Christmas Trees: History and Myth
What could be more traditional than the Christmas tree? And wouldn’t it be great if the tradition went back to ancient times? Or at least wouldn’t it be great if …
Christmas: Commercialism, FDR, the Nazis, and Beyond! Encore!
Professor Philip Nash explains the complexities of the celebration and commercialism of Christmas — from the Roman holiday of Saturnalia to the Victorian era to the Nazi period and beyond! …
Christmas: Commercialism, FDR, the Nazis, and Beyond! Encore! Listen Now
Fit Nation: The History of America’s Exercise Obsession
Dr. Natalia Mehlmen Petrzela explains why Americans are more obsessed with exercise than ever, and yet also unhealthier. Her great new book, Fit Nation, explains how we got here and …
Fit Nation: The History of America’s Exercise Obsession Listen Now
Watergate and the History of Investigative Journalism
We use the Watergate crisis to examine some of the myths surrounding the history of investigative journalism. By looking both at the 1970s and at the 19th century, we learn …
Watergate and the History of Investigative Journalism Listen Now
Understanding Warren G. Harding
Crikey. Most people don’t know much about President Warren G. Harding and his corrupt administration, but they should! A fascinating life and, um, a fascinating look at how corruption and …
Thanksgiving: History and Myth
By 1849, Sarah Josepha Buell Hale was an enormously successful teacher, writer, and editor in Boston. She wrote dramatic novels and magazine articles, and edited various important journals, especially The …
Lydia Maria Child: Woman Crush Wednesday
Join us on this Woman Crush Wednesday discussion of Lydia Maria Child, one of nineteenth-century America’s most courageous abolitionists. She started her career as a beloved and self-sufficient female author …
“Wayward Sisters, Depart in Peace” – Winfield Scott: Quote or No Quote?
Politics in the United States is often divisive. Just in the few short years that this show has graced the podcast world, we have seen a drastic increase in violent …
“Wayward Sisters, Depart in Peace” – Winfield Scott: Quote or No Quote? Listen Now
Vernon Burton: Historians as Legal Expert Witnesses
Dr. Vernon Burton tells us about his experiences as an expert witness in civil rights and voting legal cases. It’s a fascinating look into how the work of historians can …
Vernon Burton: Historians as Legal Expert Witnesses Listen Now
