We have far more options for black Americans to tell stories outside of slavery, but whenever it comes to slavery, it’s an uncomfortable subject. Why? Because it’s the most unresolved subject in American history. – Aldis Hodge
The world is very lucky to have America. It’s got to be the first time in the whole history of the planet that a country has been the dominant force in the world and it has actually been a force for good… America really deserves more credit. – Bill Bryson
I think the tradition of well-written history hasn’t been squashed out of the academic world as much in Britain as it has in the United States. – Adam Hochschild
I’ve always been intellectually restless, but it is the building part of it that most interests me. It is the constructing of the team that is my favorite part. Anyone who is familiar with the history of the A’s franchise, even dating back to Philadelphia, knows that every five or 10 years, you have to tear it apart and rebuild it. – Billy Beane
This is a good time to ask apologists for the Islamic regime, who degrades Islam? Who imposes stoning, forced marriage of underage girls and flogging for not wearing the veil? Do such practices represent Iran’s ancient history and culture, its ethnic and religious diversity? Its centuries of sensual and subversive poetry? – Azar Nafisi
The people in Japan know more about the history of jazz and the musicians than the people in the United States do. – Billy Higgins
We must teach our people the greatness of China’s historical culture. In our educational program we must stress Chinese history and geography so that all may know and appreciate China’s civilization of five thousand years and the far-flung boundaries of our ancient race. This will engender a greater faith in our own future. – Chiang Kai-shek
Movies began as a communal experience. Even though we now watch them as DVD’s, sometimes alone on our computers, mostly in the history of cinema it has been a communal experience. – Alison Owen
Behold, at this hour our moral history is being preserved for eternity. Processes are at work which will perpetuate our every act and word and thought. – Charles Spurgeon
The United Nations has a critical role to play in promoting stability, security, democracy, human rights, and economic development. The UN is as relevant today as at any time in its history, but it needs reform. – Chuck Hagel
We’re always doing a lot of user studies on health and safety. We take it super seriously. But if you look back at the history of most new big technology breakthroughs, there is some element of controversy around what impact is it going to have. – Brendan Iribe
The study of history empowers nations and individuals with an ability to avoid errors of the past and lay foundations for victories in the future. – Aberjhani
The recent history of Ukraine is replete with dead journalists, beaten journalists, news agencies being shut down, and politicians being injured or killed. Most are killed in mysterious auto accidents. – Bob Schaffer
Fifty years ago, historians advised politicians and policy-makers. They helped chart the future of nations by helping leaders learn from past mistakes in history. But then something changed, and we began making decisions based on economic principles rather than historical ones. The results were catastrophic. – Annalee Newitz
Knowing more about family history is the single biggest predictor of a child’s emotional well-being. Grandparents can play a special role in this process, too. – Bruce Feiler
I think if you accept the Left’s premise of a living Constitution, then you accept the Left’s premise of a living America, meaning that they think that America’s history is rotten. – Andrew Breitbart
I went back and researched the history of gospel; where it came from, slavery times, communicating with each other without their master knowing what they are saying, and that gospel artists view themselves differently. – Boris Kodjoe
A myth is a lie that conceals or reveals a truth. But if it reveals even a strand of history or truth, that’s what gets my adrenaline going. – Ashwin Sanghi
My private history in terms of people in my life who are dead is very easy to discuss. I don’t feel those people can be threatened or intruded upon now. But I am enormously protective of the people who are currently in my life, my existing friends and family. That is where the curtain is drawn. – Chuck Palahniuk
We’ve been a country that’s been fortunate to be protected by two oceans, to not have serious attacks on our territory for most of our history. And we were unfortunately reminded in a very devastating way of our vulnerability. – Condoleezza Rice
The world at large is less inequitable today than at any time in history. Number of people in abject poverty, as a percentage, is at all-time low. – Bill Gates
All the gossip and craziness becomes a kind of sustained narrative which, in turn, can become history. It’s scary. – Barbara Kruger
Having spent many years working in New York’s Chinatown restaurants early in my career, I have the utmost respect for the history and connection New Yorkers have with Chinese cuisine. – Andrew Cherng
Reading a book is like re-writing it for yourself. You bring to a novel, anything you read, all your experience of the world. You bring your history and you read it in your own terms. – Angela Carter
You know, the way art history is taught, often there’s nothing that tells you why the painting is great. The description of a lousy painting and the description of a great painting will very much sound the same. – Chuck Close
Religion is part of the human make-up. It’s also part of our cultural and intellectual history. Religion was our first attempt at literature, the texts, our first attempt at cosmology, making sense of where we are in the universe, our first attempt at health care, believing in faith healing, our first attempt at philosophy. – Christopher Hitchens
Like most of those who study history, he (Napoleon III) learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones. – A. J. P. Taylor
Theater criticism should be visceral, at least on some level, an articulation of that fierceness and passion. I usually do a fair amount of research before I see a show – on the history of previous productions (if it’s a revival) and the creative team. – Ben Brantley
