Can Living in History Bring Us Together?

The Work of a Historical Interpreter is More than Just Reenactment

It’s 7 a.m., and Crystal is getting ready for her day as a historical interpreter.

To begin the transformation, she puts on the period-appropriate dress she laid out the night before: 19th-century underclothes, overclothes, and an apron. Next come the stockings, which she pulls up and over the knee, boots, and jewelry.

She then heads over to the historical site she works at, thinking about the day ahead. When she arrives, she sits before a mirror and continues transforming, putting on a bald cap first, then pinning on her wig. Finally, she …

Destination Crenshaw Lead Historian Larry Earl | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

Destination Crenshaw Lead Historian Larry Earl

I Fancy Myself Retiring and Becoming a Lounge Singer

Larry Earl is the founding lead historian for Destination Crenshaw. Before joining us for the Zócalo and Destination Crenshaw public program “Is Car Culture the Ultimate Act of …

Facing Our Collective Wounds With Generous Hope | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

Facing Our Collective Wounds With Generous Hope

Historian William Sturkey Reflects on Confronting Our Dark Past, and Moving Forward

I’ve felt the power of reconciliation wash over me. I felt it at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery and at the War Remnants Museum in Saigon. …

Why Do We Want Ceasefires?

A 7th-Century Roman-Arab Conflict Shows the Power of Enduring Peace Treaties Over Temporary Truces

Why do we want a ceasefire?

This question is in the news as a result of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, but the question is actually ancient. It reminds me, a historian …

A Playwright’s ‘Wait … What?’ Approach to Difficult History

Mining Shock and Disbelief to Connect Audiences With the Past, Present, and One Another

I’m often identified as someone who writes “issues” plays, but I’m less high-minded about my subject matter than I should probably admit. Generally, I don’t decide to write a play …