Michele Norris

On June 11, 1963, Gov. George Wallace stood at the University of Alabama to block two black students attempting to cross the color line and register for classes. The event forever associated him with segregation. His daughter, Peggy Wallace Kennedy, 63, is trying to shake that link.

Elysha O'Brien calls herself a "Mexican white girl." Not just because of her ethnically ambiguous appearance, she says, but also because she can't speak Spanish. Fearing their children would experience discrimination if they spoke Spanish, her parents chose not to teach them their native tongue.

Dr. Gregory McGriff, a black doctor in a largely white community, says gaining his patients' trust requires him to spend more time and "communicate a little bit more" than his white colleagues. He says that disparity, while seeming unfair, has helped to make him a better doctor.

Former schoolteacher Rick Riordan delivers a lesson in ancient Egyptian history cleverly disguised as a hair-raising kids adventure. Carter and Sadie Kane have no idea they are descended from age-old sorcerers until their archaeologist father accidentally unleashes ancient gods into modern society.

In 1877, Anna Sewell wrote a novel about human kindness and cruelty — all from the point of view of a horse. In the decades since, Black Beauty has been embraced by generations of children, and has helped change the way we treat and think about horses.

In 1857, a group of American intellectuals founded The Atlantic and used it to challenge the institution of slavery. Now, on the 150th anniversary of the Civil War's beginning, a new issue of the magazine reaches back to a time when slavery — and the future of the United States — was still an open question.

Afghanistan's election commission has cancelled plans for a presidential runoff vote, and declared Hamid Karzai the winner. The move followed a decision by Karzai's only remaining challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, to pull out of the race.

Supporters loyal to Iran's supreme leader took to the streets Tuesday at a massive rally organized by the clerical regime. Later, supporters of presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi staged another protest against the election results. Meanwhile, the government said it would recount some disputed ballots, and foreign media were barred from covering rallies in Tehran.

Ahmed Gailani, the first Guantanamo detainee to stand trial in federal court, arrived in New York Tuesday to stand trial for the 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. His case is part of a much broader national debate over how to handle the roughly 240 detainees being held at the camp.

The health care industry stepped forward Monday with big cost savings to help President Obama pass an overhaul plan. The pledge came at a White House meeting of groups representing health insurers, hospitals, doctors, drug-makers and a major labor union.