Episodes
The Exodusters: The Great Migration You Haven’t Heard About
Before the Great Migration, there was a smaller, yet just as important emigration of Black Americans out of the South. For several months in 1879, thousands of freedmen and their families headed for Kansas, hoping to create a...
Selling Out Santa: A Deep Dive into Post-War Cinema with Dr. Vaughn Joy
Join me as I welcome historian and media literacy expert Dr. Vaughn Joy to discuss her book Selling Out Santa: Hollywood Christmas Films in the Age of McCarthy. The book explores the evolution of Christmas films during the po...
The Posse Comitatus Act Explained
Why the U.S. military isn’t supposed to enforce civilian law — and when that rule breaks down. Passed in 1878, the Posse Comitatus Act was designed to limit the federal government’s use of the U.S. military in domestic law enforcement. The law emerged amid the tensions of Reconstruction, when federal troops were regularly deployed to maintain order in the former Confederate states. In this episode, learn why lawmakers drew a sharp line between soldiers and police, what the Posse Comitatus Ac…
Run to Freedom: The Nez Perce War
Over the span of four months, several small bands of Nez Perce tried in vain to escape the clutches of the United States government. Traveling over a one thousand miles, hundreds of Nez Perce outmaneuvered the military, only to be forced into surrender less than one hundred miles from the Canadian border. What brought on the conflict between the two sides? And why does the Nez Perce fly under the radar? Tune in to find out.
The Power of Representation: Dr. Orr on House of Diggs
Join me this week as I sit down with Dr. Marion Orr to discuss his book House of Diggs: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Consequential Black Congressman, Charles C. Diggs Jr. Learn about how Congressman Diggs brought national attention to the murder trial of Emmett Till, fought against apartheid in South Africa, and pioneered Black political influence in establishing the Congressional Black Caucus.
Lucy Webb Hayes: The Quietly Radical First Lady
Entering the White House as women's roles in the United States were rapidly evolving, Lucy Webb Hayes represented a potential bridge for many. Would she be a champion for suffrage and temperance? Would she use her position as First Lady to usher in a new era for the United States? Tune in to find out.
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877: The Uprising That Shocked the Nation
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 stands as a pivotal moment in American labor history, illustrating the clash between workers' rights and corporate power. Sparked by wage cuts amid an economic depression, this strike transcended its origins, morphing into a widespread social revolution that echoed the frustrations of ordinary Americans across the nation. Tune in to learn all about the causes, lessons, and legacies of the Great Strike of 1877 and how it influenced future labor movements…
Predator or Prey: The Real Jaws with Rachel Lee Perez
Join me this week as I sit down with Rachel Lee Perez to discuss her book The Real Jaws: The Attacks That Inspired the Movies. Learn how a series of deadly attacks along the New Jersey shore in the summer of 1916 inspired the...
From Disputed Election to Gilded Age Leader: Rutherford B Hayes Part 2
Join me this week as I wrap up my coverage of Rutherford B. Hayes. Learn how the president jumped from one domestic crisis to another: from demands to recall federal troops in the south to tackling the issue of civil service reform. How did Hayes deal with the anti-Chinese sentiment brewing out west? Or the debates over land distribution regarding Indigenous Americans? Tune in to find out.
And don't forget to tune into the episode dedicated to the election of 1876 so you know j…
From Disputed Election to Gilded Age Leader: Rutherford B Hayes Part 1
He came to office after a hotly contested election and served only a single term. How did Rutherford B. Hayes change the presidency and the United States?
Tune into this episode where I lay the groundwork for understanding the twentieth president of the United States. Learn about Hayes' early days, his military service, and his pre-presidential political appointments.
Welcome to the Gilded Age: Wealth, Upheaval, and Reinvention
The Gilded Age began as the United States marked the 100th anniversary of independence, entering an era of rapid industrial growth and profound social change. This introductory episode sets the stage for what you can expect in my coverage of the Gilded Age, exploring how new technologies, expanding railroads, and rising industrial power transformed everyday life.
Learn how as wealth accumulated at the top and economic inequality widened workers organized and demanded better and safer…
Beyond Patriots vs. Loyalists: The Global American Revolution with Dr. Richard Bell
Was the American Revolution really just a colonial rebellion against Britain? According to historian Dr. Richard Bell, the answer is no. In this episode, we discuss Bell’s book The American Revolution and the Fate of the Worl...
With Her Own Hands: Dr. Nicole Nehrig on Women, Work, and the Meaning of Making
Join me as I sit down with Dr. Nicole Nehrig to discuss her book With Her Own Hands: Women Weaving Their Stories which explores the historical and psychological significance of textiles and knitting. She emphasizes the critic...
Entangled Alliances: The Global Roots of American Freedom with Dr. Ronald Angelo Johnson
Join me as I sit down with historian Ronald Angelo Johnson to explore his groundbreaking book Entangled Alliances: Black Internationalism in the Early American Republic . Johnson reveals how free Black communities, Caribbean ...
Fearless Women: Exploring Patriotic Feminism with Dr. Elizabeth Cobbs
Join me as I welcome historian and bestselling author Dr. Elizabeth Cobbs about her book Fearless Women and her powerful concept of patriotic feminism. Dr. Cobbs explains how generations of American women have pushed the nati...
The Election of 1876: Bargain or Betrayal?
The presidential election of 1876 stands as one of the most contested and consequential turning points in American history. In this episode, I explore the dramatic showdown between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel Tilden, unfolding at a moment when the country was still grappling with the legacy of Reconstruction.
Join me as I highlight how a political crisis emerged when disputed returns from the South threw the nation into chaos without a constitutional remedy. Wh…
The Fourth Annual Friendsgiving Podcast Spectacular
Your favorite history podcasters are back again! Join myself, Kenny from Abridged Presidential Histories, Howard from Plodding Through the Presidencies, and Jerry from The Presidencies of the United States as we chat about th...
The Battle of Little Bighorn: The Victory That Doomed a Nation
What really happened at the Battle of Little Bighorn and how did a single momentous victory seal the fate of the Plains tribes?
Join me this week as I dive into the events that led to Custer’s defeat, the broken treaties and gold rush that fueled the conflict, and how the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho achieved one of the most decisive Native victories in U.S. history. I also explore how the aftermath reshaped federal policy, public opinion, and the future of the Great Plains…
Inside The Gods of New York: Johnathan Mahler on the Decade That Remade the City
In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Mahler, author of The Gods of New York, to explore the four years that transformed America’s greatest city—and foretold the divisions that would come to define the nation. From Wall S...
The Alien Enemies Act: When Fear Became Law—and Never Left
Passed in 1798 as part of the notorious Alien and Sedition Acts, the Alien Enemies Act has outlived its controversial siblings — and it’s still on the books today. In this episode, I trace its origins in the fear and politics of the early republic, how presidents from Madison to FDR have invoked it in times of war, and what it means that this 18th-century law remains active in the 21st century.
From the tension between liberty and security to the ways old laws shape modern policy, th…
Reconstruction's Legacy: The Second Founding That Could Have Been
In this episode, I look back on the Reconstruction era — a period that represented both a second founding of the United States and one of its greatest unfinished revolutions. Over the past year, I explored the political battles, social transformations, and cultural reckonings that defined Reconstruction. Now, I reflect on what that history means and how it set the stage for the Gilded Age that followed.
Public Memory & Myths: Matthew Davis on A Biography of a Mountain
Join me as I sit down with author Matthew Davis to discuss his new book, A Biography of a Mountain , an in-depth look at the creation, meaning, and legacy of Mount Rushmore. Davis explores how the monument came to symbolize b...
The Insurrection Act: A Civics Lesson in Power, Law, and Order
The Insurrection Act has stood at the crossroads of law, power, and public order for over two centuries. This episode traces its roots from the Militia Acts of 1792 and 1795 to its modern interpretations in moments of national crisis. Discover how this rarely invoked law has shaped presidential authority, balanced federal and state power, and influenced some of the most turbulent chapters in American history. A civics deep dive into how one statute continues to test the boundaries of democra…
Victoria Woodhull: Eden Collinsworth on a Most Improbable Life
She was a child clairvoyant, the first woman to own a Wall Street brokerage firm—and in 1872, she became the first woman to run for president of the United States. Join me as I sit down with author Eden Collinsworth to unpack the astonishing, unconventional, and often-overlooked life of Victoria Woodhull. Drawing from her new book The Improbable Victoria Woodhull, Collinsworth shares insights into Woodhull’s rise from spiritualist and outsider to a figure who challenged nearly every social a…