How a whiskey tax created an enduring underground industry — American whiskey is a $10.7 billion business today, estimated to grow to $18.8 billion by 2027. It all began as early as 1620 in colonial America, when farmers used corn to distill spirits. …

George Vanderbilt was an erudite, quiet visionary — Despite the enormous wealth of today’s billionaires, no American has yet to build anything that matches the grandeur of Biltmore, the Asheville, North Carolina estate of George Vanderbilt. Tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains with magnificent 360-degree views, Biltmore boasts a design that mirrors an enormous French chateau. It was…

Seven mascots that portray racist stereotypes — There is no shortage of stereotypes that demean minorities, especially when it comes to racial slurs. In the history of the United States, derogatory stereotypes have been associated with various leading food products. Here are seven glaring examples of stereotyped mascots, some of which have only recently been abandoned. Aunt Jemima “Aunt…

Big personalities dominated AM radio for decades — During the glory days of rock ’n’ roll — when 45 rpm records ruled — most every teen was glued to a transistor radio to hear their favorite songs. What they also heard was the tireless patter of disc jockeys who spun the hit singles. …

Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball built an entertainment empire — The renewed interest in Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball is not surprising. These two legendary co-stars of their own 1950s television series were married and then divorced, becoming fodder for Hollywood gossip columnists. …

94 years old and still blowing strong — Chewing gum is anything but a recent invention; in fact, it has been around for thousands of years. Mayans popularized the idea of chewing gum when they chomped on chicle, a substance derived from the sopapilla tree. Chicle made its way to North America via Antonio López de Santa Anna…

This 1954 television takedown is a lesson for today — To some Americans, Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin was a patriotic populist; to others he was a dangerous demagogue. Serving as a senator during the height of the Cold War, McCarthy became so well-known for his incendiary rhetoric against Communism that his brand of politics was soon labeled “McCarthyism.” …

The feminist magazine is more relevant than ever — The Supreme Court’s recent decision to undermine women’s reproductive rights is playing an outsized role in the upcoming midterm elections — so this might be a good time to revisit the lasting impact of a visionary magazine called Ms. The start of it all It may be audacious to suggest the the first issue of…

Segregation was on the menu until 1960 — The lunch counter is a throwback to the days before fast-food joints dominated America. With its roots in the drug stores of the 1800s, lunch counters were common in five-and-dime (variety) stores in the 1920s. But it was during the civil rights era that lunch counters gained their notoriety. Here’s…