History
Follow the latest History news, videos, and analysis from ABC News.
May 1, 2024 at 8:33 PM

Tuskegee airman laid to rest nearly 80 years after he went missing

Second Lt. Fred L. Brewer Jr., a Tuskagee airman who went missing during World War II, is set to be laid to rest nearly 80 years after he went missing.
May 1, 2024 at 8:33 PM
Second Lieutenant Fred L. Brewer Jr. had been missing for almost 80 years, since a mission in Italy where he served as one of the Tuskegee Airmen. On December 6, Brewer was finally laid to rest in his home state of North Carolina.
May 1, 2024 at 6:30 PM

Sylvester Stallone celebrates '50 incredible years' of 'The Lords of Flatbush'

Stallone marks 50 years of "The Lords of Flatbush" with photos from the film.
May 1, 2024 at 6:30 PM
Paul Mace, Sylvester Stallone, Henry Winkler, and Perry King in a publicity still from "The Lords of Flatbush," 1974.
April 26, 2024 at 8:17 PM

Meet the megaraptor: Fossil footprints unearth new dinosaur

Large fossil footprints unearthed in China have led to the discovery of a "megaraptor" dinosaur, a relative of the velociraptor, a new study suggests.
April 26, 2024 at 8:17 PM
Life reconstruction of the giant troodontid Fujianipus yingliangi, estimated hip height: 1.8 m.
April 26, 2024 at 5:58 PM

New fossil footprints suggest large relative of well-known velociraptor

"Our animal is on par with the way raptors are depicted by Hollywood," said paleontologist Dr. Scott Persons of the discovery.
April 26, 2024 at 5:58 PM
"Our animal is on par with the way raptors are depicted by Hollywood," said paleontologist Dr. Scott Persons of the discovery.
April 26, 2024 at 2:24 AM

Superintendent speaks out after time capsule from 1920 found in old high school

The capsule contained documents of the community from 1920.
April 26, 2024 at 2:24 AM
A time capsule from 1920 was discovered during a demolition at an old high school in Minnesota.
April 24, 2024 at 5:34 PM

Portrait by Gustav Klimt has been sold for $32 million at an auction in Vienna

A portrait of a young woman by Gustav Klimt that was long believed to be lost has been sold at an auction in Vienna for 30 million euros ($32 million)
April 24, 2024 at 5:34 PM
A man looks at the painting 'Portrait of Fräulein Lieser' by Austrian painter Gustav Klimt prior to an auction, in Vienna, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. A portrait of a young woman by Gustav Klimt that was long believed to be lost has been sold at an auction in Vienna for 30 million euros ($32 million). The Austrian modernist artist started work on the “Portrait of Fräulein Lieser” in 1917, the year before he died, and it is one of his last works. (AP Photo/Christian Bruna)
April 24, 2024 at 5:34 PM

Ancestry website to catalogue names of Japanese Americans incarcerated during WWII

The names of thousands of people held in Japanese American incarceration camps during World War II have been digitized and made available for free on Ancestry
April 24, 2024 at 5:34 PM
FILE - Richard Katsuda, educator and co-chair of Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress opens the LA Day of Remembrance at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, Feb. 18, 2023. The names of thousands of people held in Japanese American incarceration camps during World War II will be digitized and made available for free, genealogy company Ancestry announced Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)
April 23, 2024 at 4:14 PM

Aboriginal spears taken by Captain Cook in 1770 are returned to Australia's Indigenous people

Four Aboriginal spears that were taken to England by Captain James Cook more than 250 years ago have been returned to Australia's Indigenous community at a ceremony in Cambridge University
April 23, 2024 at 4:14 PM
Undated handout photo issued by Cambridge University of four Aboriginal spears that were brought to England by Captain James Cook more than 250 years ago and have now been repatriated to Australia in a ceremony at Trinity College in Cambridge, Tuesday April 23, 2024. (Cambridge University via AP)
April 23, 2024 at 3:42 AM

George Mallory's last letter from Everest said odds of reaching the top were '50 to 1 against us'

The final letter that George Mallory wrote to his wife before he vanished on Mount Everest a century ago has been digitalized
April 23, 2024 at 3:42 AM
This is an undated photo provided by Magdalene College Cambridge on Monday, April 22, 2024 of part of the final letter that mountaineer George Mallory wrote to his wife before he vanished on Mount Everest a century ago. The letter has been digitalized. The letter was published on Monday by Mallory's Cambridge University college. In it, he tried to ease her worries though he said his chances of reaching the world’s highest peak were “50 to 1 against us.” (Reproduced with Permission of the Master and Fellows of Magdalene College, Cambridge via AP)
April 19, 2024 at 12:46 PM

US envoy to UN visits Nagasaki A-bomb museum, pays tribute to victims

The American envoy to the United Nations has called for countries armed with atomic weapons to pursue nuclear disarmament as she visited the atomic bomb museum in Nagasaki, Japan
April 19, 2024 at 12:46 PM
U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, left, and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, prepare to talk during a meeting Friday, April 19, 2024, at prime minister's office in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)
April 19, 2024 at 10:29 AM

Star Trek star pens children's book detailing time in US internment camp

George Takei, the actor who played Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek, has written a children's book about his time in a Japanese internment camp as a child.
April 19, 2024 at 10:29 AM
George Takei makes a Vulcan salute as he attends the annual Human Rights Campaign (HRC) National Dinner, in Washington, DC, on Oct. 29, 2022.
April 11, 2024 at 1:56 AM

'Rosie the Riveters' awarded Congressional Gold Medal

The women of World War II were awarded Congress' highest civilian honor.
April 11, 2024 at 1:56 AM
Twenty-eight so-called 'Rosie the Riveters,' women who entered the US defense workforce during WWII, pose for a group photo ahead of a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony honoring their service in the US Capitol, in Washington, D.C., on April 10, 2024.
1 month ago

Art of Haring, Dali among lost works celebrated in revived amusement park

A group of artists, including Drake, have received a pop art amusement park featuring original pieces from Salvador Dali, Jean-Michel Basquiat and others.
1 month ago
Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy showcases an amusement park themed art show that was created in the '80s.
1 month ago

'White Supremacy Campaign' of 1898 a stain that will not escape history

The story of a violent 19th-century coup against Black businesses and integrated city hall was largely left untold, but now historians are working to honor those victims.
1 month ago
A sign in Wilmington, North Carolina acknowledges the violent 1898 coup by white supremacists.
1 month ago

New 270-million-year-old amphibian species could help explain evolution of frogs

Researchers at the Smithsonian have discovered a new ancient species of amphibians that could help explain how modern-day frogs evolved.
1 month ago
Newly discovered proto-amphibian, Kermitops (USNM PAL 407585) from the Department of Paleobiology collections at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History. The species is named after Kermit the Frog.
2 months ago

'Most valuable treasure': $17 billion Spanish shipwreck from 1708 to be recovered

The shipwreck's deep-sea location, which remained a mystery until 2015, has been entangled in an international ownership debate.
2 months ago
Screen grab of a video released by the Colombian Presidency, June 6 2022, showing images of the wrecked Spanish galleon San Jose, off the coast of Cartagena, in the Caribbean Sea, Colombia.
2 months ago

'Complete mystery' as 1,800-year-old ancient Roman statue dug up in UK parking lot

A mysterious 1,800-year-old Roman statue has been discovered by a construction worker while he was digging up a parking lot.
2 months ago
A mysterious 1,800-year-old Roman statue has been discovered by a construction worker while he was digging up a parking lot in the United Kingdom.
2 months ago

4,000-year-old lipstick discovered in Iran believed to be the world's oldest: Study

The 2001 flooding of the Halil River Valley in Iran exhumed ancient ruins from what is believed to be the Bronze Age Marḫaši civilization.
2 months ago
The 2001 flooding of the Halil River Valley in Iran exhumed ancient ruins from what is believed to be the Bronze Age Marḫaši civilization.
2 months ago

4,000-year-old lipstick discovered in Iran believed to be the world's oldest: Study

The 2001 flooding of the Halil River Valley in Iran exhumed ancient ruins from what is believed to be the Bronze Age Marḫaši civilization.
2 months ago
The carved chlorite vial containing the cosmetic preparation.
2 months ago

Inside one of Hollywood's largest archives of movie history

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has become the premier location for filmmakers and movie fans alike to get up close and personal with millions of movie artifacts.
2 months ago
An exterior view of The Academy Museum, April 15, 2021, in Los Angeles.
2 months ago

70 million-year-old dinosaur skeleton discovered by a man walking his dog

The discovery of a 70 million-year-old skeleton led to the excavation of a 70% complete, 30-foot-long fossilized titanosaur.
2 months ago
Damien Boschetto discovered a 70-million-year-old fossilized titanosaur in southern France in 2022.
2 months ago

'10 Million Names': Learn more about the history of enslaved people

The 10 Million Names Project is working to recover the names of the 10 million people of African descent who were enslaved before 1865 in the present-day United States.
2 months ago
Slaves of Thomas F. Drayton of Magnolia Plantation, Hilton Head, S.C., 1862. Drayton, a Southern plantation owner, served as a Brigadier General in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
2 months ago

Blighted for more than half a century, historic New Orleans club returns

Early in their careers, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, Little Richard and others played the Dew Drop Inn in New Orleans. Blighted for decades, the club is reopening Friday.
2 months ago
The Dew Drop Inn in New Orleans is reopening, March 1, 2024.
2 months ago

Rare audio of enslaved people connects history to the present

ABC News’ Alex Presha examines rare audio of formerly enslaved people to preserve their stories, and interviews one of their descendants, in partnership with the 10 Million Names project.
2 months ago
VIDEO: Rare audio of enslaved people connects history to the present
2 months ago

'A Different World' cast reuniting for HBCU tour more than 35 years after premiere

The cast of "A Different World" is reuniting for a 10-city tour of historically Black colleges and universities.
2 months ago
The cast from "The Different World."
2 months ago

Scientists discover 'very strange' 240 million-year-old 'Chinese dragon' fossil

Scientists in Scotland have revealed a remarkable discovery of a "very strange" 240 million-year-old "Chinese dragon" fossil.
2 months ago
Dinocephalosaurus orientalis.
2 months ago

Why an ancient lake that reemerged at Death Valley National Park will stick around

An ancient lake that reemerged at Death Valley National Park last year will stick around for longer than initially expected due to intense rain in the region.
2 months ago
People walk through the still present Lake Manly at Badwater Basin in Death Valley, Calif., Jan. 26, 2024.
2 months ago

'Disgusting': MLK monument vandalized in Denver park during Black History Month

A monument honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. created by the nation's first Black astronaut-turned-sculpture was vandalized in a Denver park.
2 months ago
A monument honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was damaged by vandals sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Feb. 22, 2024, in Denver's City Park.
2 months ago

A dinosaur was named for the 1st time 200 years ago. Here's why it's significant

Tuesday marks the 200th anniversary of the first time a dinosaur was ever given a name by scientists: The Megalosaurus. Here's why it was so significant.
2 months ago
Artist rendering of a Megalosaurus.
3 months ago

200-year-old 'national treasure' stolen as police hunt missing George Washington art

A portrait of George Washington dating back more than 200 years has been stolen from a storage unit and cops are hunting for the art as well as the thieves who took it.
3 months ago
A portrait of George Washington dating back more than 200 years has been stolen from a storage unit in Colorado and police, along with the FBI, are hunting for the painting as well as the thieves that took it.
3 months ago

84-year-old shipwreck found in Lake Superior

Researchers found the wreckage of the S.S. Arlington, which went down in April 1940 while delivering a shipload of wheat to Ontario.
3 months ago
VIDEO: 84-year-old shipwreck found in Lake Superior
3 months ago

Suspect charged in connection with theft, destruction of Jackie Robinson statue

A suspect has been arrested and charged in connection with the theft and destruction of a statue of baseball legend Jackie Robinson that was stolen from a Kansas park.
3 months ago
A statue of legendary baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson was stolen from the League 42 field in Wichita, Kansas.
3 months ago

Target pulls sticker set after mislabeling Civil Rights leaders

Target pulled a sticker set from its shelves after a TikTok by a history teacher pointed out the misidentification of Civil Rights leaders.
3 months ago
VIDEO: Target pulls sticker set after mislabeling Civil Rights leaders
3 months ago

Lesser-known moments in US history

Chenjerai Kumanyika, assistant professor at NYU's Journalism Institute and co-host of the podcast “Uncivil," discusses the lesser-known moments in American history, often not taught in school.
3 months ago
VIDEO: Lesser-known moments in US history
3 months ago

Skeleton of new flying dinosaur species discovered on beach

Scientists announced the discovery of a winged dinosaur species skeleton that was found on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
3 months ago
Life reconstruction of Ceoptera evansae.
3 months ago

Controversial Egypt pyramid renovation likely to be rolled back

A plan to cover one of Egypt’s Giza Pyramids with granite cladding will likely not be possible given rock nature and international archaeological restoration law.
3 months ago
TOPSHOT - The Pyramid of Menkaure (or Menkheres, built in the 26th century BC) is pictured at the Giza Pyramids Necropolis, west of Cairo, on January 29, 2024. In a video posted on Facebook on January 26, Mostafa Waziri, the head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, showed workers setting blocks of granite on the base of the pyramid, dubbing it "the project of the century." When originally built, the pyramid was encased in granite, but over time lost part of its covering. The renovation aims to restore the structure's original style by reconstructing the granite layer.
3 months ago

Historians share lesser-known moments in US Black history

The fight for voting rights was a dangerous and sometimes fatal fight for Black activists.
3 months ago
The fight for voting rights was a dangerous and sometimes fatal fight for Black activists.
3 months ago

Celebrating the history of breakdancing

"GMA" explores the 40-year evolution of breakdancing, which will make its debut as an Olympic sport this year, and puts the spotlight on a performance by the Dynamic Rockers.
3 months ago
VIDEO: Celebrating the history of breakdancing
3 months ago

Stolen Jackie Robinson statue found burned, dismantled in trash can: Police

A statue of baseball legend Jackie Robinson stolen from a Kansas park was found dismantled and burned in a trash can fire Tuesday morning.
3 months ago
A statue of legendary baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson was stolen from the League 42 field in Wichita, Kansas.
3 months ago

Jackie Robinson statue cut off at ankles, stolen from park

Authorities are offering up to $7,500 in rewards for tips after a statue of baseball legend Jackie Robinson was stolen from a park in Wichita, Kansas.
3 months ago
A statue of legendary baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson was stolen from the League 42 field in Wichita, Kansas.
3 months ago

Historic church collapses in Connecticut

Video captured the steeple of the First Congregational Church in New London collapsing. Officials said no one is believed to have suffered major injuries.
3 months ago
VIDEO: Historic church collapses in Connecticut
3 months ago

Gustav Klimt portrait found after vanishing nearly 100 years ago

One of the last paintings by the renowned Austrian artist Gustav Klimt has miraculously been found after vanishing nearly 100 years ago.
3 months ago
Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Fräulein Lieser.
3 months ago

South Africa seeks to halt auction of Mandela’s personal items

South Africa has announced it is set to challenge a New York auction of dozens artifacts and personal items belonging to former South African president Nelson Mandela.
3 months ago
Nelson Mandela at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, on June  2, 2009.
4 months ago

Quinta Brunson is 1st Black woman to win best comedic actress Emmy in over 40 years

The last Black actress to win the award starred in "The Jeffersons."
4 months ago
Quinta Brunson, winner of the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series award for "Abbott Elementary," poses in the press room during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater, Jan. 15, 2024, in Los Angeles.
4 months ago

New dinosaur discovery may be the closest relative to Tyrannosaurus rex: Study

Paleontologists have discovered a new species of dinosaur that could be the closest-known relative of the famed Tyrannosaurus rex.
4 months ago
Reconstruction of Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis.
4 months ago

Historian and author discusses new documentary

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi discusses his documentary, “Stamped from the Beginning,” which chronicles the story of anti-Black racist ideas.
4 months ago
VIDEO: Historian and author discusses new documentary
5 months ago

'A pioneer': Biden eulogizes Sandra Day O'Connor, 1st female Supreme Court justice

Funeral services for Sandra Day O'Connor, who broke barriers as the first woman to ever serve as a Supreme Court justice, were held at the National Cathedral.
5 months ago
President Joe Biden speaks  during a memorial service for former US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, on December 19, 2023.
5 months ago

Shonda Rhimes to honor Emmett Till's story with new passion project

Shonda Rhimes talks about a new project she's taking on that honors Emmett Till's story.
5 months ago
Shonda Rhimes announces plan to preserve the powerful history of Emmett Till, including the barn where Till was killed.
5 months ago

Family thought sonar detected an octopus. It was a shipwreck missing for 152 years

A father and his daughter who were fishing on Lake Michigan were surprised when their sonar discovered what they thought was an octopus lurking beneath their vessel.
5 months ago
A father and his daughter who were fishing on Lake Michigan earlier this year were surprised when their sonar discovered what they thought was an octopus lurking beneath their vessel. What they actually likely discovered was a shipwreck missing for over 150 years, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society.
6 months ago

'Last' Beatles song to be released

New details reveal how the band finished "Now and Then” four decades after John Lennon first wrote it.
6 months ago
VIDEO: 'Last' Beatles song to be released