Natalia Mehlman Petrzela

[Natalia Mehlman Petrzela](http://nataliapetrzela.com/) is an associate professor of history at The New School, where she studies the politics and culture of the modern United States. The author of _Classroom Wars: Language, Sex, and the Making of Modern Political Culture_, she also hosts the “Past Present” podcast.

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Annual Observances

The Complicated Pasts of 6 Trailblazing Women

'Well-behaved women seldom make history.'

Thanksgiving

The Curious History of Leftovers

People were once ridiculed for eating leftovers.

Natural Disasters & Environment

Why Fear of Big Cities Led to the Creation of Summer Camps

Millions of children pack their bags each year and head to camps ranging from the rustic to the super-luxurious. But it was not always so.