How We Research
Research is the foundation of this project. Each article begins with a question about how a historical pattern formed, how it was sustained, and how its effects continue to shape the present.
Our research process starts by identifying a historical issue or pattern that connects past decisions to contemporary outcomes. From there, we gather a range of primary and secondary sources to understand how that pattern developed over time and how it was experienced by different communities.
Primary sources include materials such as laws, court decisions, government documents, historical newspapers, and firsthand accounts. These are paired with secondary sources — including scholarly research and historical analysis — that provide context, interpretation, and broader framing.
Sources are reviewed with attention to perspective and limitation. We consider who created a record, whose voices may be missing, and how power, politics, and social norms shaped what was documented. Where the historical record is incomplete, contradictory, or contested, that uncertainty is acknowledged rather than smoothed over.
Digital tools are used to support research and drafting by helping organize large bodies of information, surface patterns across sources, and assist with early synthesis. These tools do not determine conclusions or replace editorial judgment. Final structure, emphasis, and interpretation are shaped intentionally through human review.
The goal of this process is clarity without oversimplification. Research here is meant to be transparent, evidence-based, and open to revision as new sources emerge and understanding deepens.
