Ideas worth spreading

United States

A collection of TED Talks (and more) on the topic of United States.

Video playlists about United States

A crash course on voting and the US political system

The Electoral College, gerrymandering — and more! These talks answer your questions and simplify the confusing landscape of the US political system. (For more voting information specific to your location, please visit https://www.vote.org)

A look into American politics

Take a peek into the fascinating world of American politics -- with a few talks from some political leaders themselves.

Talks to help you understand racism in America

From passionate pleas for reform to poetic turns of phrase, these talks take an honest look at everyday realities of Black Americans and illuminate the way forward.

Talks about United States

Rebecca Galemba

How employers steal from workers -- and get away with it

Pekka Hämäläinen

The rise and fall of the Lakota Empire

The secret society of the Great Dismal Swamp

Candis Watts Smith

3 myths about racism that keep the US from progress

Why aren't there more Native American restaurants?

The dark history of the Chinese Exclusion Act

Khadijah Tribble

How marijuana reform could repair, reclaim and restore communities

What few people know about the program that "saved" America

Susan M. Reverby

Ugly History: The US syphilis experiment

Orisanmi Burton

What really happened during the Attica Prison Rebellion

Who decides what's in the dictionary?

Katherine M. Gehl

US politics isn't broken. It's fixed

The exploitation of US college athletes

Amber McReynolds

An election system that puts voters (not politicians) first

What if mental health workers responded to emergency calls?

Debunking the myth of the Lost Cause: A lie embedded in American history

See all talks on United States

Exclusive articles about United States

5 myths — and 5 truths — about the reality of racism in the US

Unchallenged, these myths can distract us from the real work that needs to be done and the real issues that must be addressed to end racism, says researcher and political scientist Candis Watts Smith PhD. Here's what you should know.

Posted May 2021

To be Asian in America is to keep a list of places where you know you’ll be seen as more than a visitor

A reflection on going to restaurants and why we all want to be seen as more than a visitor, from author and illustrator Jonny Sun.

Posted Apr 2021

Why saying “Asians are good at math” isn’t a compliment — it’s racism

Today, Asians are often seen as the “model minority” – hardworking, academically talented and professionally successful – but it wasn’t always that way.

Posted Mar 2021

See all articles on United States