The Boy in the Box: Still Unsolved After 55 Years
Despite a half century of inquiry, the death—and the life—of this eight-year-old boy remain a complete mystery.... More
About: Jeff Nilsson
Jeff Nilsson is the director of Post archives and a website editor. He is a specialist in American History, with graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin, University of New Mexico, and Eastern Michigan University. He writes our website's weekly Retrospective feature, and is directing the program of digitally converting the magazine's 190 years of issues.
Posts by Jeff Nilsson:
Speaking Up For the Talkies in 1929: ‘Silent Movies Are History’
In the recent Oscar-nominated film The Artist, a silent movie star struggles to make the transition to talking pictures, but our 1929 article shows that... More
What Lincoln Was Hiding
He was one of our most popular presidents, but Honest Abe had a darker side.... More
The First GPS: High-Tech Navigation in 1909
A century before Garmin, the Jones Live Map was helping drivers navigate a countryside without roadsigns, and often without roads.... More
Edison and The Pirates: The Inventor’s Solution to Copyright Theft
After losing a fortune fighting for his patents, Thomas Edison had a new idea for enforcing copyright law.... More
Religion Steps into the Boxing Ring: Ali in ’64
When Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali, everyone wanted to know his angle. The Post takes a look back at what we thought and unearths some... More
The Young Man With a Dream: Ali in 1961
Unlike most teenagers, 19-year-old Muhammad Ali knew where he was going and just how good he really was.... More
Fleming. Ian Fleming.
How much of himself did Ian Fleming put into 007?... More
A War Horse Earns Her Sergeant’s Stripes: 1953
If you've seen the fictional hero of the movie War Horse, you may be interested in the real thing: Sergeant Reckless, U.S.M.C.R.... More
A Pilot Reflects, Then Grounds Himself: 1911
Early 20th century aviation may have been a quick route to fame for some thrill seekers, but for flier Frank B. Elser, it wasn't worth... More
The Predictor Who Got It Right (Mostly)
Foresight is never 20/20, which is why new year forecasts can be hilariously wrong. But one forecaster in 1900 proved more far-sighted.... More
Our 1877 Christmas Gift Guide
Christmas shopping in the 19th century may not have been any easier than it is today, but Saturday Evening Post writers knew just what to... More
Articles of Fashion
The release of the Vogue digital archives prompted a look back at some of our own fashion journalism.... More
Bill W’s Last Drink
Few articles in the Post had the impact of “Alcoholics Anonymous," which prompted 6,000 letters to the Post editors and sparked national interest in the... More
What We Knew Before Pearl Harbor
The attack was a surprise; the war wasn’t. ... More
The Surprising and Familiar Mark Twain
A contemporary's account in the Post describes the author as we know him as well as his less pleasant side.... More
A Look Back at Our Attitudes toward Domestic Workers
In 1943—long before The Help—the Post focused on problems with domestic workers.... More
