Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast

The wife of 16th President Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln is generally known for her eccentric personality. However, there is so much more sitting beneath the surface.  Join me this week as I begin the life and times of Mary Todd Lincoln.  Support the show

Joining me this week is Michael Wolraich. We discuss his latest book, The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age, including what went into the research and how the murder of a woman rocked New York City politics. To learn more about Michael, visit his website at www.michaelwolraich.com Support the show

The Civil War touched every corner of the United States and the people residing within its borders. Native Americans were no exception.  As the country tore itself in two, Indigenous Americans had to determine the best course of action for their community. Should they side with the Union? The Confederacy? Or stay neutral? Tune in this week to learn about Native Americans in the Civil War.  Support...

The bloodiest battle of the Civil War, Gettysburg was the fatal blow to Robert E. Lee's quest to invade the north and force a surrender.  Tune in as I describe how thousands of Union and Confederate soldiers overtook a small, rural community in southern Pennsylvania and how the battlefield became a public history site.  Support the show

I am back with another listener request!  Longtime listener Arthur asked that I talk about the history of public assistance in the United States. Tune in this week to learn why that is quite the ask and why I decided to focus on the history of welfare in California instead.  Support the show

Join me this week as I dive into the life of Jefferson Davis.  A military man and southern politician, Jefferson Davis was the one and only president of the Confederate States of America. Why was he chosen? And what happened to him after the war?  Tune in to find out.  Support the show

The single most devastating military conflict in United States history, the Civil War took hundreds of thousands of American lives and permanently maimed many others. However the sheer volume of patients also provided an opportunity to test new procedures and hone processes. Join me this week as I discuss medical advancements during the Civil War.  Support the show

Join me this week as I speak with Professor of Literature and historical novelist Piper Hugely as we discuss her book By Her Own Design. The novel tells a fictionalized account of the black fashion designer Ann Lowe and is an engaging, thought provoking look at the life of black women in Jim Crow United States. To learn more about Piper, please visit her website at www.piperhuguley.com  Support th...

The American Historical Association Conference was held last month in San Francisco. One of the largest conferences around, it attracts historians from all over to discuss and debate various historical topics. However, so much of the conference experience remains unknown.  Join me this week as I dive into history conferences. What are they? Should you go? And how can you maximize your experience?...

Known as the founder of the American Red Cross, Clara Barton lived several lifetimes in her 90 years on earth. She was a nurse, abolitionist, and activist, always challenging norms and pushing the envelope.  Join me this week as I dive into the history of Clara Barton.  Support the show

Joining me this week is Dr. Katlyn Carter who recently published her first book, Democracy in Darkness: Secrecy and Transparency in the Age of Revolutions. The book traces the history of the origins of government for both the United States and France and illuminates how the call for transparency in government did not always translate in practice. To learn more about Dr. Carter, please head to the...

Depicted in the 1989 Hollywood feature film "Glory" the Massachusetts 54th was the first all black regiment to fight in the Civil War. Established in the aftermath of the Emancipation Proclamation, the members serving in the regiment had much riding on their perceived success.  Join me this week as I dive into the history of the Massachusetts 54th.  Support the show

Collecting intelligence against ones enemy has been a longstanding military practice. Commanders have long sought to ensure they have the most accurate information before heading to battle to maximize their effectiveness and the Civil War was no different.  Join me this week as I dive into the history of spying during the Civil War.  Support the show

The election of Abraham Lincoln as the sixteenth president of the United States prompted states throughout the south to announce their desire to leave. Trying to maintain federal authority where it could, Lincoln entered office hoping to restock Fort Sumter, set in the bay of the Charleston Harbor.  The first battle of the Civil War, Fort Sumter ignited what had been building for months. Join me t...

Joining me this week is Professor of Law and History, Dr. Dylan Penningroth. He recently wrote a book, Before the Movement, which traces how Black Americans used the legal system throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to practice their civil rights. To learn more about Dr. Penningroth and his scholarship, please head over to the website, www.civicsandcoffee.com Support the show

Happy Holidays! I could think of no better time to dive into the history of one of the most beloved entertainers in America. Longtime listener and friend Shaydra requested I cover Dolly early in my podcast journey. That request was renewed after Parton's recent performance during the halftime show between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders.  A signer, actress, songwriter, and ph...

One of the most consequential elections in United States history, the election of 1860 was filled with drama. Third party candidates; a political party caving in on itself; concerns over what the nascent Republican Party would do if they won the White House. Join me this week as I dive into the election of 1860. How did Lincoln win the vote? And what does it have to do with the Civil War? Support...

The sixteenth president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln is consistently ranked as one of the best presidents by historians.  A man who oversaw the fracturing of the nation, Abraham Lincoln lived quite a life before ever stepping foot inside the White House. So much so that his life must be told over a number of episodes.  Join me this week as I dive into Lincoln's early history. How did...

Often classified as a dress rehearsal for the Civil War, the raid on Harpers Ferry was a watershed moment in American History.  Fully believing his purpose in life was to end slavery, John Brown put together an ambitious, and some would argue unattainable, plan to initiate a war pitting slaveholders against the men and women they held in bondage.  While Brown's plan failed, the implications r...

As a group of settlers eagerly headed west in the throes of Manifest Destiny, they were being watched by a group who were convinced they posed a grave threat.  Known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre, the murder of over one hundred settlers led to the excommunication of members of the Mormon Church and remained shrouded in mystery for generations.  So what exactly happened? Tune in to find out.  Su...

Happy Thanksgiving week everyone!  I am here with a BONUS episode to help you make it through your travel week. Last year, a group of us podcasters got together to chat history, podcasting, and everything in between. We had such a good time that we decided to do it again this year!  Come learn all about Kenny from Abridged Presidential Histories, Howard from Plodding Through the Presidents, Jerry...

One of the most contentious Supreme Court decisions in United States history, Scott v. Sanford effectively robbed Black Americans of recognition as citizens. So just who was Dred Scott? And how did his court case impact the millions of Black Americans living in the country at the time? Tune in and find out. For source material, transcripts, and ways you can support the show, please visit the websi...

A president who consistently ranks toward the bottom of the list, James Buchanan made several missteps during his tenure that furthered the country toward war. How is that a man who spent his entire adult life striving for the highest political office could fail so tremendously? Tune in this week to find out. For transcripts, source material, and ways you can support the show, please visit the web...

Most history fans know at least the basics about Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, two of the most prominent and influential political leaders of the twentieth century. Significantly less is known about the women who had the largest impact on their development: their mothers. In her recently published double biography, historian Charlotte Gray shines a light on Jennie Jerome Churchi...

A man who stalked his victims along the serene trails of several California state parks, David Joseph Carpenter was a career criminal who arguably should have never been free to murder seven people in an eight month span between 1980 and 1981. This week, I am diving into the story of The Trailside Killer. What happened? And what does the Zodiac have to do with the case? For source material, transc...