Stephen Boyanton

The History Evolution

History EN ↓ 5 episodes

"History is not the past. It is the present." —James Baldwin Welcome to The History Evolution, where the goal is to evolutionize our minds! This podcast explores the revolutionary power of history to show us where we are, how we got here, and most importantly, where we might choose to go next. My name is Stephen Boyanton. I'm a historian, writer, and translator, and this podcast is my attempt to carry forward the torch James Baldwin lit. Join me as I talk with scholars, activists, and others about ideas and research that can transform our understanding of history and guide us as we work to tra...

Author

Stephen Boyanton

Episodes

1-Bonus: The July 5th Episode 05.07.2026 6:36

In this 5th of July Bonus episode, I look to Frederick Douglass and Randolph Bourne in sorting out my own conflicted feelings about America's 250th birthday. If you're interested in the texts mentioned in this podcast, here are some places you can find out more, in order of their appearance in the show. Langston Hughes, "Let America be America Again," Poetry Foundation , https:...

1-3 Daniel K. Richter: "Telling U.S. History from the Other Side of the Frontier" 30.04.2026 56:45

In the third and final episode of the first season of The History Evolution, I talk with Daniel K. Richter about his efforts to tell the colonial and revolutionary history of the United States from "the other side of the frontier." What do we see when we try "facing east from Indian country," and why does it matter? Our conversation ranged from questions of historical methodol...

1-2 Grace and James Boggs: "Revolution is Evolution" 01.04.2026 1:17:31

In the second episode of the podcast, Drs. Shea Howell, Stephen Ward, and Michael Doan talk to me about the ideas and activism of James (a.k.a. "Jimmy") and Grace Lee Boggs, a couple whose activism spanned almost every progressive movement of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. We discuss their conviction that history as the story of the future as well as the past, how they...

1-1 James Baldwin: "We Are Our History" 01.03.2026 1:00:27

In the first episode of the podcast, I talk with Dr. Ed Pavlić about James Baldwin's evolving understanding of history and what we can learn from it. Baldwin was one of the major influences on the philosophy behind this podcast, and his changing ideas—from history as nightmare to history as lover—reveal a profound insight into the role of history as part of what it means to be human.

Coming this Spring: The History Evolution! 05.11.2025 1:39

We can change the world. History can help.