Garden State Roots

Sports are so crucial to American life but did you know that New Jersey played a foundational role in shaping so many of them? Host Justin Williams is joined by NJ.com sports writer Steve Politi and sports historian Sue Macy to explore how New Jersey was the catalyst for the first ever football and baseball games in the United States, the first pro basketball match and the first soccer association...

The movie business is so often associated with the West Coast of the United States and Hollywood, but what if its true origins could be traced all the way back to the East Coast and New Jersey? Catch up with host Justin Williams, Adam Nelson - professor at the New Jersey Film Academy and the publisher of Socko! Magazine - and Angela Matusik - editor-in-chief of Socko! and founder of the Maplewood...

The birth of hip hop is so often thought of as a New York-only story but, ever since its creation, New Jersey has played an instrumental, if underreported, role in transforming two turntables and a microphone in to global music. 'Garden State Roots' host Justin Williams is joined by Master Gee, founding member of the Sugar Hill Gang, and Jay Quan - Minister of Information for Grandmaster F...

Did you know there were more revolutionary battles in New Jersey than any other colony? More than 200 that helped to birth our nation. In this episode, host Justin Williams explores over two centuries of New Jersey being a battleground for revolutionary ideas: from Nazism to Communism, and women's suffrage to civil rights. Joining Justin is Jacob A. Zumoff, Associate Professor of History at Ne...

'Garden State Roots' host Justin Williams welcomes Rayvon Fouché, Professor of Communication Studies at Northwestern University and author of 'Black Inventors in the Age of Segregation' along with Jon Gertner, journalist and author of 'The Idea Factory', to explore how New Jersey technology and communication inventions helped to get the world talking. Check out all the extr...

Host Justin Williams is joined by Gabrielle Esperdy, a New Jersey Institute of Technology dean, Trinity Norwood - citizen of the Nanticoke Lenape nations and indigenous community advocate, and Walter Greason DeWitt Wallace endowed chair of history at Macalester college and author of 'Suburban Erasure' - to explore how New Jersey helped to create the blueprint of America's suburbs. Chec...

Host Justin Williams is joined by Marissa Rothkopf Bates - food writer for New Jersey Monthly, the New York Times and Newsweek - and Andy Urban - Rutgers University professor and author of 'The History of Seabrook Farm' - to unpack New Jersey's history of feeding the American family. Check out all of the extra stories and NJRevolution history in the 'Garden State Roots' show no...

Host Justin Williams explores how New Jersey revolutionized tourism with guests Bryant Simon, professor of history at Temple University, and author of 'Boardwalk of Dreams, Atlantic City and the fate of Urban America' and Hope Gaines, member of Cape May Center for Community Arts History Committee and co-author of Black Voices of Cape May. Check out all the extra stories and NJRevolution hi...

Host Justin Williams is joined by New Jersey governor Phil Murphy and author and Rutgers University professor Dr. Kristin O'Brassill-Kulfan to explore the importance of history in 2026 and to preview the upcoming 'Garden State Roots' podcast series.

Host Justin Williams is joined by New Jersey governor Phil Murphy and author and Rutgers University professor Dr. Kristin O'Brassill-Kulfan to explore the importance of history in 2026 and to preview the upcoming 'Garden State Roots' podcast series.  Chapters 00:00 The Importance of History 02:56 New Jersey's Revolutionary Legacy 05:57 Personal Connections to History 08:52 The Dang...