Richard Kreitner

richardkreitner

Richard Kreitner is a contributing writer and the author of Break It Up: Secession, Division, and the Secret History of America's Imperfect Union. His writings are at richardkreitner.com.

William Jennings Bryan

July 9, 1896: William Jennings Bryan Delivers ‘Cross of Gold’ Speech July 9, 1896: William Jennings Bryan Delivers ‘Cross of Gold’ Speech

“His speech to the convention was an appeal to one of the worst instincts of the human heart—that of getting possession of other people’s property without the owners’ consent.”

Jul 9, 2015 / Richard Kreitner

The Wall Street Journal

July 8, 1889: The First Issue of ‘The Wall Street Journal’ Is Published July 8, 1889: The First Issue of ‘The Wall Street Journal’ Is Published

What makes it a “fascinating organ”?

Jul 8, 2015 / Richard Kreitner

Sandra Day O'Connor

July 7, 1981: Reagan Nominates Sandra Day O’Connor for the Supreme Court July 7, 1981: Reagan Nominates Sandra Day O’Connor for the Supreme Court

"For the highest court in the land he has picked a person, barely qualified for the post, almost entirely because of her sex."

Jul 7, 2015 / Richard Kreitner

E.L. Godkin

July 6, 1865: The First Issue of ‘The Nation’ Is Published July 6, 1865: The First Issue of ‘The Nation’ Is Published

“The week has been singularly barren of exciting events.”

Jul 6, 2015 / Richard Kreitner

Frederick Law Olmsted

What Would Our Founder, Frederick Law Olmsted, Think of TheNation.com? What Would Our Founder, Frederick Law Olmsted, Think of TheNation.com?

Olmsted’s original mission statement for The Nation ridiculed daily newspapers in language that applies to much Internet journalism today.

Jul 6, 2015 / Richard Kreitner

July 5, 1996: Dolly the Sheep Is Born, the First Mammal Produced by Cloning

July 5, 1996: Dolly the Sheep Is Born, the First Mammal Produced by Cloning July 5, 1996: Dolly the Sheep Is Born, the First Mammal Produced by Cloning

“Do we really want to manufacture animals on the assembly line and look on them not as live organisms but as relatively cheap factories that can yield profitable products?”

Jul 5, 2015 / Richard Kreitner

Declaration of Independence

July 4, 1776: The Declaration of Independence Is Published July 4, 1776: The Declaration of Independence Is Published

"We celebrate, in short, not simply the national independence, or the return of peace, but the close of the agitation about slavery, and the extinction of slavery itself."

Jul 4, 2015 / Richard Kreitner

Charlotte Perkins Gilman

July 3, 1860: Charlotte Perkins Gilman Is Born July 3, 1860: Charlotte Perkins Gilman Is Born

“Every country must sooner or later confront the same alternatives: crowd and starve, fight and die, or limit the population.”

Jul 3, 2015 / Richard Kreitner

July 2, 1964: President Lyndon Johnson Signs the Civil Rights Act

July 2, 1964: President Lyndon Johnson Signs the Civil Rights Act July 2, 1964: President Lyndon Johnson Signs the Civil Rights Act

"The legislation will provide a framework of achievable goals within which agitation, demonstrations and picketing will tend to take place."

Jul 2, 2015 / Richard Kreitner

The Fathers of Canada

July 1, 1867: Canada Is Created July 1, 1867: Canada Is Created

"The dominion of Canada is formally in existence, to the great satisfaction of the politicians who infest the provinces, if of nobody else."

Jul 1, 2015 / Richard Kreitner

x