GOVERNMENT

Memorial Day 2021: What's Open? What's Closed?

Before writing plans for Memorial Day, check which businesses and institutions will be closed on the federal holiday.

"Lucky" Luciano (third from left) during his trial in August 1936.

Operation Underworld: When the U.S. Government Teamed Up With the Mafia to Fight Fascists During World War II

“Lucky” Luciano and Meyer Lansky took New York’s underworld undercover during World War II—and Luciano did it all from prison.

Waiting for a Stimulus Check? This Online Calculator Will Tell You How Much to Expect

The American Rescue Plan includes a third round of stimulus checks for up to $1400. Use this calculator to see how much you're eligible to receive.

John F. Kennedy’s Harvard Sweater, Plus Locks of Abe Lincoln and George Washington’s Hair, Are Among Presidential Oddities Up for Auction

Six months after JFK’s assassination, a staff member lent his Harvard cardigan to a cold CBS cameraman. It could now fetch $35,000.

The 12 Most Googled Questions About the White House, Answered

The White House’s location hasn’t ever changed, but it’s seen a lot of renovations in its 229 years.

Dolly Parton winning MusiCares Person of the Year in 2019.

Tennessee Is One Step Closer to Getting a Dolly Parton Statue on Capitol Hill

After funding COVID-19 vaccine research and donating millions of books to kids, Dolly Parton definitely deserves a statue or two.

Harriet Tubman photographed by Benjamin Powelson in the late 1860s.

The White House Is Reinstating Plans to Replace Andrew Jackson With Harriet Tubman on $20 Bills

The plan to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill with Harriet Tubman was announced in 2016, but it’s been delayed for a while.

Time to find out what the CIA has been keeping from us.

The CIA’s Entire Collection of Declassified UFO Documents Is Now Available to Download

The CIA has been investigating UFO news and sightings for decades, and you can now use their intel for your own research.

Area 51 Alert: U.S. Intelligence Agencies Have Been Given 180 Days to Disclose All UFO Information

A new omnibus spending bill includes a requirement for government agencies to disclose what they've learned about UFOs.

The official campaign portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

11 Presidential Facts About Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Most people know that Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the only U.S. President who served more than two terms. Here are some other FDR facts you may not have learned in your history classes.

Rowland Scherman, Wikimedia Commons // CC0

What's Open and What's Closed on Martin Luther King Day 2021

From banks to National Parks, here's how businesses and institutions will be impacted by Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 18, 2021.

Babies can earn money just by being babies.

Did You Have a Baby in 2020? You Might Be Entitled to $1100 in Extra Stimulus Cash

Early stimulus payments may have only accounted for babies you had in 2019, not babies that arrived in 2020. Here's how to monetize your moppet.

A painting of Gouverneur Morris by Pierre Henri, 1798.

When a Founding Father Performed His Own Penis Surgery (And Then Died)

There are many weird ways to die. But Gouverneur Morris’s DIY whale-bone catheter might take the cake.

The U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

Why Isn't Washington, D.C., a State?

Residents of Washington, D.C., have no governor, no voting representation in Congress, and only limited local authority. The reason is simple: D.C. isn't a state.

A pasta vendor in Naples during the late 19th or early 20th century.

Anti-Pasta: When Italian Futurists Tried to Ban Pasta in Italy

Futurist leaders considered pasta an “absurd Italian gastronomic religion” that went against the grain of fascism (literally).

Theodore Roosevelt would want you to transcribe these letters.

The Library of Congress Needs Help Transcribing More Than 20,000 Letters Written to Teddy Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt was constantly writing letters, so it’s no surprise that he received plenty, too.

Why Doesn’t the U.S. Use the Metric System?

The U.S. measurement system of choice has been the imperial system since the 1800s, and switching now would be pretty expensive.

In 1914, Red Fox James rode from Montana to the White House to champion a celebration of America's indigenous peoples.

November Is Native American Heritage Month—Here Are 5 Things to Know

Thanksgiving isn’t the only major November holiday—here’s how Native American Heritage Month first came to be.

Pete Souza/The White House, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Can Presidents Pardon Themselves?

It’s a question that has been debated since the writing of the Constitution: Can Presidents pardon themselves?

Shirley Chisholm speaks at the 1972 Democratic National Convention.

Shirley Chisholm’s History-Making 1972 Presidential Campaign Is the Subject of a New Movie Starring Danai Gurira

‘The Fighting Shirley Chisholm’ will chronicle the trailblazing politician’s presidential campaign of 1972.

Where Did the Term Lame Duck Originate?

Lame duck presidents date back to the beginning of U.S. history, but we didn’t start calling them that until the 20th century.

A portrait of Horace Greeley engraved by Adam B. Walter.

When Horace Greeley Lost the 1872 Presidential Election—Then Promptly Died

Horace Greeley’s sudden death sent the Electoral College—which had yet to vote—into a state of confusion.

President Woodrow Wilson photographed in good health.

When Woodrow Wilson Caught the 1918 Flu During a Pandemic, But Hid It From the Public

Woodrow Wilson never publicly acknowledged the 1918 influenza pandemic—not even after he caught the virus himself.

FDR's Lincoln K Sunshine Special at the now-closed Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Michigan.

The Evolution of the Presidential State Car

From FDR’s modest Lincoln to Obama’s massive Ground Force One, here’s how the president’s car has changed over the years.

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