Professor Buzzkill History Podcast

Patrick Bringley’s new book, All the Beauty in the World: the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me, is one of the most popular books of the year. In this episode, he tells us about his experiences as a guard at the Met and his interactions with visitors there. Their reactions to the art on display, and their encounters with all the cultures in the museum, have given him a greater understanding of the...

Julius Streicher was the founder and publisher of the virulently antisemitic newspaper “Der Stürmer” – a central element of the Nazi propaganda machine. He was such a Piece of Sh*t that many Nazis thought he was too extreme. Professor Philip Nash explains why Steicher was so vile, and why he was very important in fostering and shaping German antisemitism. Episode 516.

In a time when the US flag, the Fourth of July, and historical sites have never been more contested, Professor Matthew Clavin reminds us that symbols are living artifacts whose power is derived from the meaning with which we imbue them. And he shows us in great detail how American symbols inspired enslaved people and their allies in the abolition movement to fight for true freedom. His conclusions...

Every July, American Buzzkillers get inundated with chain emails, Facebook posts, and Tweets that spread more myths about the Declaration of Independence. No matter how many times they’ve been disproved, they seem to crop up every year. John Hancock signed his name so large that “King George can read it without his spectacles.” And “The Price They Paid” -- the undying email myth about what happene...

Dr. Heather Cox Richardson explains the historical issues that have underpinned oligarchy, democracy, and the continuing fight for the soul of America. She traces the story of the American paradox – the competing claims of equality and subordination woven into the nation's fabric and identity. One of our very best shows, and essential listening for every engaged citizen! Encore Episode!

Professor Blake Scott Ball discusses his new book on the history of the Peanuts comic strip! Despite--or perhaps because of--its huge popular culture status, Peanuts enabled cartoonist Charles Schulz to offer political commentary on the most controversial topics of postwar American culture through the voices of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the whole Peanuts gang. Encore Episode.

"Juneteenth" (June 19th) is now widely regarded as marking the end of slavery in the United States. Professor Buzzkill examines the many dates related to the abolition of human enslavement in the US. And he pleads for more holidays observing this moral advance! Listen and learn. Encore episode.

Professor Liza Black enlightens us about her new book, Picturing Indians: Native Americans in Film 1941-1960. She examines many misunderstandings and misconceptions about Native Americans working in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Encore Episode!

June 12th is Loving Day! Loving Day is now celebrated around the world. If you don’t know what Loving Day is, listen to the story we tell you in this brief, special encore episode. And go to lovingday.org to find out more!

Why do so many big and iconic American corporations come from the US South, a region traditionally considered a backwater? Dr. Bartow Elmore explains how Coca-Cola, WalMart, and FedEx used “country capitalism” to change the United States and the planet. Fascinating listening, and very illuminating analysis! You won’t shop the same way again! Episode 514.

Presidential funerals have become major cultural moments in American history. But were they always this important? Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky explains how different presidential funerals have been over the centuries, starting with George Washington’s death and funeral in 1799. Each funeral she analyzes tells us a great deal about American culture at the time. All together they help us better understan...

Did the Nurenberg Trials provide justice for humanity after the horrors of World War II? In order to address this question, Professor Philip Nash explains what happened during the trials, how well they adhered to international law, how the judgments and sentences were reached, and how well and fairly the trials were conducted. It’s far more complicated than the traditional story has it. Episode 51...

Professor Philip Nash explains the extremely complicated background of the Nuremberg Trials of 1945-1946. We learn how difficult it was to set up these trials, in terms of international law, the establishment of new charges (such as “crimes against humanity”), and even the logistical difficulties in setting the trial in motion. Important legal, philosophical, and historical questions abound in thi...

Dr. Megan Kate Nelson puts us in the middle of the history and context of the founding of Yellowstone National Park, one of America’s natural glories. She tells us how he park was an important part of Reconstruction after the Civil War, how explorers and bureaucrats fought over how the land should be used, and how Native Americans responded to this encroachment on their land. A complicated and gri...

Major social and political forces led to the establishment of Mother's Day as a major and official holiday. This episode explains those forces, and also tells us who founded Mother's Day. Was it Julia Ward Howe with her famous "Appeal to Womanhood" Peace Proclamation in 1870? Or did Anna Marie Jarvis found it, honoring her own mother in 1908? And what did war and campaigns for international disarm...

Simon Winchester takes us on a journey through the history of how knowledge has been acquired, stored, and passed on, and how that dissemination has evolved with time. Crucially, he muses on how—in an age where a world of information is just a cell phone away—the thoughtfulness and wisdom that derives from knowledge might be under threat. We talk about everything from ancient Mesopotamian librarie...

The intensifying pandemic of gun violence and murder in the U.S. has prompted the usual, tired, and entirely false reaction from gun fanatics -- “the first thing Hitler did was take away everyone’s guns.” Well, did Hitler disarm the German citizenry as a way to make it easy to control them? Were Jews and other minorities targeted for gun confiscation so that they could be exterminated? Professor P...

Anna Marie Rosenberg was one of the most important Americans of the 20th century. Yet she is not nearly as well-known as she should be. Christopher Gorham’s excellent biography of Rosenberg, “The Confidante,” is essential reading for Buzzkillers. He joins us to relate the fabulous story of her multiple careers and accomplishments! Episode 508.

Drs. Keri Leigh Merritt and Yohuru Williams discuss important research and reflection about what happened in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. The book’s authors document and analyze the effects of the pandemic in ways inspired by the writers who documented American life during the Great Depression. Perhaps most importantly, they discuss how this lengthy tragedy provides the United S...

Did President Eisenhower actually say, “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed”? And what was the larger context? The Professor gets all deep, philosophical, and peace-nik-y in this show. Please listen and share! Episode 506.

Income tax is a troubling issue in American politics and history. We explain its long history, and delve into the even more complicated history of how personal income tax has related to the question of equality and inequality in US society. Professor Nash tells us how the American government has raised funds for peacetime needs and, of course, in times of war. It’s not a simple tale of taxes risin...

The Essentials That Make Culture What it Is, and Has Been. Dr. Martin Puchner joins us to talk about his new book, Culture: the Story of Us from Cave Art to K-Pop. It’s a very important discussion about some of the crucial elements in creating culture: “storage,” “circulation,” and “mixture.” We talk about lots of cultural history, including cave paintings, art and literature “traveling” during im...

Dr. Joel Cabrita tells us about Regina Twala, one of the most important intellectuals and activists of 20th-century South Africa and Eswatini. A leading writer, critic, and liberation leader in both countries, Twala’s life is too important to be ignored or suppressed any longer. This Woman Crush Wednesday episode explains her life, and also discusses how important and impactful people can have the...

Was the north the promised land for southern African-Americans during the Depression, or was it more complicated than that? Dr. Melissa Ford tells us how African American working-class women, many of whom had just migrated to “the promised land” only to find hunger, cold, and unemployment, forged a region of revolutionary potential. She also connects the activism of black women who championed just...

The John Birch Society is one of the most extreme right-wing groups in American history. It has strongly influenced libertarian and Republican politics since its founding in 1958. Dr. Matthew Dallek tells us the story of the Society’s founding, growth, and impact on American life. We discuss his new book, “Birchers: How the John Birch Society Radicalized the American Right.” Brutal history, but es...