History Logo
ShowsThis Day In HistoryScheduleTopicsStories
  • History Classics
  • Live TV
  • Your Profile
Your Profile
History
  • Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
  • Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
  • Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window)
  • Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window)
  • Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window)
Email Updates
  • Live TV
  • History Classics
  • Shows
  • This Day In History
  • Schedule
  • Topics
  • Stories
  • Videos
  • History Podcasts
  • History Vault
  • Shop
  • History Travel
  1. Home
  2. Topics
  3. 21st Century
  4. Stories

21st Century - Stories

The 21st century saw the dawn of the war on terrorism, as the 9/11 attacks and the Boston Marathon bombing dramatically changed society. Economic issues moved to the forefront during the Great Recession. The COVID-19 pandemic upended lives and economies around the world. Awareness of social inequality grew as the killings of Black Americans, including Trayvon Martin and George Floyd, spurred widespread protests.

Twin Towers, New York City

On the Ground on 9/11: Video Footage

On the morning of 9/11 in New York City, ordinary people picked up video cameras and recorded. This is what they saw—and how they reflected on the experience years later.

Read more
Boston Marathon Bombing

Timeline: What Happened at the Boston Marathon Bombing

The April 15, 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing inflicted horror on a beloved race tradition and led to one of the most intensive manhunts in history.

Read more
6 Groundbreaking Innovations by Arab Americans, Heart surgeon, Dr. Michael DeBakey

6 Groundbreaking Innovations by Arab Americans

Americans born in or with ancestral ties to Arab-speaking countries have made countless significant scientific, medical and engineering contributions.

Read more
Maze Prison Northern Ireland3RD OCTOBER: ON THIS DAY IN 1981 THE HUNGER STRIKES AT THE MAZE PRISON IN NORTHERN IRELAND, COME TO AN END Aerial view of the Maze Prison, where 38 IRA prisoners escaped. 14/3/95: Riot. 25/8/95. 24/3/97: Breakout Bid. 27/12/97: Man shot dead. 15/03/98: David Keys found hanged in cell. 11/11/98: Will shut at end of year 2000. 28/7/00: Prisoners released. * The London Docklands bomber and the border sniper who picked off police and troops on duty were among more than 80 terrorist prisoners set to stream out of the Maze prison. The final wave of early releases under the Good Friday Agreement was set to all but empty the infamous jail. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)

How 38 IRA Members Pulled Off the UK’s Biggest Prison Escape

In 1983, dozens of Irish Republican Army prisoners broke out of the ‘escape-proof’ Maze prison.

Read more
Youths throw petrol bombs during the Battle of the Bogside in Derry, Northern Ireland, August 12, 1969.

How the Troubles Began in Northern Ireland

After mounting tensions between Catholic nationalists and Protestant loyalists, particularly in Belfast and Derry, violence broke out in the late 1960s.

Read more
U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland speaking out of doors.

Deb Haaland, US Interior Secretary, on How She’s Influenced by History

The first Indigenous cabinet member in U.S. history, Haaland hails from a lineage of 35 generations based in New Mexico.

Read more
The FAA Control tower and Concourse "C" at Denver International Airport.

9/11: How Air Traffic Controllers Managed the Crisis in the Skies

Here’s how the profession’s most chaotic—and harrowing—day unfolded.

Read more
The World Trade Center, by the Numbers

The World Trade Center, by the Numbers

From the foundation to the elevators, everything about the Twin Towers was supersized.

Read more
After 9/11: 5 Cultural Moments That Helped Americans Move Forward

After 9/11: 5 Cultural Moments That Helped Americans Move Forward

From David Letterman’s emotional monologue to George W. Bush’s World Series first pitch, these collective experiences helped the nation process its shock and grief.

Read more
Why Isn't Washington, D.C. a State?

What Was Flight 93’s Target?

When the plane crashed in a Pennsylvania field on September 11, it was 20 minutes flying time from the nation’s capital.

Read more
New York: Views of the World Trade Center (both of its twin towers still under construction) and Manhattan skyline views taken from New Jersey shore.

The World Trade Center’s Construction: 8 Surprising Facts

To build the twin towers, architects and engineers employed innovative—and sometimes unproven—techniques and technology.

Read more
President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and members of the national security team receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House May 1, 2011, Washington, D.C.

The Bin Laden Raid: Inside the Situation Room Photo

The image captures a defining historic moment, as Barack Obama and his top advisers anxiously watch the high-stakes SEAL Team Six operation unfold.

Read more
A+E NetworksOur Family of Brands
  • History Education
  • History Vault
  • Mobile/Apps
  • News
  • Shop
  • Share Your Opinion
Follow History
  • d
  • e
  • p
  • m
  • +
  • Biography
  • Crime and Investigation
  • History en Espanol
  • LRW
  • Military History
  • Ad Choices
  • Advertise With Us
  • Accessibility Support
  • Copyright Policy
  • Corporate Information
  • Employment Opportunities
  • FAQ/Contact Us
  • Privacy Notice
  • Cookie Notice
  • Terms Of Use
  • TV Parental Guidelines
  • Contact Us
  • Copyright Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Ad Choices
  • Accessibility Support

© 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved.