Reconstruction's Legacy: The Second Founding That Could Have Been

Joining me this week is presidential historian and author, Dr. Lindsay M Chervinsky to discuss her latest work, Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture. In this episode we talk about how national mourning practices have evolved, what we can learn about our reactions to vari…

The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union was one of the most powerful reform organizations of the 19th century, but its story goes far beyond banning booze. Sit down with me as I dive into the WTCU's origins, its wide-ranging activism, and the influential women who helped shape its legacy. From th…

Charles Sumner was one of the fiercest voices for abolition and racial equality in 19th-century America, but how much do we really know about the man behind the Senate desk? Join me as I sit down with Zaakir Tameez, author of Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation, to explore the radical ideas, bol…

Tune in as I tackle the mystery surrounding Sally Hemings, the enslaved woman who had a decades long affair with Thomas Jefferson. While so much of her story remains unknown, the story of Sally Hemings remains a critical piece of the American story. Who was Sally Hemings? How did their relation…