Monday, June 8, 2026

Atlantic’s July Problem: Find out how to Inform the American Story

For its July situation, on the event of the 250th anniversary of america, The Atlantic considers the best way to inform the American story, with contributions from its workers writers and editors, together with Yoni Appelbaum, Ian Bogost, Sally Jenkins, Idrees Kahloon, Adrienne LaFrance, Helen Lewis, Jake Lundberg, Clint Smith, and Caity Weaver. In an editor’s notice for the problem, editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg writes: “You will note on this situation (and, I hope, in every part we do) that our journalists are engaged in worthwhile struggles with the that means, promise, achievements, and shortcomings of our singular nation … The ambition of The Atlantic’s founders was that this journal can be the preeminent house for arguments in regards to the American thought, and that we’d endeavor to inform the reality in regards to the grandness of America in addition to its imperfections. That ambition animates this situation—and all of our journalism.”

On the duvet, The Atlantic is publishing Julia Ward Howe’s “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” which was written for The Atlantic and first ran within the February 1862 situation. In an accompanying piece, workers author and in-house historian Jake Lundberg reveals the historical past of the “Battle Hymn”––written to organize the Union and its troopers for the horrible struggle forward––and what it says about America itself. Lundberg writes that the poem is each an explication of the promise of America and an exhortation to persevere on behalf of the nation. The “Battle Hymn,” Lundberg argues, is our unofficial nationwide anthem, another related via the ages than the precise anthem. “By the point of the Nice Despair,” he writes, “the ‘Battle Hymn’ had achieved a very nationwide character. The track’s stature is such that it may be used to make an announcement in a approach that the official anthem by no means can.”

In a function revealed in the present day, deputy government editor Yoni Appelbaum examines the tortured debate—inside and out of doors the academy—over the best way to inform the American story. He writes in regards to the particular problem inherent in unifying a polarized nation round a standard understanding of our historical past. “For greater than two centuries, our creedal nationalism has been a supply of energy, binding collectively People of various faiths and backgrounds,” Yoni writes. “However recently, we have now found that additionally it is a vulnerability.”

In an article coming tomorrow, Clint Smith explores the betrayal of Black army officers, calling out the forces of response for misunderstanding the character of patriotism. For the story, he interviews two dozen presently enlisted, civilian, and retired Black members of the army throughout the armed forces, writing, “Particular person after individual informed me they’ve watched in dismay as a brand new administration has diminished and erased a proud historical past.”

These are joined by extra function tales that can publish this week, together with Sally Jenkins on the origins of American sports activities tradition within the Revolution; Helen Lewis on why People love heraldry; Idrees Kahloon on how Britain grew to become as poor as Mississippi; Caity Weaver on America’s tradition of thrifting; and Ian Bogost on the 747, which he deems the top of American engineering.

The Atlantic’s July situation is publishing this week at TheAtlantic.com. Please attain out with any questions or requests.

Press contacts:
Anna Bross and Paul Jackson | The Atlantic
[email protected]

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