History News Network

History News Network (HNN) is an online platform for historians to comment on current events, and to place today's news into a historical perspective. HNN is hosted by the University of Richmond.

History

History News Network (HNN) is a non-profit corporation registered in Washington, D.C. The network was founded by Richard Shenkman, author of Legends, Lies & Cherished Myths of World History. He served as HNN editor until his retirement in 2019. As of February 2025, ^[update] Tony Field is managing editor. HNN sponsored several history-oriented blogs, including Liberty and Power (coordinated by David T. Beito) and Jim Loewen.^{[ needs update? ] [1] [2] [3] [4]} Murray Polner was the long-time book editor for HNN. ^{[5] [6]}

In 2012, HNN celebrated Independence Day by holding a contest to select the worst books about American history ever published. Nominees included David Barton's The Jefferson Lies, Michael Bellesiles's Arming America , Gavin Menzies’s 1421: The Year China Discovered America, Richard G. Williams's 2006 book Stonewall Jackson: The Black Man's Friend and A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. ^[3] Over 1000 HNN readers gave the nod to Barton and Zinn. ^[7]

HNN, initially hosted by George Mason University, moved to George Washington University in 2017. ^{[8] [9]} By 2019, after Shenkman’s retirement, The George Washington University Department of History assumed full responsibility for operating and editing HNN. ^[10] On December 2023, the University of Richmond acquired History News Network, ^{[11] [12]} integrating it into the university’s Digital Humanities ecosystem through its public history project tool known as "Bunk". ^[13]

References

1. "Web Archive, History News Network". Library of Congress . Archived from the original on May 12, 2025. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
2. "History News Network". Center for History and New Media (CHNM) . Archived from the original on January 1, 2009. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
3. Schuessler, Jennifer (July 4, 2012). "History News Network Celebrates Bad History Books". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 12, 2025. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
4. "York College Professor Reviews For History News Network". York College, City University of New York . Archived from the original on October 23, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
5. Oster, Marcy (June 2, 2019). "Murray Polner, founding and only editor of Present Tense magazine, dies at 91". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Archived from the original on May 12, 2025. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
6. Roberts, Sam (June 5, 2019). "Murray Polner, Antiwar Editor and Author, Is Dead at 91". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 12, 2025. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
7. Schuessler, Jennifer (July 16, 2012). "And the Worst Book of History Is …". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 12, 2025. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
8. Grant, Nick (April 2, 2017). "History faculty to manage website for historians to discuss world news". The GW Hatchet . Archived from the original on May 12, 2025. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
9. Warren, James (March 27, 2017). "The Truth About Trump's Print Media Fixation". Vanity Fair . ISSN   0733-8899. Archived from the original on May 12, 2025. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
10. "History News Network Comes to CCAS". Columbian College of Arts and Sciences . May 8, 2019. Archived from the original on May 12, 2025. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
11. "University of Richmond Acquires History News Network". University of Richmond . December 1, 2023. Archived from the original on May 11, 2025. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
12. RVAHub Developer (December 8, 2023). "University of Richmond acquires popular History News Network website". RVAHub. Archived from the original on May 11, 2025. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
13. "About Bunk". University of Richmond. Retrieved June 13, 2025.

External links

• Official website