The past isn’t past when its damage still shapes the present.

We like to think the past stays buried, tucked away in history books and old photos. But the truth is, so much of what feels chaotic and broken right now has been centuries in the making. Behind today’s headlines are long, tangled roots—stories of exploitation, stolen land, suppressed movements, and choices that never stopped echoing. These aren’t just forgotten chapters. They’re still shaping laws, economies, and even daily lives, whether most people realize it or not.
When we skip over these histories, we lose the full picture of why the world feels the way it does today. It’s not random. It’s not new. And it’s definitely not over. These 13 buried stories help explain how we ended up here—and why understanding them is one of the first steps toward real change. Digging them up doesn’t just connect the dots. It makes it harder to look away.








