This Day (An America 250 History Show)

It's February 19th. This day in 1967, the NCAA has decided to ban dunking in the college game -- a move largely seen as a response to Lew Alcindor (soon known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and other Black players using the move. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Mike Sielski of The Philadelphia Inquirer to talk about the larger political and racial context of the dunk ban, and what the dunk has meant...

It's February 18th. This day in 1897, 2000 educators, parents and legislators are gathered to kick off a new organization that would come to be known as the Parent Teachers Association. Jody, Niki, and Kellie dicsuss how the PTA has advocated for important issues over the years, and what kinds of activities the PTA works on in today's education environment. They also discuss how much parents shoul...

Donald Trump has issued a flurry of executive orders, and Elon Musk is slashing and burning state capacity. But the courts, Congress, and public opinion may also have something to say about it. Welcome to "Some Sunday Context" series for Febraury 16th, 2025. Every Sunday, we try and bring you an episode that offers a little historical perspective on what we're seeing in Donald Trump's second term....

This weekend Saturday Night Live celebrates its 50th anniversary. To help celebrate, we're bringing you an episode we recorded last fall about SNL's political impact. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the way that SNL's spoofs have changed, whether their skits have had a political impact -- and why it can be a struggle to do spoofs in the Trump era. This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud m...

It's February 11th. This day in 1862, the U.S. Senate has expelled Indiana Senator Jesse David Bright for colluding with the Confederacy. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why Bright remained in the senate, even after secession, and how his deep sympathies with the South were ultimately exposed. Sign up for our newsletter! Get your hands on This Day merch! Find out more at thisdaypod.com This Day In...

Today, an episode from the archives that may provide some context for the news playing out today. We'll be doing more Some Sunday Context episodes -- from the archives and fresh conversations -- throghout the first year of the second Trump administration. /// Nicole Hemmer has a new book out! It’s called “ Partisans: The Conservative Revolutionaries Who Remade American Politics in the 1990s .” All...

It's February 6th. This day in 1968, 82 crewmembers of the U.S.S. Pueblo have been captured by North Korea, setting off a major hostage crisis in the midst of an already very tumultuous year. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the Pueblo came to be captured, what the eleven-month negotiations revealed about U.S. power, and why the incident isn't as well-remembered as some of the other events of 19...

It's February 4th. This day in 1980, the story is breaking about the FBI's "ABSCAM" operation -- a bribery sting that ended up implicating many congressman and other elected officials. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the sting morphed from art theft to political corruption, the murky line between political maneuvering and corruption, and the waning appetite for political shenanigans post-Waterg...

Today, an episode from the archives that may provide some context for the news playing out today. We'll be doing more Sunday episodes -- from the archives and fresh conversations -- throghout the first year of the second Trump administration. /// It’s December 17th. This day in 1978, holiday travelers are flying around the country under a regulatory system that was about to come to an end. The nex...

It's January 29th. In 1964, because of an impasse over redistricting, the state of Illinois held elections in which every candidate was at-large. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss what happened when voters entered the booth and were confronted with 118 races to weigh in on. Sign up for our newsletter! Get your hands on This Day merch! Find out more at thisdaypod.com This Day In Esoteric Political His...

It's January 28th. This day in 1888, a new society is formed in Washington D.C. to support the exploration of the entire globe -- and soon thereafter the magazine bearing its name would hit the shelves. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why the National Geographic Society was founded, how it fit into the late 19th century American vision of the world, and how the magazine took off in the years since....

It's January 25th. This day in 1939, Republicans in Congress are holding hearings to impeach labor secretary Frances Perkins, claiming that she'd failed to deport a communist labor organizer. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Rebecca Brenner Graham to discuss why they were going after Perkins in this moment, and how the impeachment effort fits into the wide scope of Perkins's politics and activ...

It's January 23rd. This day, we discuss Donald Trump's first 48 hours, and how other presidents have spent their first hours, days, and weeks in office. Sign up for our newsletter! Get your hands on This Day merch! Find out more at thisdaypod.com This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-w...

It's January 21st. This day in 2017, millions of people marched in Washington, DC and across the United States to protest for women's rights and against the inauguration of Donald Trump. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the "pussy hat" movement was born, what it symbolized about resistance to the first Trump administration -- and how resistance will look very different for the next four years. S...

It's January 19th. Today, we look at Joe Biden's farewell address, and the history of presidential goodbyes. Sign up for our newsletter! Get your hands on This Day merch! Find out more at thisdaypod.com This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-winning stories. If you want to support the s...

It's January 16th. 1920, at midnight (of the 17th) the Volstead Act took hold, bringing prohibition to the United States. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why this did very little to actually curb alcohol consumption, in those first hours and beyond. Plus, some thoughts on the decline of drinking in our modern age. Sign up for our newsletter! Get your hands on This Day merch! Find out more at thisda...

It's January 14th. This day in 1864, an Illinois woman by the name of Elizabeth Packard is on trial, claiming that she has been wrongfully imprisoned -- and accused of insanity -- by her husband.  Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Therese O'Neill to discuss why Packard was sent to a mental institution to begin with, how she argued for freedom from her husband, and her subsequent career of activ...

It's January 9th. This day in 1964, riots broke out in the U.S.-controlled Panama Canal Zone over the flying of a Panamanian flag alongside the U.S. flag at a local High School. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the roots of the tensions in the zone, and how these riots created a flashpoint that eventually led to renegotiations of the Panama Canal treaty, and return of the canal to local control. Plu...

It's January 7th. Today, we take a look at the history of presidential pardons, which often take place at the end of an outgoing president's term. Joe Biden is expected to -- and is being pressured to -- grant a number of pardons over the next few weeks. Jody, NIki, and Kellie are joined by Shannon Lynch of the New America Foundation to look at the history of pardons, why they are often used for w...

It's January 4th. This day, in 1863, Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved Americans in the South. It also freed up Black soldiers to fight for the Union army -- but many of them found conditions in the military restrictive and oppressive as well. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Jonathan Lande of Purdue University to discuss what life was like for Black so...

Happy New Year, everyone! What will 2025 bring? We're not in the prediction business, but we do think there's a lot of history that can help us navigate whatever this year has in store. We discuss which historical era and theme we have at the top of mind, how to stay engaged as things seem to be spiraling out of control; and what we want this little podcast of ours to be in the coming year. Sign u...

We wrap up the year by talking about the death of Jimmy Carter, who we've done almost ten episodes about -- and was president during a period of American history that has lots of lessons for today. Then, we talk about 2024 - our favorite episodes, some of the big ideas that got us through the year, and more. Next episode we'll look forward to 2025. Happy New Year, everyone! This is a video episode...

**It's the Radiotopia fundraiser! We can only make this show with your support. Give now and help support This Day and all the independent shows at Radiotopia. Thank you! https://www.radiotopia.fm/donate** // Today we're bringing you a favorite episode from the archives! It’s February 20th. This day in 2006, the news — and the jokes — are swirling about the incident that took place earlier in the...

**It's the Radiotopia fundraiser! We can only make this show with your support. Give now and help support This Day and all the independent shows at Radiotopia. Thank you! https://www.radiotopia.fm/donate** // Today we're bringing you a favorite episode from the archives! It’s February 6th. This day in 1987, federal regulations go into effect limiting where federal workers can smoke cigarettes. Smo...

**It's the Radiotopia fundraiser! We can only make this show with your support. Give now and help support This Day and all the independent shows at Radiotopia. Thank you! https://www.radiotopia.fm/donate** It's December 24th. This day in 1982, the Reagan administration is putting focus on the high rates of drunk driving on American roads, especially around the holidays. Jody, NIki, and Kellie disc...