Bylines

Christopher F. Petrella

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'Not a Racist Bone in His Body’: The Origins of the Default Defense Against Racism

The rise of the colorblind ideology that prevents us from addressing racism.
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The Ominous History Surrounding President Trump’s Fourth of July Rally

White nationalists have long used the holiday to advance their dreams of a white country.
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What We Get Wrong About the “Poor Huddled Masses”

We can’t fix our immigration policy without understanding its history.
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The Ugly History of the Pledge of Allegiance — and Why it Matters

Requiring displays of patriotism have often been tied to nativism and bigotry.
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How the Reagan Administration Stoked Fears of Anti-White Racism

The origins of the politics of “reverse discrimination."
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Ending DACA Isn’t About the Rule of Law. It’s About Race.

The federal government has long extended amnesty to white Americans.

Wealth, Slavery, and the History of American Taxation

The nation's first "colorblind" tax set the stage for over two centuries of systematic consolidation of white racial interests.
Ronald Reagan signing MLK Day legislation on November 2, 1983 / Courtesy the U.S. National Archives.

Reagan Used MLK Day to Undermine Racial Justice

Reagan never really believed that Martin Luther King, Jr., deserved a holiday.

Slavery, Democracy, and the Racialized Roots of the Electoral College

The Electoral College was created to help white Southerners maintain their disproportionate influence in national governance.