BackStory with the American History Guys
By VFH Radio at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities
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Podcast Description
BackStory is a call-in radio show that brings historical perspective to the events happening around us every day. Each week, renowned U.S. historians Ed Ayers, Peter Onuf, and Brian Balogh tear a topic from the headlines and plumb its historical depths.
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Podcast: Big News From BackStory (also some sports) | We know that it's been a while since you've heard from us, and we apologize for that. We miss you too. Hopefully the news contained in this here podcast will ameliorate some of the pain. If you're interested in reading more about college sports in American history, follow this link. (http://backstoryradio.org/the-athlete-the-amateur-the-academic/) | 2/4/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Naughty & Nice: A History of The Holiday Season | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2010/12/caughtinact.jpg)Christmas may be the big kahuna of American holy days, but it wasn’t always so. It used to be a time of drunken rowdiness, when the poor would demand food and money from the rich. The Puritans banned Christmas altogether. It wasn’t until the 1820s that the holiday was re-invented as the peaceful, family-oriented, and consumeristic ritual we celebrate today. In this episode, the History Guys examine the history of the “holiday season” in America. Has Christmas grown more or less religious? How has the holiday evolved and changed here? To what extent was Hanukkah a reaction to Christmas, and how have American Jews shaped and reshaped their own wintertime rituals? Guests include: * Stephen Nissenbaum (http://www.umass.edu/history/faculty/nissenbaum.html), historian and author of The Battle for Christmas (http://www.amazon.com/Battle-Christmas-Stephen-Nissenbaum/dp/0679740384) * John Gibson, host of Fox News Radio and author of The War on Christmas: How the Liberal Plot to Ban the Sacred Christian Holiday is Worse than You Thought (http://www.amazon.com/War-Christmas-Liberal-Christian-Holiday/dp/1595230289/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260463788&sr=1-1) * Rabbi Laura Baum, founder of ourjewishcommunity.org (http://www.ourjewishcommunity.org/) * Tyrone Jones, Santa Claus impersonator at Cheltenham Square Mall Show Highlights Listen (http://backstoryradio.org/naughty-nice-show-highlights/) to individual excerpts from the show, including interviews with historian Stephen Nissenbaum, Rabbi Laura Baum, and Santa impersonator Tyrone Jones. Web Exclusive Listen (http://backstoryradio.org/stephen-nissenbaums-history-of-christmas/) to more of historian Stephen Nissenbaum's conversation with 18th century guy Peter Onuf. Here, they discuss the history of Christmas in the slave south. Further Exploration Click here (http://backstoryradio.org/naughty-nice-online-resources/) for a comprehensive list of online resources on the history of Christmas, Hannukah, and Kwanzaa. Even Further... * See a listing of the music (http://backstoryradio.org/2009/12/naughty-nice-music-listing/) used in this episode. * Read the full transcript (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2009/12/Naughty-Nice-A-History-of-the-Holiday-SeasonTF.doc) of "Naughty & Nice." | 12/20/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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In the Beginning: Evolution & Creation in America | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2010/03/godadam-e1269883893851.jpg) In 1925, Tennessee high school teacher John Scopes was charged with violating a state law banning the teaching of evolution. Back then, many people believed the Scopes "Monkey Trial" would be the last gasp of the anti-evolution movement. But 85 years later, only a minority of Americans believe Darwin was right. On this episode of BackStory, the History Guys explore the ways Americans have attempted to grapple with the biggest question of them all: “Where did we come from?” Together, they trace the ups and downs in the relationship between science and religion. Are there times when the two have not been at odds? How did the Founders conceive of “creation,” and why did the idea of extinction pose such a challenge to their worldview? How were Darwin’s ideas received in the U.S., and why did it take six decades before public school systems started challenging the teaching of his theories? What lessons does history offer those interested in charting a peaceful relationship between science and religion in the future? Guests Include: * Ronald Numbers - Professor of the History of Science and Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (http://histsci.wisc.edu/people/faculty/numbers.shtml). * Joe Wilkey - Head of the Department of Science at Rhea County High School, Evensville, TN. Features and Highlights Listen to an extended interview (http://backstoryradio.org/in-the-beginning-features-and-highlights/) with Professor of the History of Science and Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Further Reading Resources galore! The BackStory team has pulled together some outside material (http://backstoryradio.org/in-the-beginning-further-reading/) to help you navigate the world of origin stories. Even Further... * Full Show Transcript (http://backstoryradio.org/in-the-beginning-transcript/) | 11/30/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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American as Pumpkin Pie: A History of Thanksgiving | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2011/11/boy-w-turkey.jpg)When we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner, we think we know what we’re commemorating. But if an actual Pilgrim were to attend your Thanksgiving, chances are he’d be stunned by what he saw there. In this episode, historian James McWilliams discusses why the Puritans would have turned up their noses at our "traditional" Thanksgiving foods. Religion scholar Anne Blue Wills reveals the Victorian origins of our modern holiday, and one woman's campaign to fix it on the national calendar. An archeologist at Colonial Williamsburg explains what garbage has to tell us about early American diets. And legendary NFL quarterback Roger Staubach describes what it was like to spend every turkey day on the football field. Guests Include: * Roger Staubach (http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PLAYER_ID=201), former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys * Anne Blue Wills (http://www3.davidson.edu/cms/x6041.xml?ss=print), Professor of Religion and author of "Pilgrims and Progress: How Magazines Made Thanksgiving (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2008/11/pilgrims-and-progress.pdf)" (PDF) * Joanne Bowen, Curator of Zooarchaeology (http://www.history.org/media/podcasts/060809/Zooarchaeology.cfm) at Colonial Williamsburg * James McWilliams (http://www.txstate.edu/history/people/faculty/mcwilliams.html), historian and author of A Revolution in Eating: How the Quest for Food Shaped America Web Exclusives So that you might have something to look at while listening to a couple of highlights from our show, we compiled two special audio slide shows. Watch them here. (http://backstoryradio.org/american-as-pumpkin-pie-web-exclusives/) Further Reading Want to learn more about the history of Thanksgiving? Check out a list (http://backstoryradio.org/american-as-pumpkin-pie-further-reading/) of sources that the History Guys put together to learn more. Even Further * Full Show Transcript (http://www.backstoryradio.org/2009/11/american-as-pumpkin-pie-transcript/) | 11/22/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Coming Home: A History of War Veterans | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2008/09/veteran.jpg) (Originally produced in 2008.) Most news coverage of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan focuses on troop movements, suicide bombings, and the geopolitical developments at work. Only rarely do we hear the stories of individual men and women fighting there, and hardly ever do we hear what it’s like for those Americans when they return home. Has it always been thus? How have veterans been treated in the aftermath of America’s previous wars? How much depends on the politics of the war – are vets only as popular as the wars they’ve fought in? These are some of the central questions on the table as we explore veterans' experiences through three centuries of American life. Guests Include: * Frank Earnest (http://www.scvva.org/contacts/DivOfficers.html), past Commander of the Virginia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (http://www.scv.org/) * Rebecca Jo Plant (http://history.ucsd.edu/people/faculty/plant-rebecca.html), historian and author of Mom: The Transformation of Motherhood in Modern America * Ed Tick (http://www.soldiersheart.net/about/staff_ny.shtml), Director of Soldier's Heart (http://www.soldiersheart.net/), a nonprofit serving America's war veterans and their families Show Highlights * Conflicting Loyalties (http://www.backstoryradio.org/2009/05/conflicting-loyalties/) Sons of Confederate Veterans spokesman Frank Earnest tells 19th Century History Guy Ed Ayers how he reconciles his Confederate heritage with his identity as a veteran of the U.S. Navy. And he explains what the Confederate flag means to him. * Soldier's Heart (http://www.backstoryradio.org/2009/05/soldiers-heart/)Psychologist Edward Tick counsels combat veterans and studies historical accounts of war. He discusses the ways war was understood in the years before Post Traumatic Stress Disorder existed as a diagnosis. Further Reading Want to learn more about the history of War Veterans? Check out a comprehensive list (http://backstoryradio.org/coming-home-further-reading/) of sources that the History Guys put together to learn more. | 11/11/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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American Spirit: A History of the Supernatural | Halloween – despite its solemn Celtic roots – has become a safe way for Americans to transgress social norms and toy with the idea of ghosts in a family-friendly fashion. But for some, spirits from another plane have always been a very real part of life on this plane. On this Halloween special, the History Guys explore Americans’ relationship with ghosts, spirits, and witches throughout our nation’s history. Why were colonists so fearful of New England “witches”? How is it that progressive social reformers found a home in the Spiritualist movement of the 19th century? Why do new media technologies always conjure talk of the undead? Can social upheaval help explain our history with the ineffable? Guests Include: * Ann Braude (http://www.hds.harvard.edu/faculty/braude.cfm) -- Director of the Women's Studies in Religion Program at Harvard Divinity School and author of Radical Spirits: Spritualism and Women's Rights in Nineteenth-century America * Cara Seekings -- Spirit medium and resident at the Lily Dale Assembly (http://www.lilydaleassembly.com/) * Nate DiMeo -- listen to more of his stories about the forgotten corners of American history at thememorypalace.us (http://thememorypalace.us/). Web Exclusives * Listen (http://backstoryradio.org/2010/10/american-spirit-web-exclusives/) to an extended version of Ed's interview with spirit medium Cara Seekings. * Call of the Week (http://backstoryradio.org/2010/10/call-of-the-week-dawn-from-charlottesville/): Dawn from Charlottesville asks about the history of Halloween mischief Further Reading * A list of recommended readings (http://backstoryradio.org/?p=1899) from BackStory staff * Want to dig deeper into the history of the Supernatural? Check out this list of resources (http://backstoryradio.org/american-spirit-further-reading/) put together by the History Guys to learn more. Even Further... * Listing (http://backstoryradio.org/2010/10/american-spirit-music-listing/) of the music heard in "American Spirit" * Full transcript (http://backstoryradio.org/?p=1907) of the show | 10/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Indian Country Virginia: Real & Imagined | In this live performance at Colonial Williamsburg's Kimball Theatre, the History Guys take on the history of Indians in Virginia. From Jamestown to Thomas Jefferson to Disney's Pocahontas, they consider some of the ways Virginian Indians have been imagined by non-Native people, and reflect on how those images have shifted over the centuries. Along the way, they are joined by two special guests, actor Larry Pourier and Colonial Williamsbug's own Buck Woodard -- both of whom contributed to the 2005 film The New World. Guests Include * Larry Pourier, native production manager for Colonial Williamsburg * Buck Woodard, manager at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and adjunct instructor at Virginia Commonwealth University and the College of William and Mary Further Reading * More on (http://www.bu.edu/historic/hs/james_horn/) the Jamestown and Roanoke settlements * A detailed analysis (http://www.latrobe.edu.au/screeningthepast/25/pocahontas-new-world.html) of Terrence Malick’s The New World | 10/10/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Borrowed Times: A History of the National Debt | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2011/04/bondswhich.jpg)“A national debt, if it is not excessive, will be to us a national blessing.” - Alexander Hamilton With Congress at a standstill over whether to raise the nation’s borrowing limit, and the national debt approaching the size of the entire U.S. economy, you’d be hard pressed to find a politician with anything good to say about our debt. But America’s first Treasury Secretary famously called it a “national blessing.” What did he mean by that, and are there other times in history when Americans have actually celebrated our national debt? On this episode, the History Guys ask why debt has continued to be so controversial in a nation that was founded on borrowing. What factors have contributed most to our ballooning deficit, and who, historically, have been most concerned about it? To whom does the nation owe all this money, and how has the slate of creditors changed? Is the current debt crisis truly unprecedented? How can history help us understand the extent to which debt endangers our 21st century economy? Guests Include * Bill Chrystal (http://www.billchrystal.com/), Alexander Hamilton impersonator * Julia Ott, (http://www.newschool.edu/lang/faculty.aspx?id=3342) Asst. Prof. of History, The New School (When Wall Street Met Main Street: The Quest for an Investors' Democracy) Further Reading Want to dig deeper into Debt history? The BackStory research team has compiled a comprehensive list (http://backstoryradio.org/borrowed-times-further-reading/) of resources for further exploration. Even Further.... * Full Show Transcript (http://backstoryradio.org/borrowed-times-transcript-2/) * Listing (http://backstoryradio.org/borrowed-times-music-listing/) of Interstitial Music Used | 7/27/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Heart of the Stranger that Hovered Near | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2011/04/Whitman-1860.jpg)We don't think of Civil War hospitals as the most poetic of places, given the realities of 19th century medicine and the war's high casualty rates. But the poet Walt Whitman spent five years of his life in them, caring for wounded soldiers. He wrote that "The expression of American personality through this war is not to be looked for in the great campaign and the battle-fights. It is to be looked for in the hospitals, among the wounded." In this special "Civil War 150th" podcast, BackStory correspondent Catherine Moore collects segments of The Good Grey Poet's Civil War memoirs, diary entries, and poetry to tell the story of Walt Whitman's encounter with America's wounded. Listen to more of BackStory's "Civil War 150th" programming here (http://backstoryradio.org/three-civil-war-specials/). | 7/20/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Independence Daze: A History of July Fourth | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2008/07/july-4-new1.jpg) In the early days of our nation, July Fourth wasn’t an official holiday at all. In fact, it wasn’t until 1938 that it became a paid day-off. So how did the Fourth become the holiest day on our secular calendar? Historian Pauline Maier offers some answers, and explains how radically the meaning of the Declaration has changed since 1776. James Heintze chronicles early Independence Day Bacchanalia. And historian David Blight reflects on Frederick Douglass’ arresting 1852 Independence Day speech. Guests Include: * Pauline Maier (http://web.mit.edu/pmaier/www/maier.htm), Professor of History at MIT and author of American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence * James Heintze, Librarian Emeritus at American University and author of The Fourth of July Encyclopedia * David Blight (http://www.davidwblight.com/), Professor of History at Yale University and author of Frederick Douglass's Civil War: Keeping Faith in Jubilee Show Highlights * Declaring Independence (http://www.backstoryradio.org/2009/05/declaring-independence/) For years, the Declaration of Independence sat untouched in a dusty archive. So how did it become one of America’s most prized documents? Historian Pauline Maier talks about how the meanings of “independence” have evolved over time. * Guide to Frederick Douglass' speech (http://www.backstoryradio.org/2009/05/frederick-douglasss-fourth-of-july-speech/) Historian David Blight narrates a reenactment of Frederick Douglass’ 1852 speech, “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro,” widely known as one of the greatest Abolitionist speeches ever. In it, Douglass highlights the hypocrisy of celebrating liberty in a nation that allows slavery. Web Exclusive (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2010/06/douglass-copy.jpg)What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? Listen (http://www.backstoryradio.org/2009/06/the-meaning-of-july-fourth-for-a-negro/) to all of Frederick Douglass' speech, courtesy of TBM records (http://www.bickley.com/morsell.html). Further Reading Want to dig deeper into the history of July Fourth? Check out a list (http://backstoryradio.org/independence-daze-further-reading/) of sources that the History Guys put together to learn more. | 6/22/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Civil War 150th: The Road to Civil War | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2010/12/herculesofunion.jpg) In hindsight, it’s easy to see the Civil War as a conflict just waiting to happen. But to Americans in the spring of 1861, disunion was anything but inevitable. In the days leading up to the firing on Fort Sumter, in fact, Virginia officials rejected secession by a 2-1 margin. Even among those who expected war, few imagined the devastation that was just around the corner. In this episode, the History Guys focus on the dramatic six months between Abraham Lincoln’s election and the outbreak of war. Over the course of the hour, they attempt to understand the period from the perspective of Americans at the time. Why did abolitionists dread the prospect of Lincoln’s presidency? Why did slaveholders in many parts of the South argue against secession? What made the leaders of Virginia, a state long known as “the mother of presidents," finally decide to break their ties with the nation? How did 19th century ideas about race and gender shape people's decision-making? And finally, did the existence of slavery mean some kind of civil war would come sooner or later, or might war have been averted? "The Road to Civil War" is Part I of a three-part BackStory series commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Read Show Transcript (http://backstoryradio.org/the-road-to-civil-war-transcript/) Guests Include: * David Blight (http://www.yale.edu/history/faculty/blight.html) -- historian and author of A Slave No More and Frederick Douglass's Civil War * Elizabeth Varon (http://www.virginia.edu/history/user/334) -- historian and author of Disunion!: The coming of the American Civil War * William Freehling (http://www.virginiafoundation.org/pressreleases/freehling.html) -- historian and author of Showdown in Virginia and The Road to Disunion Features and Highlights Listen (http://backstoryradio.org/the-road-to-civil-war-features-and-highlights/) to the story of Lincoln's train journey from Springfield to Washington, DC, and hear extended versions of interviews in the show. Further Reading Want to peer further down the road to Civil War? The BackStory research team has compiled a comprehensive list of print and online resources for further exploration. Read On (http://backstoryradio.org/?p=2531). (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2009/01/eighthnote.jpg)Listing (http://backstoryradio.org/civil-war-150th-road-to-civil-war/) of the music heard in "Civil War 150th: The Road to Civil War" | 6/1/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Civil War 150th: Questions Remain | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2011/04/newsfromfrontcrop.jpg)In this third part of BackStory's “Civil War 150th” series, the History Guys present a special listener Q & A. The episode picks up on some of the themes of the previous two “Civil War 150th” episodes, and puts a number of new questions on the table. What role did religion play in the lead-up to war? Why did Abraham Lincoln free the slaves in the Confederate states before he freed the slaves in the loyal states? What is the relevance of the Civil War today? "Why They Fought" is Part III of a three-part BackStory series commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Read Show Transcript (http://backstoryradio.org/questions-remain-transcript/) Further Reading Still questioning? The BackStory research team has compiled a comprehensive list of print and online resources for further exploration. Read On (http://backstoryradio.org/?p=2531). | 4/8/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Civil War 150th: Why They Fought | 150 years ago this April, the Union went to war with the Confederacy. Ever since, Americans have been debating the causes of that war. Most historians today agree that it was fundamentally about slavery. And so what are we to make of the fact that most Southerners didn’t own any slaves, and most Northerners were not abolitionists? In this hour of BackStory, the History Guys turn the question of the war’s causes on its side, asking instead why Northerners and Southerners took up arms to fight one another. What causes, in other words, were they willing to die for? Were families on the home-front united in their commitment to war, or were there differences of opinion? Who didn’t want to fight? What did slavery mean to white people on both sides, and what role did enslaved and free African-Americans play in the liberation of slaves? How much did Americans’ reasons for fighting change between 1861 and 1864? And finally – how have intervening wars altered the ways we interpret the motivations of Civil War soldiers? "Why They Fought" is Part II of a three-part BackStory series commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Read Show Transcript Guests Include: * Adam Goodheart (http://knopfdoubleday.com/goodheart/) (lead author, New York Times “Disunion” series) * Christy Coleman (http://jepson.richmond.edu/forum/2008-09/coleman.html) (president, American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar) * Gary Gallagher (http://www.virginia.edu/history/user/23) (historian, University of Virginia) * Aaron Sheehan-Dean (http://www.unf.edu/%7Easheehan/Welcome.html) (historian, University of North Florida) * Catherine Clinton (http://www.catherineclinton.com/) (historian, Queens University Belfast) Features and Highlights Listen (http://backstoryradio.org/why-they-fought-features-and-highlights/) to historians Gary Gallagher and Aaron Sheehan-Dean explain what men on both sides of the conflict were really willing to die for. Further Reading Want to peer further down the road to Civil War? The BackStory research team has compiled a comprehensive list of print and online resources for further exploration. Read On (http://backstoryradio.org/?p=2531). (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2009/01/eighthnote.jpg)Listing (http://backstoryradio.org/civil-war-150th-why-they-fought-music-listing/) of the music heard in "Civil War 150th: Why They Fought" | 3/31/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Love Me Did: A History of Courtship | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2009/12/loves-reward1.jpg)Considering the stereotypes about Puritan New England, you might be surprised to learn that sweethearts in the 18th century were not only allowed to sleep together before marriage – they were encouraged to! The catch? They had to do it within the parents’ home. It was known as “bundling,” and although sex was theoretically not involved, the practice coincided with a huge increase in premarital pregnancy. By the end of the century, 1/3 of all brides were pregnant by the time they reached the altar. In this episode, the History Guys explore three centuries of pre-marital intimacy. Did economic considerations used to play a greater role in coupling? In what ways have dating practices challenged class & racial boundaries? Has the idea of “romance” itself morphed over time? Guests Include: *Beth Bailey (http://www.temple.edu/history/bailey/index.html) -- historian and author of From Front Porch to Back Seat: Courtship in 20th Century America (http://books.google.com/books?id=fqVre9_N2gkC&dq=from+front+porch+to+back+seat+bailey&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=6htaS_yUGdGZ8Abcq_j-BA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBwQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false) *Pamela Epstein (http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~history/index.php?content=deptmem&name=adj_epstein) -- historian and blogger-in-chief, Advertising For Love (http://www.advertisingforlove.com/) Features & Highlights Hear more about dating in the 19th and 20th centuries in these extended interviews of Pam Epstein and Beth Bailey. Listen here (http://backstoryradio.org/love-me-did-fe…and-highlights/). Web Exclusive (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2010/02/kissmequick.jpg)Extended Interview: (http://backstoryradio.org/2010/10/beth-bailey-extended-interview/) Beth Bailey tells Brian Balogh about three generations of courtship in her own family...and why there are only two entries for the word "love" in the index of her book. Further Reading Want to dig deeper into the history of dating? The BackStory research team has compiled a comprehensive list of resources for further exploration. Read On (http://backstoryradio.org/love-me-did-further-reading/). | 2/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Beyond Numbers: A History of the U.S. Census | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2010/10/answersready.jpg)To mark the culmination of Census 2010, BackStory takes on the fascinating story of how Americans have counted themselves throughout our nation's history. As it turns out, the idea of doling out power based on the actual number of people in a region was an American innovation. The History Guys explain what was so revolutionary about the concept in 1787, and explore how assumptions about who counts as an American have shifted over time. They also look at the reasons the "undercount” became such an important issue in the 20th century, and consider the ways Americans' suspicion of government has posed a challenge to the work of the Census Bureau. Over the course of the hour, they are joined by a scholar, former Census workers, and listeners interested in exploring the invisible backbone of American democracy: the U.S. Census. Read Full Show Transcript Guests Include: * Michael Quinn, President of the Montpelier (http://montpelier.org/) Foundation * Melissa Nobles (http://web.mit.edu/polisci/faculty/M.Nobles.html), political scientist (Shades of Citizenship: Race and the Census in Modern Politics) * Fernando Armstrong (http://2010.census.gov/news/press-kits/one-year-out/executive-bios/fernando-armstrong.html), Philadelphia Regional Director of the U.S. Census Bureau * Vincent Barabba (http://www.census.gov/history/www/reference/oral_histories/vincent_barabba.html), Director of the U.S. Census Bureau, 1973-76 & 1979-81 * Al Marquart, Enumerator for the 1940 Census (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2010/12/censustaking.jpg)Features & Highlights Hear more stories from the 1940, 1980, and 1990 Censuses in these extended interviews of Vincent Barabba, Al Marquart, and UVa professor Peter Norton. Listen here (http://backstoryradio.org/beyond-numbers-web-exclusives/). (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2010/10/scholar.jpg)Further Reading Want to dig deeper into Census history? The BackStory research team has compiled a comprehensive list of resources for further exploration. Read on. | 12/22/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Grand Old Parties: A History of Partisanship | When it comes to partisan politics, Americans are deeply conflicted. On the one hand, we complain that extreme polarization precludes the possibility for civil discourse. On the other, we''re nostalgic for a time when people really cared. We want an engaged citizenry without the deep fissures in the body politic, but can we have it both ways? Have we ever had it both ways? On this special post-midterm election podcast, the History Guys reflect on Americans' distaste for contemporary politics. Has Washington sunk to a new low, or is it merely American-constitutional-democracy-as-usual? Does partisanship threaten to tear our society apart at the seams, or is keeping us together? This podcast features a special guest appearance by syndicated radio talk show host Randi Rhodes, who explains what it's like to be a liberal in an industry dominated by conservatives. | 11/5/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Call of the Week: Dawn from Charlottesville | On each episode of Call of the Week, we feature one of our favorite listener phone calls. This week, our call is from Dawn in Charlottesville, VA. She wanted to know whether the extreme Halloween mischief perpetrated by the characters in the 1944 film "Meet Me in St. Louis (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037059/)" had any bearing on reality. Dawn’s call was recorded for our recent full-length episode, American Spirit: A History of the Supernatural (http://backstoryradio.org/2010/10/american-spirit-a-history-of-the-supernatural/). What do you think? Was mischief a big part of your childhood Halloweens? Post your comments below! | 10/26/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Borderlands and Bordered Lands | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2010/09/stateborderplant-300x270.jpg) In this special podcast, produced in partnership with HISTORY.COM (http://www.history.com/), BackStory marks Hispanic Heritage Month with an in-depth look at the history of the US-Mexico border. Officially, the line on the map was drawn after the Mexican-American War ended, but the border has never been clear-cut. In Part 1, the History Guys discuss the ways that war transformed 18th century "borderlands" into "the border." And in Part 2, historian Kelly Lytle Hernandez (http://www.history.ucla.edu/people/faculty?lid=3315) -- author of Migra! A History of the U.S. Border Patrol -- explains why the idea of "border security" we hear about today has its roots in the 1920s. | 9/29/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Looking for Work: A History of Unemployment | (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2009/05/work-promotes-confidence.jpg)Three years into the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, almost one in ten Americans is still out-of-work. In many parts of the country, the situation is even worse. On this special Labor Day episode, the History Guys ask what joblessness has meant for previous generations of Americans. How has the changing nature of employment shaped the experience of not having a job? Have the moral connotations of work evolved? Over the course of the hour, we hear from historian Alexander Keyssar (http://www.hks.harvard.edu/about/faculty-staff-directory/alex-keyssar), take calls from BackStory listeners, and hear an imagined testimonial from an itinerant worker in the "New Northwest" at the turn of the 20th century. Full Transcript Guests Include: * Alexander Keyssar - historian, author of Out of Work: The first century of unemployment in Massachusetts Show Highlights * Measuring Unemployment -- Historian Alexander Keyssar explains how the unemployed were counted and uncounted--acknowledged and unacknowledged--in the 19th and 20th centuries. * The Great Migration (http://backstoryradio.org/2010/10/the-great-migration/) -- William Brown moved north from Jacksonville, FL, during the Great Migration. He describes what happened when he asked a Philadelphia real estate agent for a job. Discussion of challenges for African Americans looking for work in the early 20th century. Audio Slide Show (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2009/07/LOC-two-hobos-214x300.jpg)Looking for Work in the New Northwest Imagine it's Seattle, 1910, and you're a new arrival from back East. You find your way down to Skid Row, where you hear you might be able to get work for the day on a lumber crew. No such luck--but what you do find is a grizzled old man who buys you a drink and launches into the story of how he wound up out of work in the New Northwest. Cited Resources * Alex Keyssar's book, Out of Work: The First Century of Unemployment in Massachusetts (http://books.google.com/books?id=Ak5MgBXyLD8C&dq=out+of+work+keyssar&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=b-G8uGo7yH&sig=qHOuj2y3dsl0CAAxsea1REt7-Lo&hl=en&ei=nxJqSpTaM478MezLhNAM&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1), and a review (http://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/04/books/paperbacks-laid-off-in-good-times-and-bad.html?scp=2&sq=keyssar&st=cse) * Entire audio from oral history "Goin' North: Tales of the Great Migration" (http://www.talkinghistory.org/hardy.html) * Transcript (http://millercenter.org/scripps/archive/speeches/detail/3312) of FDR's fireside chat "On the Unemployment Census" Further Reading Want to dig deeper into the history of unemployment? Check out this list of resources (http://backstoryradio.org/looking-for-work-further-reading/) compiled by the History Guys to learn more. SPECIAL TREAT!!! Watch (http://millercenter.org/public/forum/detail/4901) a rare, live performance of "Looking for Work" at UVa's Miller Center of Public Affairs. (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2009/01/eighthnote.jpg)Listing (../2009/03/backstory-show-tunes/) of the music heard in "Looking for Work" | 9/3/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Jefferson Then and Now (Pt. 2) | [Click here (http://backstoryradio.org/2010/08/jefferson-then-and-now/) for Pt. 1.] (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2010/08/laurel-300x259.jpg)From FDR to Sarah Palin, leaders on both sides of the political aisle have long claimed Thomas Jefferson as their own. So what did Jefferson really stand for? That's the question at the root of this special podcast, produced in conjunction with HISTORY.com (http://www.history.com/topics/thomas-jefferson/videos#jefferson-here-and-now-podcast-part-1). In Part One, the History Guys take on the perennial debate over the appropriate role of central government. Did Jefferson think it should be pared-down and limited, or robust enough to confront external threats if and when they arise? In Part Two, the History Guys look at Jefferson's idea of a "wall of separation" between church and state. How did the personal beliefs of Jefferson and his contemporaries influence the framing of the Constitution itself? PART TWO PART ONE | 8/24/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 20 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
A fantastic listen
Public radio provides the podcasting community with some of its greatest gems, and BackStory is the latest and greatest podcast for your listening pleasure. Each week Ed, Brian and Peter engage us in a lively discussion of current affairs, and color the interaction with analysis and anecdotes from American history. The three hosts complement each other nicely both in knowledge and in personality, and no matter what the topic you'll leave feeling better informed (and inexplicably happier - I think it's Ed's southern drawl). Highly recommended for anyone with the history bug - or anyone who wants some lively and interesting listening for the ride to work!
One of the BEST history podcasts out there
As an avid public radio listener, I've always wondered why there aren't any HISTORY shows in the public radio lineup. Until now. BackStory does what few other news media outlets manage to do: it shows up every week with the historical context to that week's big news. And it does so in an extremely listenable way, with high production values and a healthy dose of humor. Highly recommended for anybody with even a passing interest in American history. (Also recommended for those who couldn't care less -- this show will make you care!)
BackStory gives good mind (if you know what I mean)
The American History Guys are the best in the biz when it comes to taking apart a modern issue and putting its historical pieces back together in a way that's insightful, accessible, and honest. Most importantly, they clearly enjoy their weekly adventures into our past (and back) and are more than happy to have us listeners along for the ride. But be forewarned: Thought is required; mindless entertainment this ain't.
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