Fighting Words
Published: 8/19/25
“Wide Awakes”
A look at the origin of the term "Wide Awakes," the name adopted by a group of Abraham Lincoln suporters during the election of 1860.
Published: 5/28/25
“Juneteenth”
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, commemorates the end of slavery in America. Historian Tracy Barnett explores the origins of the term.
Published: 12/12/24
“Shebang”
The rise of a popular term used to describe certain wartime accommodations
Published: 10/2/24
“Johnny Cake”
A look at the Civil War era foodstuff popularly known as a "Johnny Cake."
Published: 8/2/24
“Scalawag”
A look at the term “scalawag,” a word used during the Civil War to describe undesirable creatures that took on another meaning during Reconstruction.
Published: 12/1/23
“Postal Currency” and “Postage Stamps”
A look at the emergence and use of “Postal Currency” and “Postage Stamps” during the American Civil War.
Published: 6/7/23
“Acknowledge the Corn”
A look at how an expression thought to be rooted in American politics gained widespread use as an admission of error or wrongdoing.