History Archives | Page 2 of 11

Latest in History

Did Christopher Columbus Seize, Sell, and Export Sex Slaves?

A Facebook meme accurately describes some of Columbus's most brutal practices in the Caribbean.

Was a German Football Club Banned After Failing to Give a Nazi Salute?

News reports of a German football club's getting banned in 1934 after failing to give the Nazi salute are real, but the team's actions were not in protest of the Third Reich.

Is Abraham Lincoln in the Wrestling Hall of Fame?

A popular meme contained a mixture of myth, rumor, and facts (as well as a ridiculous digitally edited image) about the legendary United States president.

Did the Census Bureau Play a Role in the Internment of Japanese Americans During World War II?

Objections to questions about citizenship on 2020 census forms stem from fears that the data might be shared with other agencies, as reportedly took place in World War II.

Did a Woman Survive the Titanic, Hindenburg, Pearl Harbor, and 9/11?

The life story of Anna Mae Dickinson, dubbed the "luckiest woman alive," is amazing — and fictional.

Did Armed Delaware Students Scare Off a School Shooter in 1973?

A pro-gun rights meme gets some facts right, but it misrepresents the truth behind an old high school yearbook photograph.

Was the NRA Founded to Protect Black People from the Ku Klux Klan?

Revisionist accounts of the origin of the National Rifle Association say it was formed to help freed slaves defend themselves against racist attacks after the Civil War.

Did President Nixon Hide Proof of Alien Life in a Time Capsule?

A shadowy Watergate-era figure who claims he had personal access to Richard Nixon says the president showed him a letter confirming the existence of extraterrestrials.

Did Abraham Lincoln Order the Execution of 38 Dakota Fighters?

After a violent Native American uprising in 1862, President Lincoln signed off on 39 executions but also prevented the deaths of 264 other Dakota combatants.

Have Amelia Earhart’s Remains Been Located?

Despite a flurry of reporting to the contrary, the mystery of Earhart’s final resting place has not been — and may never be — solved.

Stephen Hawking at a Vietnam War Protest?

An image misidentifying a man at a Vietnam War protest as Stephen Hawking went viral after the theoretical physicist's death in March 2018.

Did the Kray Twins Use an Elephant to Rob a London Tram?

An image of an elephant standing near a tram in London is frequently shared with a fictional backstory about English twin gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray.