of the Greatest Engineering Triumphs of All Time: The Building of the Panama Canal, March 18, 2008 James Holland: Italy’s Sorrow: A Year of War: 1944–1945, March 18, 2008 Russ Hoyle: Going to War: How Misinformation, Disinformation and Arrogance Led America into the Iraqi Quagmire, March 18, 2008 James Donovan: A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn – the Last Great Battle of the American West (REV), March 24, 2008. Gilbert King: The Execution of Willie Francis, March 31, 2008 Charles Lane: The Day Freedom Died: The Colfax Massacre, the Supreme Court, and the Betrayal of Reconstruction, April 1, 2008 Philip Bobbitt: Terror and Consent: The Wars for the Twenty-First Century, April 1, 2008 Louis P. Masur: The Soiling of Old Glory: The Story of a Photograph That Shocked America, April 1, 2008 Cokie Roberts: Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation, April 8, 2007 Tony Judt: Reappraisals: Reflections on the Forgotten Twentieth Century, April 17, 2008 Ted Sorensen: Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History, May 6, 2008 Scott McClellan: What Happened, May 12, 2008 William F. Buckley, Jr.: Flying High: Remembering Barry Goldwater, May 12, 2008 John Lukacs: Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat: The Dire Warning: Churchill’s First Speech as Prime Minister, May 12, 2008 Peter Clarke: The Last Thousand Days of the British Empire: Churchill, Roosevelt, and the Birth of the Pax Americana, May 13, 2008 Thurston Clarke: Last Campaign, May 27, 2008 John S. Eisenhower: Zachary Taylor: The 12th President, 1849-1850, May 27, 2008 Paul Finkelman (Editor): Congress and the Emergence of Sectionalism: From the Missouri Compromise to the Age of Jackson, May 28, 2008 Shane O’Sullivan: Who Killed Bobby?, June 3, 2008 Gil Troy: Leading from the Center, June 9, 2008
DEPARTED:	DEPARTED: Alan Dawley: Historian dies of heart attack – HNN Staff, 3-16-08 Leah Levitz Fishbane: Young scholar’s memory honored at JTS – Jewish Standard, 3-13-08 Stephen Feinstein: A Great Expert on Genocide Dies on the Job – Edwin Black at TheCuttingEdgeNews.com, 3-12-08

Posted on Monday, March 17, 2008 at 10:42 PM

March 3-10, 2008

CAMPAIGN 2008 WATCH:	PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 2008 WATCH: Primary Season Election Results – NYT The man who made Obama – American Thinker, 3-9-08 As Ohio goes, so goes the nation. Sometimes. – Xenia Gazette, OH, 3-8-09 Gil Troy: The Comeback Queen – Montreal Gazette, 3-6-08 Julian E. Zelizer: Democrats Need to Hear From Florida and Michigan – HuffingtonPost.com, 3-6-08 David Greenberg: It’s too early to talk about Hillary’s withdrawal – Slate, 3-5-08 Samantha Power: Resigns from Obama campaign after calling Hillary a monster – Chronicle of Higher Ed, 3-7-08 Andrew Cayton on “Ohio primary plays key role in Democratic nomination”: “Part of Ohio’s problem is that it doesn’t embody a lot of things that are going right. It’s a state in decline and it’s paying a price for it,” said Andrew Cayton, a history professor at Miami University and author of the book “Ohio: The History of a People.” – Chicago Tribune, 3-4-08
BIGGEST STORIES: Women’s History Month	BIGGEST STORIES: Women’s History Month Women’s History Month at Southern Miss Kicks off today – Hattiesburg American, MS, 3-3-08
BIGGEST STORIES: Black History Month	BIGGEST STORIES: Black History Month: Remembering Harriet Tubman in today’s world – dailycamera.com, 3-9-08 Timuel Black, in his own words: Equality through history – Medill Reports, IL, 3-4-08 Black History: Take Time to Reflect – Hudson Valley Press, 3-2-08 Charles L. Blockson: One man’s quest to document black history – AP, 2-23-08
HNN STATS THIS WEEK:	HNN STATS THIS WEEK: Most Popular Article: Carol V. Hamilton: “A Christian Nation?” – 2-18-08 Most Popular Blog Entry: Mark A. LeVine: “Gaza’s Insanity, and Ours” Mark A. LeVine, 3-3-2008 Hottest Topic: About the History of Iraq Most Popular Feature: Ferenc M. Szasz: “Quotes About History” All-Time Favorite: “What Is the Difference Between Sunni and Shiite Muslims–and Why Does It Matter?” 9-9-02
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY:	THIS WEEK IN HISTORY: 10/03/1578 – Queen Elizabeth I gives Johan Casimir œ20,000 to aid Dutch rebellion 10/03/1629 – King Charles I dissolved Parliament; he called it back 11 years later 10/03/1681 – English Quaker William Penn receives charter from Charles II, making him sole proprietor of colonial American territory Pennsylvania 10/03/1849 – Abraham Lincoln applies for a patent; only US president to do so 10/03/1862 – US issues 1st paper money ($5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 and $1000) 10/03/1864 – Red River campaign LA 10/03/1865 – Battle of Monroe’s Crossroads, NC 10/03/1876 – 1st telephone call made (Alexander Graham Bell to Thomas Watson) 10/03/1969 – James Earl Ray pleads guilty in murder of Martin Luther King Jr 10/03/1972 – 1st black US political convention opens (Gary Indiana) 10/03/1982 – Pres Reagan proclaims economic sanctions against Libya 11/03/1302 – Romeo and Juliet’s wedding day, according to Shakespeare 11/03/1665 – NY approves new code guaranteeing Protestants religious rights 11/03/1789 – Benjamin Banneker with L’Enfant begin to lay out Washington DC 11/03/1861 – Confederate convention in Montgomery, adopts constitution 11/03/1862 – 12] Gen Stonewall Jackson evacuates Winchester Virginia Army of the Potomac. Gen Henry Halleck is named general-in-chief 11/03/1888 – Great blizzard of ’88 strikes NE US 11/03/1941 – FDR signs Lend-Lease Bill (lend money to Britain) 11/03/1942 – 1st deportation train leaves Paris for Auschewitz Concentration Camp 11/03/1954 – US Army charges Senator Joseph McCarthy used undue pressure tactics 11/03/1985 – Mikhail S Gorbachev replaces Konstantin Chernenko as Soviet leader 11/03/2004 – Terrorists explode simultaneous bombs on Madrid’s rail network ripping through a commuter train and rocking three stations, killing 190 12/03/1350 – Orvieto city says it will behead and burn Jewish-Christian couples 12/03/1664 – 1st naturalization act in American colonies 12/03/1860 – Congress accepts Pre-emption Bill: free land in West for colonists 12/03/1888 – The Great Blizzard of ’88 struck the northeastern U.S. (400 die) 12/03/1930 – Mohandas Gandhi began his 200-mile march to protest the British salt tax. 12/03/1933 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave the first of his nation-wide “fireside chats” on radio. 12/03/1938 – “Anschluss” took place when Hitler incorporated his homeland of Austria into the Third Reich 12/03/1945 – NY is 1st to prohibit discrimination by race and creed in employment 12/03/1947 – President Truman established the “Truman Doctrine” to aid in the containment of Communism 12/03/1993 – Janet Reno was sworn in as the first female attorney general of the United States. 12/03/2002 – The color-coded terror alert system was unveiled by Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge. 13/03/1639 – Cambridge College was renamed Harvard University. 13/03/1656 – Jews are denied the right to build a synagogue in New Amsterdam 13/03/1852 – “Uncle Sam” cartoon appeared for the first time in N.Y. Lantern weekly. 13/03/1861 – Jefferson Davis signs bill authorizing use of slaves as soldiers 13/03/1868 – The Senate began President Andrew Johnson’s impeachment trial. 13/03/1918 – American Red Magen David (Jewish Red Cross) forms 13/03/1925 – Tennessee passed a bill prohibiting the teaching of evolution in public schools. 13/03/1943 – Failed assassin attempt on Hitler during Smolensk-Rastenburg flight 13/03/1972 – Britain and China resumed full diplomatic relations after 22 years; Britain withdrew its consulate from Taiwan. 14/03/1629 – England granted a royal charter to Massachusetts Bay Colony 14/03/1644 – England grants patent for Providence Plantations (now Rhode Island) 14/03/1689 – Scotland dismisses Willem III and Mary Stuart as king and queen 14/03/1743 – The first town meeting was held in Boston, Massachusetts, at Faneuil Hall. 14/03/1794 – The cotton gin was patented by Eli Whitney. 14/03/1923 – Pres Warren G Harding becomes 1st pres to pay taxes 14/03/1964 – Jack Ruby was found guilty of the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald, alleged assassin of President John F. Kennedy. 14/03/1967 – JFK’s body moved from temporary grave to a permanent memorial 14/03/1990 – The Soviet Congress voted Mikhail Gorbachev into the newly-created and powerful position of president. 14/03/2003 – Start of weekend of protests against war in Iraq that are attended by millions 15/03/44 B.C. – On the “Ides of March,” Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in the senate house by a group of conspirators led by Cimber, Casca, Cassius, and Marcus Junius Brutus. 15/03/1493 – Christopher Columbus returned to Spain after his first visit to the Western Hemisphere. 15/03/1820 – Maine became the 23rd state. 15/03/1917 – Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia, is forced to abdicate his throne (March 2, old style calendar). 15/03/1965 – President Lyndon Johnson asked Congress for legislation guaranteeing every American the right to vote. 16/03/1850 – Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter was published. 16/03/1935 – Adolf Hitler cancelled the military clauses of the Treaty of Versailles. 16/03/1968 – The My Lai massacre occurred in Vietnam. 16/03/1968 – New York Senator Robert Kennedy announced his intention to run for the Democratic presidential nomination. 16/03/1985 – U.S. journalist Terry Anderson was kidnapped in Beirut; he was not released until December 4, 1991 after 2454 days in captivity. 16/03/1988 – Lieutenant Colonel Oliver L. North and Vice Admiral John M. Poindexter of the National Security Council are indicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States for their role in the Iran-contra affair. 17/03/1762 – The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in New York City. 17/03/1776 – British forces evacuated Boston during the Revolutionary War. 17/03/1870 – Wellesley Female Seminary (later Wellesley College) received its charter from the Massachusetts legislature. 17/03/1942 – Gen. Douglas MacArthur became supreme commander of Allied forces in the southwest Pacific theater during World War II. 17/03/1969 – Golda Meir was sworn in as prime minister of Israel. 17/03/2003 – President Bush delivered an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein: leave Iraq within 48 hours or face an attack. 18/03/1584 – Russian czar Ivan IV, or Ivan “The Terrible,” died at age 53. 18/03/1766 – After months of American protests, Britain repealed the Stamp Act. 18/03/1925 – The most violent single tornado in U.S. history, the “Tri-State Tornado,” hit Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois, killing 689 people and injuring 13,000 others. 18/03/1963 – The Supreme Court held in Gideon v. Wainwright that public defenders must be provided for indigent defendants in felony cases. 18/03/1965 – Soviet cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov made the first spacewalk. 18/03/1990 – The biggest art theft in U.S. history occurs at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The works, including pieces by Vermeer and Rembrandt, were never recovered.
IN THE NEWS:	IN THE NEWS: University of Maryland plans to offer course on school’s connection to slavery – Brown Daily Herald, 3-4-08 Neve Gordon: Loses court case claiming he’d been defamed – P. David Hornik at frontpagemag.com, 3-5-08 British historian questions BBC’s choice for new flagship series – Scotsman, 3-7-08 David Rattray: New developments in murder trial of his alleged assailants – http://www.sabcnews.com, 3-7-08 Daniel Pipes: Receives apology from “Muslim Weekly” – Middle East Forum, 3-3-08 Conrad Black: Reports to jail – Conrad Black in the NY Sun, 3-3-08 Russian historian fears Kosovo Albanians will destroy Orthodox shrines in Macedonia – http://www.interfax-religion.com, 2-29-08 Sean Wilentz: Essay on Obama strikes a nerve – Chronicle of Higher Ed, 2-28-08 Ariel Toaff: Drops suggestion that Jews used Christian blood for Passover rituals – http://www.jta.org, 2-26-08 Historian’s office in India vandalized by activists – The Hindu, 2-26-08 Landmark Digital History Monograph Project Goes Open Access – Chronicle of Higher Ed, 2-26-08 OAH Treasurer: Membership down, revenues down, investments off – Robert Cherny, OAH Treasurer, in the OAH Newsletter, 2-1-08 SMU historians criticize Bush library agreement – Chronicle of Higher Ed, 2-26-08
REVIEWED AND FIRST CHAPTERS:	REVIEWED AND FIRST CHAPTERS: Lou Cannon and Carl M. Cannon: The Master Two journalists argue that Bush has failed to learn Reagan’s lessons REAGAN’S DISCIPLE George W. Bush’s Troubled Quest For a Presidential Legacy – WaPo, 3-9-08 William A. Link: POLITICS | BIOGRAPHY Southern Man Jesse Helms was an archetype. Now is he an artifact? RIGHTEOUS WARRIOR Jesse Helms and the Rise of Modern Conservatism – WaPo, 3-9-08 Willie Brown: POLITICS | MEMOIR Crossing (Almost) All the Lines San Francisco’s Willie Brown recalls the joy of politics. BASIC BROWN My Life and Our Times – WaPo, 3-9-08 Campaign Watch A BOUND MAN Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can’t Win By Shelby Steele, FREE RIDE John McCain And the Media By David Brock and Paul Waldman, DECLARING INDEPENDENCE The Beginning of the End Of the Two-Party System By Douglas E. Schoen, MILLENNIAL MAKEOVER MySpace, YouTube, And the Future Of American Politics By Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais – WaPo, 3-9-08 Gordon S. Wood: A history of history THE PURPOSE OF THE PAST: REFLECTIONS ON THE USES OF HISTORY – Washington Times, 3-9-08 Wing-kai To: Then and now: A legacy in Boston Chinatown’s story told in new book Chinese in Boston: 1870-1965 – Boston Globe, 3-6-08 Sally G. McMillen: Finding feminism in 1848 Davidson professor’s readable history chronicles early struggle for rights SENECA FALLS AND THE ORIGINS OF THE WOMEN’S RIGHTS MOVEMENT – Charlotte News & Observer, 2-25-08 Lou Cannon and Carl M. Cannon: What Would Reagan Do? REAGAN’S DISCIPLE George W. Bush’s Troubled Quest for a Presidential Legacy. – NYT, 3-2-08 ALAN BRINKLEY on Jacob Weisberg: In Search of Bush THE BUSH TRAGEDY – NYT, 3-2-08 Jacob Weisberg: THE BUSH TRAGEDY, First Chapter – NYT, 2-1-08 Ginor and Remez: Their arguments about USSR role in 6-Day War receiving more support – Mark N. Katz in the Middle East Journal (Vol. 62, #1, Winter 2008), 2-1-08
OP-EDs:	OP-EDs: Doris Kearns Goodwin: Plagiarism allegations shouldn’t be forgotten – Deseret Morning News, 3-9-08 Dejan Djokic: For Kosovo, history depends on which historian you ask – Guardian, 3-4-08 John Judis: Buckley biographer remembers the great conservative – The New Republic, 2-28-08 Michael Oren: It’s the Middle East, Stupid – WaPo, 2-25-08 Eleanor Dwight: Pleads to preserve Edith Wharton House – Letter to the Editor of the NYT, 2-26-08
BLOGS:	BLOGS: Mark Naison: Speaks out about “white privilege” – Email to friends, 3-8-08 Andrea Smith: Denied tenure – Hugo Schwyzer at Cliopatria (HNN Blog), 3-4-08 David Irving: “Who’s on first” routine draws hoots of derision – Deborah Lipstadt at her blog, 2-25-08
PROFILED:	PROFILED: Peter J. Kastor: A fresh look at the past Kastor’s creativity keeps his students captivated – Washington University Record, MO, 3-6-08 Philippa Gregory: Movie about Boleyn Girls based on her novel – http://winnipegsun.com/Entertainment, 3-1-08 Julian Zelizer: A political historian political scientists read – http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pwb, 3-3-08
INTERVIEWS:	INTERVIEWS: Ze’ev Sternhell: Amazing grace – Haaretz, 3-6-08 Cathy Schultz: Boleyn history, film not always a match – Joliet Herald News, IL, 3-7-08 Nell Painter: Interviewed by Bill Moyers about the real meaning of populism – Bill Moyers Journal, 2-29-08
FEATURES:	FEATURES: House of Augustus opens to public – BBC News, 3-9-08 E. H. Carr: historian of the future – Stefan Collini in the Times Online (UK), 3-5-08 David Nasaw: New CUNY Center to Focus on the Art of the Biography – NYT, 2-23-08 Harvard economist says assassinations have little effect in democracies but can end dictatorships – http://www.american.com (Jan-Feb issue), 1-1-08
QUOTED:	QUOTED: Improved U.S.-Russia relations a ‘possibility’ under Medvedev, says historian: “After several statements concerning Iran and Kosovo and American weapons in Europe were made by the current administration, relations with the United States became not friendly…. So I do not think that this would lead us to good relations with the old administration. Do we have the chance with the new administration? Yes, we do have the chance.”… – Thomas Schwartz: State historian offers new look at Mary Todd Lincoln: “people will see many similarities with things we take for granted today as being general characteristics of a modern woman. But at the time, they weren’t accepted and provoked quite a bit of discussion and comment in private letters, in conversation and in the public media…. I don’t think one needs to ignore her bad behavior at times, she could be a very good hater but it shouldn’t blind us to those things she did to help advance her husband’s career. There are many things about Lincoln that we give him credit for that we need to give her credit for, including the push to become president. She probably wanted it more than he did, not that he didn’t have an inclination and an ambition himself.” – http://www.bnd.com, 3-2-08
HONORED / AWARDED / APPOINTED:	HONORED, AWARDED, APPOINTED: Evelynn Hammonds: Harvard College leader is selected Dean will be first African-American, woman in position – Boston Globe, 3-5-08 Jennifer Klein: Five Yale junior faculty granted tenure under new tenure, appointment system – Yale Daily News, 3-6-08 Harriet Washington: Wins National Book Circle Award – NYT, 3-7-08 Josh Marshall: Picks up a George Polk Award – Ralph Luker at HNN blog, Cliopatria, 2-25-08 Alfred McCoy: History professor part of Oscar-winning documentary – http://www.news.wisc.edu/14805, 2-25-08
WEB SITES:	WEB SITES: Daniel Pipes: Middle East Forum Launches “Islamist Watch” Website www.Islamist-Watch.org – Press Release–Middle East Forum, 3-5-08
SPOTTED:	SPOTTED: David Kennedy: Conference to honor historian, who is retiring – Stanford, 3-5-08 Richard B. Bernstein: Lecturer says John Adams may not be ‘founding father’ – The Daily Beacon, TN, 3-4-08
CALENDAR:	CALENDAR: H.W. Brands: will deliver a series of lectures this week as scholar in residence at Grand Valley State University’s Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies – The Grand Rapids Press – MLive.com, MI, 3-9-08 March 10, 2008: Bill Tuttle: Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas will host a lecture in honor of the forthcoming retirement of a longtime KU history professor — The first Tuttle Lecture will be delivered by Leon Litwack, a retired professor from the University of California-Berkeley. The lecture, titled “Fight the Power,” will take place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 10, at the Dole Institute. – http://www.infozine.com, 3-4-08 March 18, 2008: Eric Goldstein, editor of the American Jewish History journal and associate professor of history and Jewish studies at Emory University, will speak March 18 at the University of Louisville. Goldstein’s talk is entitled “Negotiating the Color Line: Southern Jews, Whiteness and the Rise of Jim Crow.” It will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Ekstrom Library on Belknap Campus. – Louisville Courier-Journal, KY, 3-8-08 March 19, 2008: Roy Foster, Carroll Professor of Irish History at the University of Oxford, will deliver a lecture on “The Strange Death of Romantic Ireland” at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, in the Niles Gallery of the University of Kentucky Fine Arts Library. – UK News, KY, 3-7-08 May-September 2008: Elizabeth Brand Monroe, Deborah A. Lee, Lectures Showcase Leesburg’s History for 250th Anniversary – WaPo, 1-18-08 David Zabecki: Hooks up with Stephen Ambrose Tours / Zabecki will lead the 14-day tour to visit historic World War II sites in Gdansk, Krakow, Warsaw and Berlin from May 16-30, 2008.- Press Release–Stephen Ambrose Tours, 1-10-08
ON TV:	ON TV: History Listings This Week C-Span2, BookTV: Politics After Words: Philip Shenon author of “The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation” interviewed by Michael Duffy, assistant managing editor of TIME magazine – Monday, March 10 @ 12:00am ET – C-Span2, BookTV PBS: American Experience: “Minik, the Lost Eskimo,” Monday, March 31 @ 8pm ET History Channel: “Journey to 10,000 BC,” Sunday, March 9, @ 6pm ET/PT History Channel: “Houdini: Unlocking the Mystery,” Monday, March 10, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “Deep Sea Detectives :The Death of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” Monday, March 10, @ 4pm ET/PT History Channel: “Deep Sea Detectives :Underwater Train Wreck,” Monday, March 10, @ 5pm ET/PT History Channel: “Cities Of The Underworld :Maya Underground,” Monday, March 10, @ 9pm ET/PT History Channel: “Special : Nazi America: A Secret History,” Tuesday, March 11, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth,” Wednesday, March 12, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “Conspiracy? :Lincoln Assassination,” Wednesday, March 12, @ 4pm ET/PT History Channel: “Battlefield Detectives :The Civil War: Gettysburg,” Wednesday, March 12, @ 5pm ET/PT History Channel: “Battlefield Detectives :The Civil War: Antietam,” Wednesday, March 12, @ 6pm ET/PT History Channel: “The True Story of Charlie Wilson,” Thursday, March 13, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “Fort Knox: Secrets Revealed” Friday, March 14, @ 2pm ET/PT History Channel: “Modern Marvels,” Marathon, Saturday, March 15, @ 5-8pm ET/PT History Channel: “The Universe : Beyond the Big Bang,” Saturday, March 15, @ 8pm ET/PT History Channel: “Journey to 10,000 BC,” Saturday, March 15, @ 10pm ET/PT
SELLING BIG (NYT):	SELLING BIG (NYT): Jonah Goldberg: LIBERAL FASCISM #2 — 8 weeks on list – 3-16-08 Jacob Weisberg: THE BUSH TRAGEDY #18 – 3-16-08 Drew Gilpin Faust: THIS REPUBLIC OF SUFFERING #34 – 3-16-08
FUTURE RELEASES:	FUTURE RELEASES: Joseph Balkoski: From Beachhead to Brittany, March 10, 2008 Paula J. Giddings: Ida: A Sword Among Lions, March 11, 2008 Steven Waldman: Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America, March 11, 2008 Susan Nagel: Marie-Therese, Child of Terror: The Fate of Marie Antoinette’s Daughter, March 18, 2008 Matthew Parker: Panama Fever: The Epic History of One of the Greatest Engineering Triumphs of All Time: The Building of the Panama Canal, March 18, 2008 James Holland: Italy’s Sorrow: A Year of War: 1944–1945, March 18, 2008 Russ Hoyle: Going to War: How Misinformation, Disinformation and Arrogance Led America into the Iraqi Quagmire, March 18, 2008 James Donovan: A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn – the Last Great Battle of the American West (REV), March 24, 2008. Gilbert King: The Execution of Willie Francis, March 31, 2008 Charles Lane: The Day Freedom Died: The Colfax Massacre, the Supreme Court, and the Betrayal of Reconstruction, April 1, 2008 Philip Bobbitt: Terror and Consent: The Wars for the Twenty-First Century, April 1, 2008 Louis P. Masur: The Soiling of Old Glory: The Story of a Photograph That Shocked America, April 1, 2008 Cokie Roberts: Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation, April 8, 2007 Tony Judt: Reappraisals: Reflections on the Forgotten Twentieth Century, April 17, 2008 Ted Sorensen: Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History, May 6, 2008 Scott McClellan: What Happened, May 12, 2008 William F. Buckley, Jr.: Flying High: Remembering Barry Goldwater, May 12, 2008 John Lukacs: Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat: The Dire Warning: Churchill’s First Speech as Prime Minister, May 12, 2008 Peter Clarke: The Last Thousand Days of the British Empire: Churchill, Roosevelt, and the Birth of the Pax Americana, May 13, 2008 Thurston Clarke: Last Campaign, May 27, 2008 John S. Eisenhower: Zachary Taylor: The 12th President, 1849-1850, May 27, 2008 Paul Finkelman (Editor): Congress and the Emergence of Sectionalism: From the Missouri Compromise to the Age of Jackson, May 28, 2008 Shane O’Sullivan: Who Killed Bobby?, June 3, 2008 Gil Troy: Leading from the Center, June 9, 2008
DEPARTED:	DEPARTED: George Fredrickson, 73, Historian, Dies (NYT obit.) – NYT, 3-7-08 John Larner: Historian of Italy and Marco Polo, dies – Independent (UK), 3-6-08 Stephen Feinstein: Historian’s death called loss to study of the Nazi Holocaust – Star Tribune, Minneapolis, 3-6-08 George Fredrickson: 73, authority on history of racism (LAT obit.) – LAT, 3-6-08 George M. Fredrickson: Remembered as a great scholar – Eric Rauchway at The Edge of the American West (Blog), 2-26-08

Posted on Sunday, March 9, 2008 at 10:51 PM

Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 30, 2008

https://historymusings.wordpress.com/2008/03/30/history-buzz-3-2008/