local government — Bunk History

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A collage of the cover and various pages of the Walker Report.

How the 1968 DNC Devolved into ‘Unrestrained and Indiscriminate Police Violence’

As protesters prepare for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, a half-century old report provides lessons for preventing chaos.

by Lakeidra Chavis via The Marshall Project on August 14, 2024

A map of Boston from 1725.

When Did the Police Become a “Machine”?

The journey of America’s police force from a non-professional night watch to a highly visible and professional force.

by Nicole Breault via The Panorama on August 13, 2024

A busy public swimming pool.

The Decline of America’s Public Pools

As summers get hotter, public pools help people stay cool. Why are they so neglected?

by Eve Andrews via The Atlantic on August 12, 2024

President Bill Clinton with then-Sen. Biden on Sept. 13, 1994, during a signing ceremony for the crime bill on the South Lawn of the White House.

The Biggest Myth About the 1994 Crime Bill Still Haunts Joe Biden. It Shouldn’t.

The law is routinely blamed for a very real problem it had nothing to do with.

by John Pfaff via Slate on June 20, 2024

Home of a Black family living in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, January 1940.

Taxed for Being Black

The long arc of racist plunder through local tax codes is shocking—or, well, maybe it’s not, really.

by Victor Ray via Democracy Journal on June 13, 2024

Republican elephant and Democratic donkey with crossed arms turned away from each other.

Party People

Many recoil at the thought of stronger political parties. But revitalized parties could be exactly what our ailing democracy needs.

by John Sides via Democracy Journal on June 13, 2024

Cover of "The Black Tax"

Tax History Matters: A Q&A with the Author of ‘The Black Tax’

The history of the property tax system and its structural defects that have led to widespread discrimination against Black Americans.

by Andrew W. Kahrl, Brakeyshia Samms via Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy on April 24, 2024

Black mother and son in front of their suburban house.

The Family Photographs That Helped Us Investigate How a University Displaced a Black Community

A longtime resident of Shoe Lane chronicled the life of his community as it was demolished by Christopher Newport University. His photographs helped a reporter seek accountability.

by Logan Jaffe via ProPublica on April 23, 2024

A newspaper article from the Inner City Voice in Detroit with the headline, "Black Workers Uprising."

Acid Rhythms

A look at the psychedlic-inspired music scene of Detroit.

by William Harris via n+1 on April 10, 2024

Woman holding belongings and a teddy bear.

As Red States Send Migrants to Blue States, Sanctuary Cities are Crucial

A very old concept remains a key part of navigating the United States' broken immigration system.

by Domenic Vitiello via Made By History on March 20, 2024

Title page of the "Manual of the Corporation of The City of New York."

The Bittersweet Legacy Of David T. Valentine

Valentine devoted his time to writing the Manual of the Corporation of the City of New York. These were annual compendiums of data about the city.

by Claudia Keenan via The Gotham Center on March 6, 2024

The front page of a copy the Los Angeles Municipal Times.

Once Upon a Time, Los Angeles Voters Created Their Own Newspaper

The story of the Los Angeles Municipal News, and the hope — and limitations — of publicly owned newsrooms.

by Matt Pearce via mattdpearce.substack on March 4, 2024

Cover of essays by John Dickinson.

Principled Resistance and the Trouble with Tea

For what did these Americans endure such painful hardship and sacrifice? For what were they taking such a significant stand? Surely, it wasn’t just about tea!

by Robert Guy via Journal of the American Revolution on February 27, 2024

A black man peeking out from behind a door with bullet holes by a broadside schedule of Black Panther Party events.

Landmarking The Black Panther Party

In Chicago, preservationists have launched an unusual effort to explore the radical history of the 1960s civil rights group through the city’s built environment.

by Zach Mortice via CityLab on February 24, 2024

San Diego U.S. Customs office.

San Diego’s South Bay Annexation Of 1957

Water insecurity, territorial expansion, and the making of a US-Mexico border city.

by Kevan Q. Malone via The Metropole on February 21, 2024

Men in suits, suburban neighborhood, woman holding a microphone, and a quarry.

The ‘Southern Lady’ Who Beat the Courthouse Crowd

One woman’s crusade for democratic participation and political efficacy in the face of powerful institutions.

by Brian Balogh via The Atlantic on February 4, 2024

A sign for the Lakewood Drive-In Theater.

Living Black in Lakewood

Rewriting the history and future of an iconic suburb.

by Becky M. Nicolaides via OUPblog on January 17, 2024

A small farmworker house in Ventura with children playing outside.

Reimagining Resistance, Reconstructing Community

Farmworker housing cooperatives in Ventura County, California.

by Frank P. Barajas via Tropics of Meta on January 12, 2024

Alabama Governor George Wallace standing in front of an American map with the words, "Wallace County," written over it.

The Freedom to Dominate

When viewing federal authority as a bulwark for civil rights against local tyranny, we miss what the U.S. government has done to sustain white freedom.

by Erin Pineda via Dissent on January 1, 2024

Collage of George Romney giving a speech, the Baileys, their house, and riot police.

In 1967, a Black Man and a White Woman Bought a Home. American Politics Would Never Be the Same.

What happened to the Bailey family in the Detroit suburb of Warren became a flashpoint in the national battle over integration.

by Zack Stanton via Politico Magazine on December 22, 2023

This isn’t a controversial issue: New Yorkers want more public bathrooms.

Give Us Public Toilets

The fight for a dignified space to carry out the most basic of human functions was popular when 19th-century Progressives took it on. It's time to take up that fight again.

by Adam Bailey via Jacobin on December 7, 2023

A crowd of tourist superimposed over images of Salem attractions and a cemetery.

Salem’s Unholy Bargain: How Tragedy Became an Attraction

Is the cost worth the payoff?

by Lex Pryor via The Ringer on October 30, 2023

Thomkins H. Matteson's painting of George Jacobs' witchcraft trial in 1855

The Salem Witch Trials Actually Happened in Danvers, Massachusetts

Tensions between Salem and Danvers were there from the start—contributing to the ensuing witch hysteria.

by Theresa McKinney via Atlas Obscura on October 26, 2023

City of Kirkwood map.

Annexation Politics & Manufacturing Blight in a Black St. Louis Suburb

Unveiling the conflict and consequences in Kirkwood's expansion.

by Bridget Laramie Kelly via The Metropole on September 12, 2023

The Vessel in New York City.

Stumbling Into Submission: How Real Estate And Finance Capital Conquered New York City

Hudson Yards received a $6 billion cocktail of public subsidies, including tax breaks and infrastructure improvements, to create a billionaires' playground.

by Katelin Penner via The Metropole on September 6, 2023

Mabel E. Macomber

The Neighborhood Nuisance: One Woman’s Crusade to Shape Brooklyn

“It is true that my life has been threatened as the leader of this playground campaign,” wrote Mabel E. Macomber in 1929 from Brooklyn’s Bedford neighborhood.

by Alexandra Miller via The Metropole on September 5, 2023

A man wearing a COVID mask giving a passionate speech

Philadelphia's Fight Against Gun Violence, Poverty, and Crime

For decades, Philadelphia has struggled with poverty and gun violence. Social uplift organizations of the past have demonstrated that racial equity is the key.

by Menika Dirkson via Black Perspectives on August 31, 2023

Dinosaur models and other prehistoric animals designed by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins.

The Bizarre True Story of Central Park’s Doomed Victorian Dinosaur Museum

For centuries, the infamous Boss Tweed was blamed for destroying its dino-models—but what really happened is even weirder.

by Sarah Durn via Atlas Obscura on August 3, 2023

Above view of residential areas in Richmond, Virginia.

How the Former Confederate Capital Slashed Black Voting Power, Overnight

Did Richmond violate the Voting Rights Act by adding thousands of White residents? The historic Supreme Court case foreshadowed today’s gerrymandering fights.

by Leila Barghouty via Retropolis on July 9, 2023

Train depot in Allston, MA.

Want to Protect the Historic Character of Massachusetts Cities and Towns? Take Away Their Power.

History shows that cities and towns have been poor stewards of what makes them special.

by Garrett Dash Nelson via CommonWealth on July 8, 2023

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