WASHINGTON — On March 30, 94-year-old Anna Chennault died, a shadowy figure in the 1968 presidential campaign of Richard Nixon. What history will remember her for is the pivotal role she played in Nixon’s victory — a role that, if it had been widely known at the time, might have deprived ...

America’s white working class has never had a champion more eloquent than the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I don’t mean to suggest that this was his mission, but it was the inevitable outcome of his generosity of spirit. King was the central force of the civil rights movement for black ...

The isolationist spirit — a reluctance to become involved in foreign entanglements — goes back in U.S. history to Thomas Paine and his 1776 pamphlet “Common Sense” and to George Washington’s 1796 Farewell Address. In modern times, the isolationist spirit had a strong pull against ...

One of the best things about the passage of historical time is how the partisanship of a given moment melts away. If you’ve seen the musical “Hamilton” (or paid attention in civics class) you’d know that long before George Washington left office, the Founding Fathers were bitterly ...

When 450 students arrived at Anacostia High School in the District of Columbia’s southeast neighborhood on April 4, they found that few of the sinks or toilets were functioning and the cafeteria was flooded. They were advised by the Department of General Services to use the facilities at a ...

Well before 1400, the Aztecs discovered the fruit of a vine-like orchid and began using it as a spice. Its value was then discovered by the conquering Spanish who brought this black flower back to Europe. The tasty spice gained in popularity with kings and queens due to its unique flavor, ...