Retro Report

Retro Report Stories from history that help you understand today. Explore 250+ short documentaries: http://RetroRe What really happened? How did these events change us?

How often does a great story dominate the headlines, only to be dropped from the news cycle? How often do journalists tell us of a looming danger or important discovery – only to move quickly to the next new thing? And what are the lingering consequences that may affect our society to this day? These are the questions we are answering at Retro Report, an innovative documentary news organization la

unched in 2013 as a timely online counterweight to today's 24/7 news cycle. Combining documentary techniques with shoe-leather reporting, we peel back the layers of some of the most perplexing news stories of our past with the goal of encouraging the public to think more critically about current events and the media. Retro Report is founded on the conviction that without a smart, engaging and forward-looking review of these high-profile events – and the news coverage surrounding them – we have wasted an opportunity to understand the lessons of history. The accelerating information age makes reversing this trend only more crucial. With journalistic success increasingly measured in page views, retweets and Facebook likes, there is dwindling interest or ability among news organizations to follow up on the stories they cover. Complicating matters, the first draft of history can be wrong. When news organizations fail to invest the time and money required to correct the record or provide context around what really happened, myth can replace truth. The results are policy decisions and cultural trends built on error, misunderstanding or flat-out lies. Retro Report is there to pick up the story after everyone has moved on, connecting the dots from yesterday to today, correcting the record and providing a permanent living library where viewers can gain new insight into the events that shaped their lives.

Do your students study the Alien Enemies Act of 1798? Habeas corpus, the right to challenge unlawful detention, is at th...
11/07/2025

Do your students study the Alien Enemies Act of 1798?

Habeas corpus, the right to challenge unlawful detention, is at the center of a legal battle over President Trump’s immigration policies. Learn more:

Retro Report is an independent, nonprofit newsroom creating trusted documentary videos and classroom resources.

Mark with Retro Report's Contemporary Indigenous History Collection, which features short videos, a webinar and an int...
11/06/2025

Mark with Retro Report's Contemporary Indigenous History Collection, which features short videos, a webinar and an interactive map that support lessons on Indigenous history and communities. Learn more:

Retro Report is an independent, nonprofit newsroom creating trusted documentary videos and classroom resources.

Take a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of , a new documentary that explores the groundbreaking 1975 murder trial ...
11/06/2025

Take a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of , a new documentary that explores the groundbreaking 1975 murder trial of the first woman in U.S. history to be acquitted for using deadly force to resist sexual assault.

Learn how her story sparked a national movement and brought together activists like Angela Davis and Larry Little, both of whom were interviewed by Director Yoruba Richen for the film.

premieres less than a week from now at DOC NYC on 11/12. While the premiere is sold out, you can still purchase tickets for online screenings and Thursday’s in-person screening. Learn more: https://retroreport.org/free-joan-little/

, a Promised Land Film in association with Retro Report, was directed by Yoruba Richen and produced by Christalyn Hampton and Bonnie Bertram.

2026 Retro Report Teacher Advisor Teams: Are you interested in becoming a Retro Report teacher advisor next year? Become...
11/05/2025

2026 Retro Report Teacher Advisor Teams: Are you interested in becoming a Retro Report teacher advisor next year? Become a Teacher Ambassador or member of our Council of Educators to receive exclusive perks, such as stipends and SWAG. Learn more and apply today: bit.ly/RRAdvisor26

11/05/2025

, register on our website today to access 300+ short videos, hundreds of lesson plans, a weekly education newsletter, and webinars.

Plus, use your free teacher account to access our new Teacher Hub today, where you can save your favorite Retro Report videos and lesson plans, browse by subject, and explore interactives: https://retroreport.org/education/

, we're excited to launch the Engaging with Revolutionary History Teacher Fellowship! This three-year program seeks to ...
11/04/2025

, we're excited to launch the Engaging with Revolutionary History Teacher Fellowship! This three-year program seeks to provide professional learning opportunities in U.S. History and Civics to educators from predominantly rural and remote locations. Learn more and apply today: https://retroreport.org/engaging-with-revolutionary-history/

11/03/2025

, how are you marking ?

Learn how Matt Jackson, one of the members of Retro Report’s Council of Educators, has used Retro Report’s Contemporary Indigenous History collection with his students in Oklahoma to spark engaging, timely conversations.

Use your free Retro Report account to access the full collection, which features short videos, lesson plans, a webinar and an interactive map: https://retroreport.org/collection/contemporary-indigenous-history/

In July 2025, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians...
11/03/2025

In July 2025, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. This isn’t the first time that immigration policies have been challenged under the right of habeas corpus. Learn more in a new Retro Report short video:

Retro Report is an independent, nonprofit newsroom creating trusted documentary videos and classroom resources.

📧 , subscribe to Retro Report's newsletter today to receive the latest updates on new short docs, classroom resources, ...
11/02/2025

📧 , subscribe to Retro Report's newsletter today to receive the latest updates on new short docs, classroom resources, and more. Register to access: bit.ly/RR-Reg

11/02/2025

, have you explored our variety of free interactive resources to use with your students?

Check out interactive tools on topics such as the Cold War, the periodic table and landmark cases today: https://retroreport.org/interactive/

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Retro Report is an Emmy Award-winning independent, objective, nonprofit news organization founded in 2013. We are dedicated to uncovering the surprising ways that news of the past continues to resonate today. Our documentary videos blend investigative reporting and rare archival footage to give viewers meaningful context and perspective on current events.

We operate with the conviction that an engaging and forward-looking review of high-profile events, and the news coverage surrounding them, is critical to understanding the lessons of history and developing robust civic literacy. And, since the stories we report on continue to evolve, we are committed to providing a permanent, living library where each story is tracked and updated so that viewers can gain new insights as events develop and history unfolds.