American studies

Tom Pang’s blend of bluegrass and traditional Mongolian music has gained him much attention in the Shanghai music scene. Though Pang wasn’t the first to come up with the idea, his affinity for bluegrass and his Mongolian heritage make him a natural fit for the hybrid genre.

The Juneteenth holiday marks the day slavery came to an end in the United States: June 19, 1865. Though 41 states recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday, Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has introduced legislation to make it a national day of observance.

Many of the Republican presidential candidates are trying to sell a book while they’re on the campaign trail. But, perhaps fnone more than Newt Gingrich, the current front-runner, who has a much newer book than all the rest and who has written an average of two books a year.

In Texas, the Sons of Confederate Veterans want the state to issue license plates displaying the Confederate Flag. On Thursday, the state said no way, in the wake of protests from minorities who say the flag represents racism.

A new book by Tony Horwitz, an award-winning author and Civil War historian, looks at the history of John Brown and his role in starting the Civil War.