History Today

Japan’s responsibility for ‘comfort women’ is avoided by the state and written out of national histories. Activists are working to make Japan confront its past.

A miniature Emancipation Proclamation helped to recruit Black soldiers during the Civil War.

A great European novel says much about its age of crisis – and ours. 

Despite the belief of their Pharaohs, not every ancient Egyptian was convinced of the certainty of an eternal afterlife.

The introduction of decimal coinage to the UK was a long while coming. But the transition was surprisingly smooth.

Oliver Cromwell’s desire to bring about the readmission of Jews to England was met with prejudice and opposition. But he succeeded, with help from powerful friends.

Historians are tethered to the archive, but sometimes fixing the gaps requires the techniques of a novelist.