Iowa History Journal

06/12/2026

Every Iowan should read our cover story before July 4th! 🇺🇸

Get your copy at Barnes & Noble, Beaverdale Books and select Hy-Vee, Books A Million, Walgreens and Fleet Farm stores or iowahistoryjournal.com

06/10/2026

Read our publisher's column in the May/June issue about ways to commemorate the American Revolution in Iowa on this Fourth of July and throughout the year!
America250 State Historical Society of Iowa America250 IOWA Iowa PBS Iowa PBS Education Iowa Department of Education Travel Iowa

  May/June 2026 (Volume 18, Issue 3)   By Michael Swanger   Fear not fellow Iowans should you think the only opportunity to celebrate our nation’s milestone anniversary falls solely …

06/09/2026

OTD: June 9, 1957
Duane Ellett and Floppy made their debut on WHO-TV! Read about the beloved duo that delighted television audiences for more than 30 years and entertained crowds at the Iowa State Fair in our collectible July/Aug 2014 past issue's cover story written by broadcaster and author Jeff Stein. A few copies remain at https://iowahistoryjournal.com/store/volume-6-issue-4-duane-floppy/

You can also relieve some of the duo's greatest moments on TV by purchasing official Duane & Floppy DVDs, as well as Stein's book about the show, at http://totallyiowa.weebly.com

WHO 13 News

06/08/2026

OTD: June 8, 2008
Flood waters rose throughout Eastern Iowa with Cedar Rapids and Iowa City incurring significant damage. Read about it in Jeff Stein's best-selling book, "One Week in June: The Iowa Floods of 2008." Get your copy at http://totallyiowa.weebly.com

News/Talk 1540 KXEL

06/08/2026

IHJ 2026 Quiz, Week 23: This man who joined the 4th Connecticut Regiment in 1777 when he was 14 years old is the only known Black Revolutionary War veteran buried west of the Mississippi River in Montrose Cemetery located in Lee County. What is his name? (Hint: His name is included on an obelisk at the Iowa Revolutionary War Memorial located on the grounds of the Iowa Statehouse.)

Find the answer in the May/June issue of Iowa History Journal sold at Barnes & Noble, Hy-Vee, Beaverdale Books, Books-A-Million and select Walmart, Fleet Farm, Walgreens and Hy-Vee Drug stores. To subscribe, visit iowahistoryjournal.com and add $2.50 to start with the current issue.

(Illustration courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, Library and Archives, Des Moines)

06/07/2026

New subscribers, to receive the July/Aug issue add an extra $2.50 (plus current issue option). Otherwise your subscription will start with the Sept/Oct issue. iowahistoryjournal.com

06/06/2026

Today, June 6, marks the 82st anniversary of D-Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy to liberate France and Western Europe from N**i Germany occupation. As we remember the service and sacrifice of Allied troops (including hundreds of Iowans) who participated in the largest seaborne invasion in history, we are reminded of the significance of that day; perhaps the most important of the 20th century. Follow the link to read IHJ Publisher Michael Swanger's 2024 column about D-Day for free.

May/June 2024 (Volume 16, Issue 3)   By Michael Swanger   The world that we inhabit today is largely defined by the most significant event of the 20th century, World War II, which is why …

06/04/2026

IHJ contributing writers among winners of Excellence in Iowa History Awards

The State Historical Society of Iowa Board of Trustees presented its Excellence in Iowa History Awards during a ceremony held on May 28 at the State Historical Building of Iowa in Des Moines. Among those who received awards or recognition for their work in 2025 to preserve Iowa history were writers Matthew Walsh and C.J. Williams for their stories published last year by Iowa History Journal.

Walsh won the 2026 George Mills and Louise Noun Popular History Award for his story “A Symbol of Hope: Robert Ray Welcomes Southeast Asian Refugees” published in IHJ’s May/June 2025 issue.

Williams received a certificate of recognition in the Mills-Noun category for his story “A Profile in Judicial Courage” published in IHJ’s July/August 2025 issue.

Copies of IHJ's past issues featuring their stories are available at iowahistoryjournal.com.

Others who received awards include Coreen Derifield (Benjamin F. Shambaugh Award), Christopher Schoen (Excellence in Archaeology & Historic Preservation), Grace Linden and Moville Historical Society (Loren Horton Community History Award), Marian Wilson Kimber (Mildred Throne & Charles Aldrich Scholarly History Award) and John Zeller (William J. Petersen & Edgar R. Harlan Lifetime Achievement Award).

For the full list of winners visit history.iowa.gov.