This Week in People’s History, Sep 23–29, 2026

Sailors on the deck of the USS Monitor during the Civil War
Non-Discrimination Fills the Civil War Navy’s Recruitment Goal (1861), Are Storms of Moral Indignation a Thing of the Past? (1852), The World Gets Its First Billionaire (1916), Teaching Black Children to Accept a Debased Place Within Society (1760)

The Verdict of History on Pinochet’s Role

The National Security Archive has published new FBI records on the “CHILBOM” investigation into the Washington, D.C., car bombing that Killed Orlando Letelier and Ronni Karpen Moffitt. FBI Agents interviewed Henry Kissinger on Pinochet’s Role.

Sweden’s 2026 Election on a Knife-Edge

The September 13 vote was a test not only of who will govern Sweden – at a national, regional and local level – but of whether the public services, democracy, and egalitarianism that Sweden once claimed to represent and be defended and restored.

Is Science Journalism Dying?

Comparing a ‘science crash’ 40 years ago to today

Kill Switch to Shut Down Rogue AI-Harder Then It Sounds

A bipartisan group in Congress and Gov. Gavin Newsom of California have floated ideas for building a mechanism that would instantly power down an A.I. system. Only no one really knows how.

Trump’s Final Act: Tactical Nuclear Weapon in Iran?

Trump is trapped in a war that has already been lost, a reality that he will never allow himself to admit.

Operation Metro Surge Wasn’t the End

The Minnesota movement still holds important lessons for those working to defend democracy in the Trump era.

Corporate Tax Payments Plunge--AI Feasts on Incentives

A generous tax break on capital investments Republicans created in 2025 wasn't designed specifically for the AI boom, but hyperscalers are making the most of it.

Was “Defund the Police” Crazy?

A reckoning with the “woke” years.

Trump’s Fraudulent Forced Labor Tariffs

The Trump administration says its new tariffs are aimed at combating forced labor. But the countries with the highest rates of modern slavery are largely exempt, while countries with the lowest rates are being hit with tariffs. So what are the tarif
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Culture

poetry

Complications

William Berkowitz
At a time when the Trump administration attacks the Smithsonian for presenting a complicated picture of American history, poet William Berkowitz muses on how quickly society forgets its own history.

books

Algiers, Black Panthers, Freedom Fighters, Revolutionaries

Ben Ehrenreich The Guardian
In the 1960s, Algeria became an international home for exiled artists, intellectuals and freedom fighters. Elaine Mokhtefi, who died in New York City on September 11 at age 97, met them all. Here is a 2018 review of her memoir.

Labor

labor

AutoZone Workers Are Trying To Form the Company’s First-Ever Union

Luis Feliz Leon Labor Notes
AutoZone workers went public in July with their drive to join United Auto Workers Local 259. Workers’ rights watchdog LaborLab estimates that the parts retailer AutoZone has paid $210,696 to managers and lawyers to crush their effort.

labor

Persecuted by Trump, Will Unions Build Towards May 2028?

Luis Feliz Leon Labor Notes
May 2028 is now only a year and a half away. Are unions getting in gear for a season of strikes and labor action around then, as contracts expire in manufacturing, education, logistics, grocery, and the building trades?

labor

Why COSATU’s Congress Collapsed

Greg Dor GroundUp
For the first time in its 40 year history, SA’s biggest union gathering did not reach quorum. COSATU said the congress would be reconvened within one month, as required by its constitution.

Friday nite video

video

An Economist Explains: This Is How To Tax Billionaires

Mehdi Hasan sits down with economist Gabriel Zucman, one of the world’s leading experts on tax avoidance and wealth inequality. “If you want to ensure that the super rich pay their fair share, you have to go after wealth itself.”

video

Things Get Weird at the GOP Midterm 'Convention'

Michael Kosta dives into the highlights, including Trump’s pledge to give out $5,000 "dividends" if the GOP wins the House and Senate and the president's unhelpful roast of Ken Paxton

video

It Ain’t Fun Being MAGA No More | Parody Song

If you’re into protest songs, comedy music, or viral political parodies that challenge authoritarian trends and call out hypocrisy, this one hits all the right notes