History

Cannabis plants grow inside a medical marijuana dispensary in Richmond, Va., known as gLeaf. The Virginia Legislature voted to pass a bill legalizing recreational marijuana in the state.

Virginia 16th State To Legalize Recreational Pot, Latest To Emphasize 'Social Equity'

8:31pm April 07, 2021

by Ben Paviour

By July 1, Virginians will be able to possess small amounts of cannabis legally. It's the third state this year to legalize marijuana with a stated focus on reducing harm to communities of color.

World News

Historians Say France Was Not Complicit In Rwanda Genocide, But Did Turn A Blind Eye

4:28pm April 07, 2021

by Eleanor Beardsley

A report by historians has concluded the French government was not complicit in the Rwanda genocide of 1994 — but turned a blind eye to it and so bears overwhelming responsibility.

Arts

'Atlantic Crossing' Explores Little Known Relationship During World War II

4:28pm April 07, 2021

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with actor Kyle MacLachlan about playing former President Franklin D. Roosevelt in PBS' Masterpiece series Atlantic Crossing.

Some of the country's highways were built through existing Black and brown communities. President Biden's infrastructure plan aims to address racial inequities.

National

A Brief History Of How Racism Shaped Interstate Highways

11:28am April 07, 2021

by Noel King

Part of President Biden's infrastructure plan aims to promote racial equity. Professor Deborah Archer says highway planners in the mid-20th century sometimes purposefully destroyed Black communities.

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Stranger Danger: An Economist's Guide To Overcoming Distrust

6:30am April 06, 2021

by Greg Rosalsky

A new book delves into humanity's long march to overcoming distrust.

The carriage carrying the mummy of Queen Tiye, wife of Amenhotep III advances as part of the parade.

World News

Royal Mummies Paraded Through Downtown Cairo In Museum Move

9:25pm April 03, 2021

by Dustin Jones

The remains of 24 pharaohs, 18 kings and four queens, were relocated to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization on Saturday in an elaborate event designed to attract tourists to the new museum.

Researchers identified a mummified Blue-Fronted Amazon parrot, recovered from an ancient cemetery in the Atacama Desert.

Science

Mummified Parrots Reveal 'Sophisticated' Trade In Ancient South American Desert

7:36pm April 02, 2021

Scientists found remains of parrots in the Atacama desert, far from the birds' home in the Amazon. The discovery allowed scientists to reconstruct ancient trading routes used to transport the birds.

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Politics & Government

Remembering Watergate Conspirator G. Gordon Liddy

1:30pm April 02, 2021

by Terry Gross

Liddy, who died March 30, was convicted in 1973 for his role in the conspiracy to burglarize and bug the Democratic Party's headquarters at the Watergate office complex. Originally broadcast in 1980.

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'Throughline': Why Tipping In The U.S. Took Off After The Civil War

5:56am April 01, 2021

Tipping is a norm in the U.S., but it hasn't always been this way. The team at Throughline — NPR's history podcast — examines the history of tipping in the U.S.

Remembering Rombina Asti, The Veteran Who's Fight For Transgender Rights Made History

4:14pm March 31, 2021

World War II pilot Robina Asti died this month. Her case against the Social Security Administration benefited transgender married couples all over the country.