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January/February 2021
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Features
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The Lost History of Yellowstone
Debunking the myth that the great national park was a wilderness untouched by humans
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First in the House
Born enslaved, Joseph Rainey of South Carolina was elected to Congress 150 years ago. But the impact of this momentous step in U.S. race relationships did not last long
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Making the Nation
Today’s craft renaissance is more than just an antidote to our over-automated world. It renews a way of life that made us who we are
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Inspiring Awe in Alaska
In native communities along the coast, a lively artistic movement draws on innovation and humor as well as tradition
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On the Origin of Culture
Wild monkeys in Japan are teaching scientists how animals develop valuable skills—and pass them to the next generation
Departments
In Museums, We Trust
After a year fraught with challenges, we must build on our strengths for a common purpose
Master Pieces
Spirituality, culture and memory come together in collages by a curator and artist
Coda for the Kid
His pioneering trombone work put New Orleans jazz on the map, but only now is Kid Ory getting the encore he deserves
Inventing the Alphabet
New scholarship points to a paradox of historic scope: Our writing system was devised by people who couldn’t read
This Ohio Golf Course, Built Atop a Hopewell Earthwork, Is Now the Subject of a Lawsuit
In Ohio, a legal battle over access to some of the world’s largest human-made earthworks
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