History | Penn Today

Mendel Kranz leaning against bookshelves in a library setting

News

New Katz Center fellowship amplifies study of antisemitism through classes, events, and community

Mendel Kranz, the inaugural recipient of the Ross-Silk-Lowenstein Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism, elevates awareness and critical inquiry into antisemitism through research projects, classroom dialogue, and educational events.

Understanding today through Soviet history

Benjamin Nathans examines dissent in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 1970s to understand how our world was shaped by history.

J.J. Ahern stands in a storage area in the University Archives.

Bringing the US Navy’s 250-year history to life

Penn archivist J.J. Ahern has been putting his professional experience and personal passion for the past to work as a volunteer for the Navy’s 250th anniversary curating an exhibition about the human side of the service’s history.

3 min. read

New book series tells untold history of greater Philadelphia region as prologue to America’s 250th birthday

The University of Pennsylvania Press has published a three-volume book series that retells the history of the Delaware Valley, celebrating Philadelphia's role in the founding of the nation.

History professor Marcy Norton awarded

Marcy Norton, professor of history in Penn’s School of Arts & Sciences, has received three awards for her new book, “The Tame and the Wild”: the Friedrich Katz Prize from the American Historical Association, the Elinor Melville Prize (biennial) from the Conference on Latin American History, and the María Elena Martínez Prize from the Conference on Latin American History.

A Penn physicist accidentally created X-rays over 130 years ago. His family is now donating some of the earliest known images

Descendants of Penn physicist Arthur Goodspeed have donated some of the earliest known X-ray images to the University, marking a pivotal moment in the birth of radiology in the U.S.

A woman walks by a "closed" sign in front of the National Archives building in Washington, D.C.

Five insights into the history of government shutdowns

Penn historian Brent Cebul traces the transformation of federal shutdowns from rare occurrences to strategic political tools.

3 min. read

The 2025 Cundill History Prize Shortlist: Ben Nathans and Sophia Rosenfeld

Awarded by McGill University, the Cundill History Prize is the world’s leading award for history writing, highlighting books that uncover neglected histories and speak to the current context of conflict, protest, and the concern with freedom across the globe. Nathans and Rosenfeld are selected from a record number of over 400 international submissions.

Eric Ryu stands outside of College Hall.

Exploring the influence of the Scottish Enlightenment on America’s founding

Fourth-year Eric Ryu studied 18th and 19th century lectures notes from university archives in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and St. Andrews to trace the intellectual roots of the two movements.

2 min. read

Filters