The Mural So Controversial Nixon Tried to Remove It

75 Years Later, ‘War and Peace’ Survives, But Its Ideals Have Not

As multiple crises pile atop one another in the young 21st century, a tripartite mural at a former San Francisco post office lobby rebukes us with its dated optimism.

“War and Peace,” by the artist Anton Refregier, is a reminder of what might have been had the U.S.—and the world—learned enough from two catastrophic wars and the rise of fascism between them to have chosen a different path. When Refregier painted it 75 years ago at one end of the Rincon Annex post office building in downtown San Francisco, the mural …

How the NFL and American Politicians Politicized (and Helped Merchandise) Pro Football

In the ’60s and ’70s, Gridiron Fans Like Richard Nixon and Bobby Kennedy Embraced the Sport That Wanted Their Attention

In January 1942, as the United States committed itself fully to World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt decided that baseball, then the national pastime, should sustain civilian morale during the …

Billy Graham’s Heaven-Sent Gift for Television

From Radio Sermons to LBJ's Funeral Oration, a Journalist Witnessed the Wonder of the Preacher's Media Mastery

“The BIBLE says … ”

I can remember that thundering voice coming out of our radio in the 1950s as the preacher wove points from Scripture into his sermon, urging …

Richard Nixon Considered Optimism His Patriotic Duty

The Naturally Gloomy President Thought It More American to Be ‘Joyful’ and ‘Serene’

Richard Nixon saw himself as a true patriot, and he considered it his patriotic duty to strive to overcome his darker impulses and moods to exude an upbeat, optimistic outlook—an …

Historian Tim Naftali

The Former Director of the Nixon Presidential Library Is No Longer on Message

Historian Tim Naftali is the former director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum and is the author of a forthcoming book on the Kennedy presidency. Before talking with …

Author and Journalist Jeffrey Frank

The Nixon Biographer’s Campaign Slogan: “Trust Me!”

Jeffrey Frank is the author, most recently, of Ike and Dick: Portrait of a Strange Political Marriage. Previously, he was an editor at The New Yorker and The Washington Post; …