Forgotten America

John Hood is back on the Forgotten America podcast to discuss his latest installment in the Folklore Cycle! Waterfolk takes on the formative period of American history between the 1830s and the 1850s. He shares with Garrett some of the unbelievable historical events and relationships that inspired scenes in his story. He also dives into some of the popular and lesser-known folktales and cryptids t...

Andy Fowler, Communications Specialist for the Yankee Institute, joins us for an episode to discuss Connecticut! Although he wasn't born there, his family has roots in the state that go back to the turn of the 20 th century. Garrett & Andy discuss the reputation of Connecticut, its role in the colonial period and the founding of the United States, and the importance of learning about your home sta...

Clayton Rasche is a first-generation Louisianan who adores his home state. He joins Garrett on this episode of the Forgotten America podcast to share about the incredibly rich culture of Louisiana. The Pelican State has deep French roots which can be seen in everything from the architecture to the political system to the food. We learn a little bit about the differences between Cajun and Creole cu...

Chris Ingstad is the President of Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation and an 8 th generation Iowan. He joins the Forgotten America podcast to discuss life in Iowa. Chris explains why he hasn't seriously considered leaving the state despite its harsh winters, and he talks about the food, culture, economy, and heritage of the Hawkeye state. Additional Resources Follow Chris's work at Iowans for Taxpaye...

For this Halloween Special, Lyndsey Quinlan, Digital Marketing Associate for the Cardinal Institute, and Jessica Dobrinsky, Staff Writer for the Cardinal Institute, join Garrett Ballengee to discuss horror films set in rural locations. They share their favorites and explore themes of folklore, rural horror, and hicksploitation. They also take a deep dive into what makes a good horror film and look...

Emma Ayers, a native of East Tennessee and Religion & Culture Writer with the Washington Times, joins us today for the second half of our discussion of Hurricane Helene disaster recovery. She shares her perspective on the culture, economy, and people of East Tennessee and how they are responding to the unprecedented natural disaster of Hurricane Helene. She also shares a little about mule trains a...

(We had some unusual technical difficulties when recording this episode. So please forgive any choppiness that may result – we did what we could to edit it as smoothly as possible.) Brooke Medina, Vice President of Communications for the John Locke Foundation, joins Garrett Ballengee to discuss the impact of Hurricane Helene on Western North Carolina and how these Appalachian communities are respo...

Shawn Peterson, President of Catholic Education Partners and long-time resident of Minnesota, joins this episode of the Forgotten America podcast to weigh in on the selection of Tim Walz as the Democratic VP nominee. He also shares about the political history of Minnesota and its cultural history and shifts. If you're curious about the Upper Midwest and its Scandinavian roots, Garrett's discussion...

Dr. Barker is the President of Southern Wesleyan University in South Carolina and joins us today to talk about current challenges in higher education and the importance of an education that teaches values and not just skills. Fun Fact: his home state is West Virginia, so Garrett kicks off this discussion by asking Dr. Barker about his hometown of Clarksburg. Dr. Barker shares stories about the Ita...

J.D. Vance's selection as President Trump's Vice-Presidential running mate has kicked up a renewed firestorm around Vance's Appalachian bona fides and his book Hillbilly Elegy. Is he legitimately Appalachian? What does it even mean to be Appalachian? In this episode of Forgotten America, Garrett is joined by Anthony Hennen, journalist and fellow Appalachian, to discuss this Vice-Presidential pick...

Daniel Corcoran joins Forgotten America to discuss men's issues and why he feels our modern culture is leaving men behind. Statistics across a variety of sectors show that men are struggling with mental health, criminality, friendship, overall well-being, purposelessness, and society's perception of men. Dan & Garrett discuss these issues, how they affect men, and ways we can improve the lives of...

Two Hoosiers join the Forgotten America podcast to discuss the differences between two very different regions of Indiana. Sarah Milligan, Assistant Director of Community Engagement for the Institute for Quality Education, and Cesar Roman, Director of Community Engagement, share about life in Hardinsburg, IN and East Chicago, IN — one a rural, southern community and the other a bustling metropolita...

Jacob McCoy (Jake) is from Man, West Virginia in Logan County and a Contributor to the Cardinal's Nest Blog. He currently resides in Columbus, Ohio with his wife, son, and daughter. Jacob recently took a month-long trip to Ireland with his family. He and Garrett compare notes about their respective European travels and reflect on their homes in two different parts of West Virginia, changing accent...

Originally from Ripley, Ohio and currently residing in Lexington, Kentucky, Caleb Franz is the Program Manager for Young Voices and the author of The Conductor: The Story of Rev. John Rankin, Abolitionism's Essential Founding Father. Caleb grew up in the town where John Rankin eventually died and was surrounded by stories of his role in history. He is now writing the authoritative biography on thi...

What do the French Horn, Led Zepplin, and C.S. Lewis have in common? They are all part of the Great Conversation. Dr. Junius Johnson joins the Forgotten America podcast to discuss classical education and the literary life. Dr. Johnson grew up in Louisville, KY, and shares his story of discovering the Western Canon, classical music, and Latin. This episode is a great introduction to the classical e...

In this special solo episode, Garrett takes some time to reflect on recent conversations with guests of the Forgotten America podcast and his Spring vacation to Scotland & Ireland. The last few months of guests and travel have driven home the need for West Virginia to have a Hall of Heroes to celebrate its people and its past. This episode is a great reminder of the importance of loving the place...

Tiffany Hoben is the Director of Education Partnerships & Strategy for the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy. She joins the Forgotten America Podcast to share her motivations for moving from the Sunshine State to the Mountain State, her passion for civics education, and her belief in the importance of feeling rooted in a local community. The Outpost: https://outpostnrg.com/ Florida Civic...

Homer Hickam is a true West Virginia hero. Raised in Coalwood, a mining town in southern West Virginia, he went on to fight in the Vietnam War, work for NASA, and become a best-selling author. His book, Rocket Boys, was made into the popular movie October Sky. In this episode, he shares with Garrett stories from his life that reveal how his upbringing in West Virginia contributed to his success. H...

This episode of Forgotten America opens with a brief walk down memory lane. Garrett shares how he first met Dr. Thompson at his Moral Foundations of Capitalism seminar at Clemson University. Dr. Thompson's lecture was a catalyst moment for Garrett that led him down a career path that brought him home to run the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy, a free market think tank. Dr. Bradley Thom...

  Sarah Montalbano is the Policy Manager for the Alaska Policy Forum and a senior fellow with the Independent Women's Forum. She was born and raised in Wasilla, AK, and her family has roots in the state from the era before Alaskan statehood. Sarah joins the Forgotten America podcast to share about the culture, natural beauty, and economic growth of the state. Garrett & Sarah discuss public policy...

Jerry Apps is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the author of more than 35 books. He is a storyteller and historian, joining the Forgotten America podcast to share about his life growing up on a dairy farm in rural, central Wisconsin. Born during the Great Depression, his youth inspired much of his subsequent work and his love for rural America. He joins Garrett to disc...

  Nick Deiuliis is a chemical engineer, attorney, and business executive. During a career spanning 30 years, he served as the CEO or Chairman of the Board of five public energy companies. During that time, Nick has been on the front lines of the war being waged by elites against working men and women of Appalachia, the "doers" of the American economy, and the free-thinking individual.     Nick is...

Elyse Marcellino is the Director of Embark in Mississippi. Embark is a new schools accelerator that works with school founders to help them move from idea to doors open. They guide school founders through early planning and preparing to launch so they can successfully open new schools to serve students throughout the state. Elyse and Garrett start this episode by celebrating what West Virginia and...

  Fred Fransen is the President of Huntington Junior College and Co-Founder of Certell, Inc. He also previously served as Executive Director at the Center for Excellence in Higher Education and as Senior Fellow for Liberty Fund. He has been working to make breakthroughs in how to improve education at both the K-12 and higher education levels.   Garrett & Fred talk about the role of junior colleges...

Join us for a Thanksgiving-themed episode before we pause for the holidays! On Thanksgiving Eve, Garrett recorded another solo episode. He shared ten things he is grateful for this Thanksgiving. He observes how the practice of gratitude can break up the monotony of life and cut through the polarization of our day. For Garrett, remembering the good things in his life has helped him get through dark...