Now & Then

Former Now & Then co-host Joanne Freeman joins Preet Bharara on Stay Tuned with Preet. They discuss Biden’s decision not to seek reelection, how Democrats have embraced Vice President Kamala Harris, what to expect in the November election, & more. Listen to the full episode: https://cafe.com/stay-tuned/joanne-freeman-elections-kamala-harris-biden-trump-violence-democracy/ Learn more about your ad...

Heather Cox Richardson, host of Now & Then, joins Stay Tuned with Preet to discuss her new book, “Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America.” They talk about the origins of the terms “liberal” and “conservative,” a 1937 anti-FDR manifesto that presaged today’s GOP, and the ways in which the nation might move beyond the chaos of the Trump years.  Head to the Stay Tuned feed to listen. Lear...

On this finale episode of Now & Then, Heather and Joanne are joined by the show’s production team to discuss behind-the-scenes reflections and favorite memories from the series. Editorial Producers David Kurlander and Sam Ozer-Staton, Executive Producer Tamara Sepper, and Audio Producer Matthew Billy celebrate history, democracy, and friendship with the historians.  For references & supplemental m...

How do political debates help and hurt American democracy? Heather and Joanne reflect on the recent Republican primary debate and discuss the long legacy of the institution, from Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr’s proto-debates with voters during the contentious 1800 election, to the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates, to the iconic 1960 televised debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.  Hea...

What can we expect from the 2024 Conventions? Heather and Joanne look at the role of political conventions in American life, from the “King Caucus” era of the early 1800s, to President Lincoln’s ascendance at the 1860 RNC, to the impact of the 1968 DNC on the political process.  Heather and Joanne discuss the power of political history in the “Backstage” portion of the podcast. To get access to Ba...

Can former President Trump pardon himself? Heather and Joanne explore the history of the pardon power, from constitutional debates, to President Andrew Johnson’s controversial Confederate pardons, to the corrupt Georgia pardon practices that precipitated the very relevant Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles.  Heather and Joanne discuss what pardons have in common with extensions and other p...

The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team recently faced significant backlash after its World Cup defeat. Heather and Joanne explore how the team’s triumphs and losses fit into the history of women’s team sports, from the emergence of women’s basketball at Smith College in the 1890s, to the impact of Title IX, to the expansion of the Women’s World Cup in the 1990s.  Heather and Joanne also share their...

What can the controversy over Florida’s new Black history standards tell us about the politics of distorting the past? Heather and Joanne analyze the claims and framing of the standards and connect the curricular mandates to a century-old effort by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to control how Southern history was taught.  How have Heather and Joanne sought to teach accurate American hist...

How should we make sense of the current labor activism in transportation and entertainment? Heather and Joanne explain how the fault lines in the UPS contract negotiation can be seen in the 1894 Pullman Strike. And they compare the WGA and SAG-AFTRA “double strike” in Hollywood to a similar walkout in 1960, led by none other than Ronald Reagan.  How do Heather and Joanne feel about the future of A...

What can the success of Barbie tell us about America? Heather and Joanne put the blockbuster film into context with other impactful dolls, from Raggedy Ann to G.I. Joe., exploring what these iconic playthings can show about U.S. debates over gender, race, and consumerism.  How did Heather and Joanne feel about dolls as young people? They share more of their thoughts in a special “Backstage” segmen...

Heather and Joanne respond to the presidential candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy and the hype surrounding the No Labels political organization by looking at two past third-party bids that changed the nation: the 1844 presidential candidacy of James G. Birney’s anti-slavery Liberty Party and the 1912 campaign of Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Party.  How can third party candidacies reflect the value...

Heather and Joanne compare the national response to the implosion of the Titan submersible to two high-profile historical sea calamities: the 1813 ocean vanishing of Theodosia Burr and the 1872 Mary Celeste “ghost ship” drama.  How do Americans react to tragedies on the high seas? What can these mysterious and painful incidents tell us about our national anxieties and values?  How have Heather and...

Heather and Joanne reflect on the recent Haaland v. Brackeen Supreme Court decision, which upholds the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act. They put the case into context with past struggles by indigenous communities to define their place in the American story, from Tenskwatawa’s 1800s quest for representation, to the consequences of the 1887 Dawes Act, to the 1960s origins of the American Indian Moveme...

How can personal lawyers help and hurt embattled presidents?  Heather and Joanne use the current chaos engulfing former President Trump’s legal team to explore the blurry roles of private presidential attorneys in American history. They explore conservative Unionist lawyer Reverdy Johnson’s effective role in helping President Lincoln to find legal rationale for escalations in the Civil War. And th...

What can past struggles over American water access tell us about national power and politics?  Heather and Joanne place state and federal government responses to the Southwest’s current megadrought in the tangled history of water management, from Aaron Burr’s duplicitous scheme to give New York clean water, to William Mulholland’s Los Angeles “water wars,” to the proliferation of New Deal dams.  W...

What can the contested and often-mythological history of Texas show us about America today?  Heather and Joanne use the current impeachment drama surrounding Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as a window into the dramatic and ever-shifting legacies of the Alamo and the Texas oil boom.  What have been Heather and Joanne's personal experiences of Texas? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” wh...

Stories of remarkable heroism by women in Ukraine have captured the imagination of the world over the past 15 months. How have women warriors shaped conversations over gender, violence, and heroism over the course of United States history?  In this Memorial Day-inspired encore presentation of a March 2022 episode, Heather and Joanne discuss the Revolutionary War figures Molly Pitcher and Deborah S...

In the concluding episode of a two-part series, Heather and Joanne discuss alternative approaches to medicine throughout American history, and place them in the context of today’s non-traditional remedies, like psychedelic therapy and wellness brands. They talk through the 19th century diet movements of Sylvester Graham and John Kellogg, the popularity of cross-cultural practices like acupuncture,...

In the first episode of a two-part series, Heather and Joanne look at how the traditional American medical establishment has conceived of mental health over our national history. What can these designations say about the pandemic-associated mental health crises we currently face? How have powerful Americans defined “normalcy” and “abnormalcy” at various points? They explore the pioneering and cont...

What is the role of the Vice President in American political history? What is the road ahead for VP Kamala Harris? Heather and Joanne break down the evolving role of the VP, from John Adams’s frustrated tenure, to Chester A. Arthur’s transition from corruption to reform, to Walter Mondale’s close partnership with President Jimmy Carter.  Have Heather and Joanne ever felt like Vice Presidents? Join...

How can humor be used as a political weapon? Heather and Joanne discuss the recent White House Correspondents’ Dinner and the power of American comedy. They explore Seba Smith and his iconic Jack Downing character, Alice Duer Miller’s poetic suffragist satire, and Dick Gregory’s truth-telling on issues of race and class.  What do comedians and historians have in common? Join CAFE Insider to listen...

Heather and Joanne discuss the contentious issue of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s financial ties to billionaire and conservative activist Harlan Crow. They also look at three earlier conflict-of-interest controversies involving Supreme Court justices: Samuel Chase’s 1804 impeachment over his pronounced Federalist leanings, Stephen J. Field’s 1880s relationships with railroad magnates, an...

Heather and Joanne discuss the political climate surrounding the dramatic expulsion and reinstatement of Tennessee legislators Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. They also place the controversy within the history of state legislative expulsions, from the White Supremacist 1875 Mississippi Plan, to the 1920 attacks on New York State Socialist politicians, to the failed 1986 GOP quest to oust anti-war...

President Biden has formally declared that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is being wrongfully detained in Russia. Heather and Joanne reflect on Gershkovich’s plight and look at three other political detainments in American history: the 1776 arrest by the British of Continental Army Major General Charles Lee, the 1861 Confederate capture of New York Congressman Alfred Ely, and the 19...

President Biden recently met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reaffirming the U.S.-Canada relationship and announcing the countries’ joint efforts at tackling a range of issues, from immigration to climate change. Heather and Joanne use the meeting as a springboard to discuss the ups and downs of America’s relationship with its Northern neighbor, from Revolutionary War attempts by colonists to...