Podcast Episodes

Teddy Roosevelt's "Race Suicide" Fears (1903) w/ Andrew Porwancher

It's 1903. This day, Teddy Roosevelt is visiting Ellis Island amid a fierce conversation about American immigration policy.

Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Andrew Porwancher of Arizona State to d…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

The Obamacare Website Crashes On Day One (2013)

It's October 13th. This day in 2013, the healthcare.gov website is a total fiasco. It had launched a couple weeks earlier and was immediately unusable, with only six people being able to enroll in th…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

Teach-Ins (Plus A Special Announcement!) w/ Nate DiMeo

It's October 9th. Today, we look back at the first "teach-ins" at the University of Michigan in 1965, and discuss the power of gathering together to learn and teach. Plus, we announce our very own te…

Published on 2 months ago

The First Modern Shutdown w/ Steve Kornacki (2013) [Archive Episode]

Today, we look back an episode we did about October 2013, when the United States government shut down after the Congress was unable to agree to a new budget proposal, that had been saddled with provi…

Published on 2 months ago

The First Time Democrats Shut Down The Government (1879) [Some Sunday Context]

On Sundays, we try to bring you new conversations and episodes from the archives that provide a little context for the news of 2025. Today: a look back at the very first government shutdown, and how …

Published on 2 months ago

"We Didn't Start The Fire's" Crash Course In History (1989)

It's October 2nd. This day in 1989, Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire," which name-checks a ton of events that took place from the 50s through the 80s, is rocketing up the charts.

Jody, Niki, and…

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago

The Elaine Massacre (1919)

It's September 30th. This day in 1919, a bloody racial conflict is breaking out in the Arkansas Delta.

Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how a push to organize sharecroppers, combined with rumors and a f…

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago

Post-911 Patriotic Mania (2001) [Chilled Speech Week Pt 2]

This week, we're bringing you two episodes that highlight periods in American history where political speech was being policied, repressed, and persecuted -- much like it is today.

Today: A look back …

Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago

The Red Channels Whisper Network (1950) [Chilled Speech Week Pt 1]

It's September 22nd. This week, we're bringing you two episodes that highlight periods in American history where political speech was being policied, repressed, and persecuted -- much like it is toda…

Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago

Campus Loyalty Oaths [Some Sunday Context]

It's Sunday, and on Sundays we like to bring you new conversations and conversations from the archives that help provide a little context for the stories playing out today. Today, as we see a chillin…

Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago