Episodes
Lost to History: The Van Buren Women
Hannah Van Buren never lived to see her husband take the oath of office as the eighth president of the United States. Passing away decades before he hit the national stage, very little is known about the woman who would have become the first First Lady to be born a United States citizen.
Instead, Van Buren came to rely on his daughter in-law, Angelica Singleton Van Buren.
Both of these women played important roles in Van Buren's life, however very little is known about…
Martin Van Buren
The eighth president of the United States is likely a mystery to most casual history lovers, however his impact and legacy can be felt today.
So just who was Martin Van Buren? How did he get into politics? And how did his work lead to the creation of party politics?
Tune in to learn all of this and more.
Sisters in Arms: Women Anti Slavery Conventions
Women were a dominating and powerful force when it came to abolition. Though they were largely overlooked in male driven abolitionist societies, women pushed ahead and established their own networks and organizations aimed at ending the practice of slavery.
As groups popped up throughout the country, they decided to meet as a collective and streamline their efforts. These meetings, held between 1837 and 1839 are historic for a number of reasons.
The Second Seminole War
At the height for the push to relocate thousands of indigenous Americans, a conflict erupted between the Seminole of central Florida and the United States.
Known as the Second Seminole War, this conflict took place between 1835 and 1842. So what was the Second Seminole War? Tune in to find out.
Public Spaces: A Conversation with Holley Snaith
This week I am joined by Holley Snaith, public historian and writer who has participated in projects with the National Park Service, The Richard Nixon Foundation and much more.
In this episode, she and I discuss the field of public history and dive into some of her fascinating exhibits.
If you want to learn more about Holley, head to her website at www.holleysnaith.com
Harriet Tubman: Part Two
Join me as I wrap up the narrative of Harriet Tubman; abolitionist, Underground Railroad conductor and Civil War spy.
In this episode I dive into her time on the railroad, her efforts to help the Union Army achieve victory in the Civil War and her later efforts at establishing a home to care for the elderly in her home of upstate New York.
Harriet Tubman (Part One)
One of the most mythical women found in American history, the name Harriet Tubman is synonymous with the Underground Railroad.
But Tubman, who singlehandedly liberated over one hundred slaves during her time as a conductor, is so much more than what we learned in school.
Join me this week as I dive into part one of the life of this amazing woman.
Debtors Prisons (Listener Request)
In the early days of the republic, thousands of European settlers made the journey to the new world, often without any money with which to support themselves or the costs associated with crossing The Atlantic.
To pay for this cost, many individuals entered into indenture service contracts to work it off until their balance was paid in full. However, as credit expanded and debts soared, so too did the punishment for failure to pay.
Debtors prisons, as they became known, were…
Nat Turner's Rebellion
One August night, under the cover of darkness, a small band of enslaved men quietly struck a blow against the system that claimed ownership of their bodies. As they moved from house to house, silently killing the families who lorded over them, they instigated in one of the bloodiest slave uprisings in American history.
Join me this week as I dive into the history of Nat Turner's rebellion. Who was Nat Turner? What was his rebellion? And what were its impacts?
The Liberty Line: The History of the Underground Railroad
Many learned about the Underground Railroad in their history classes. Often described as a super secret network filled with tunnels and various stops along the route to freedom, the Underground Railroad has become a thing of mythic proportions. But would you believe me if I told you the railroad was not all that secret?
Join me this week as I dive into the history of the Underground Railroad. How did it come about? How successful was it?
The Grimke Sisters: A Conversation with Broadly Underestimated
Sarah and Angelina Grimké were well known abolitionist activists who not only worked tirelessly in their pursuit to end the institution of slavery, but also advocated for the rights of women.
However, much of the legacy and story of The Grimke Sisters remains untold. Join me as I welcome Kristyn from Broadly Underestimated as we dive into the lives, influences and impacts of these two amazing women in history.
You can find more of Kristyn on her amazing show, Broadly Undere…
The Case of Henrietta Wood (Listener Request)
The topic of reparations has been a contentious debate since the end of the Civil War over a century ago. But in the immediate aftermath of the war, one woman successfully sued a man she claimed illegally kidnapped her and forced into servitude. Her name? Henrietta Wood.
Join me this week as I dive into the history of Henrietta Wood and her judgment as the largest reparations payment ever awarded in United States history.
Unspoken: Healthcare Before Roe
In May, news leaked of a draft Supreme Court decision regarding a Mississippi ban on abortion. As written, the opinion seeks to overturn two landmark Supreme Court cases regarding women's healthcare rights: Planned Parenthood v Casey and Roe v Wade.
As the opinion hit the news, I received several requests to cover the topic of abortion in the United States. As I mention in the episode, I think the topic is too nuanced and far reaching to cover adequately in one episode. However,…
Unexpected Bravery: A Conversation with A.J. Schenkman
Join me this week as I sit down and chat with author, historian and educator A.J. Schenkman about his recent book, Unexpected Bravery.
His book tells the stories of women and children who made the commitment to join in the fight of the Civil War and the steps they took to serve their country, despite the societal and sometimes legal norms of the time.
A.J. Schenkman is the author of several books and historical articles. You can find more information about him, including ho…
The Almost First Lady: Rachel Jackson
In the final edition of the Andrew Jackson series, I am taking a look at the life of his wife and soulmate, Rachel Donelson Jackson.
Though she passed away before Jackson assumed office, the marriage between Rachel and Andrew Jackson was one for the ages. Though their relationship started in scandal, a scandal that would came to haunt them as Jackson pursued national politics, it was also one of true dedication and admiration of one another.
So tune in and hear about just w…
Andrew Jackson: A Discussion with Presidencies of the United States
This week is a continuation of the series on Andrew Jackson and this time I am welcoming a special guest, Jerry from the Presidencies of the United States Podcast.
Andrew Jackson has a complicated and nuanced legacy. He was the original outsider and man of the people; he was a man who held tightly to his sense of honor and was unafraid to fight for what he believed in. His was also the administration that put a mighty steak through the heart of the indigenous tribes who lived within…
The Indian Removal Act of 1830
During his eight years as president of the United States, Andrew Jackson passed one major piece of legislation: the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
A bill set up to allow negotiations between the federal government and tribal nations for land exchanges, it quickly set the precedent of forced indigenous removal. So what was the Indian Removal Act? And what were its impacts?
Don't forget the Intelligent Speech Conference is just a few weeks away - be sure to grab your tickets…
The Original Outsider: Andrew Jackson
Happy June Peeps!
This month is going to be all about Andrew Jackson. I knew when I started plotting out my coverage of the seventh president of the United States a single episode just wasn't going to cut it - so get ready for a Jackson bonanza.
This week, I am starting with the life and political rise of the man himself. Who was Andrew Jackson? Why was he so popular? And what impacts did he leave on the nation?
Tune in to find out all of this and more.
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Missing: The Kidnapping of Black Americans
Although the international slave trade was outlawed in 1808, the demand for free labor continued to escalate as the country expanded and the cotton crop overtook tobacco as the country's most in demand export.
When the domestic slave trade proved insufficient, or too expensive, many planters resorted to purchasing their labor on the black market. These individuals were often free young men and women who were kidnapped from their homes in the north and forced into a life of serv…
Woodstock
Join me this week as I dive into another listener request: the history of the epic music festival, Woodstock.
In the summer of 1969, four young men put on what came to be the most memorable music festival of a generation. For four days, thousands of young Americans enjoyed the performances of the artists that came to define sixties: Jefferson Airplane, Credence Clearwater Revival and Jimi Hendrix. But what was the inspiration of Woodstock? How did it come together? And why does it s…
The Freedom's Journal
Join me this week as I dive into the history of the Freedom's Journal, the first black owned and operated newspaper in American history.
Started by two free men in 1828, The Freedom's Journal influenced a generation of writers, editors and artists by providing a platform for black voices. For the first time in history, their newspaper was nonpartisan and strove to provide both sides of an argument.
What was the Freedom's Journal? And who were the men behind t…
The Adams Men (with Abridged Presidential Histories)
Welcome to episode 100 peeps!
Join me this week as I chat with presidential history podcast host extraordinaire, Kenny Ryan, about John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams. Both men had strikingly similar careers and both go mostly unrecognized in popular culture, despite their immense contributions to history.
Kenny Ryan is the host of Abridged Presidential Histories, a podcast dedicated to sharing the life and impacts of our past presidents. He expertly weaves a concise n…
The Chosen Son: John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth president of the United States, elected in a "corrupt bargain" when the House of Representatives voted him into office, despite Andrew Jackson winning both the popular and electoral votes.
Adams' presidency was not one for the record books, but his diplomatic career was one for the ages. Join me this week as I dive into the life and career of John Quincy Adams. From the Treaty of Ghent to his opposition to the annexation of Texas, John …
Resilient: Louisa Adams (Part Two)
Join me as I wrap up the life of Louisa Catherine Adams.
In this episode, I explore her time overseas with her husband while he served as Minister to Russia and her efforts to get John Quincy Adams elected president.
I also cover her time as First Lady, what her thoughts were about Adams' resurgence in the House of Representatives and her legacy.