This Day (An America 250 History Show)

Today we're reprising an episode we did for Juneteenth last year, as we get ready for this year's holiday! It’s June 18th. Today, for Juneteenth, we look at the history of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” aka the Black National Anthem. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the song’s history and the various ways in which it’s been presented as a song of resistance, militancy, and empowerment through the deca...

It's June 11th. This day (actually June 18th) in 1953, Coretta Scott married Martin Luther King, Jr. on the front lawn of her childhood home in Alabama. Jody, Niki, and Kellie talk about how Scott and King started their relationship, the compromises -- personal and political -- that Scott had to make in their marriage, and how history has begun to reassess her legacy. This Day In Esoteric Politica...

It's June 9th. This day in 1953, police in Washington, DC have arrested Lester "Buddy" Hunt, Jr on charges of soliciting sex from a male undercover officer. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how Hunt's arrest led to a tragic and twisted series of events involving his father, a prominent senator, and the parts of the government going after homosexuality during the so-called "lavender scare." This Day...

Our very own Kellie Carter Jackson has a brand new book! You can get "We Refuse" now wherever you get your books , and all this week we'll be looking at some of the most interesting stories she covers in the work. 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 su...

Our very own Kellie Carter Jackson has a brand new book! You can get "We Refuse" now wherever you get your books , and all this week we'll be looking at some of the most interesting stories she covers in the work. 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 su...

Our very own Kellie Carter Jackson has a brand new book! You can get "We Refuse" now wherever you get your books , and all this week we'll be looking at some of the most interesting stories she covers in the work. 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 su...

It's May 7th. This day in 1787, the writers of the constitution are debating a central question -- how many presidents should the United States have? Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by author A.J. Jacobs, whose new book " The Year of Living Constitutionally " dives into the weird world of our founding document. They discuss why the founders were concerned with the imperial presidency, and how th...

It's May 28th. This day in 1892, the newspaper offices of Ida B. Wells are ransacked by a white mob in Memphis, TN. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss the incident that led up to the attack on Wells's office, why her journalism on lynching in the South was such a threat to white supremacy, and why she ultimately decided to leave Memphis and eventually land in Chicago. Sign up for our newsletter! We’ll...

In the runup to Memorial Day, we're bringing you some stories from the archives about war and the cost of war. We'll be back with new episodes next week! It’s March 27th. This day in 1863, Jefferson Davis declared a “day of fasting and prayer” to support the Confederate cause in the Civil War. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the role of days like this — the fasting was as much about food shortages...

In the runup to Memorial Day, we're bringing you some stories from the archives about war and the cost of war. We'll be back with new episodes next week! It’s August 25th. In 1944, a group of sailors at Port Chicago in California are facing mutiny charges, after refusing to work under dangerous conditions. Just under a month earlier, there had been a massive explosion at the same location, killing...

In the runup to Memorial Day, we're bringing you some stories from the archives about war and the cost of war. We'll be back with new episodes next week! It’s September 2nd. This day in 2005, Cindy Sheehan embarks on a tour around the country to protest the Iraq War, where her son Casey had died the prior year. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss Sheehan’s protests, the “Camp Casey” encampment she esta...

In the runup to Memorial Day, we're bringing you some stories from the archives about war and the cost of war. We'll be back with new episodes next week! It’s January 7th. In 1970, the New York Times published an article with the headline “Statisticians Charge Draft Lottery Was Not Random.” Jody and Niki are joined by data reporter Walt Hickey to talk about how statistical analysis exposed that pe...

It's May 16th. This day in 1964, the FBI drops its years-long investigation into the pop song "Louie Louie." Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss why there was a moral and political panic over the song and its indecipherable lyrics -- and look into what the song is actually about. This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Your support helps foster independent, arti...

It's May 14th. This day in 1958, Vice President Richard Nixon is on a goodwill tour of South America when his motorcade is attacked by a violent mob in Venezuela. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the incident reflected the larger tensions between the United States and the region -- and how the U.S. saw Latin America as a key pawn in the growing Cold War showdown with Communism. This Day In Esote...

It's May 12th. This day in 1867, Jefferson Davis, the former President of the Confederacy, left a courthouse in Richmond after waiting in jail on treason charges for two years. His trial would never take place. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss why Davis was brought up on charges in the first place, and the way in which his trial got delayed and eventually cancelled mirrored the overall progress of R...

Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by author A.J. Jacobs, whose new book " The Year of Living Constitutionally " dives into the weird world of our founding document. They discuss the debate over what to call the new leader of the executive branch, and what that signaled about the direction of the new country. A.J.'s new book is out now ! And be sure to check out The Puzzler too! The book A.J. menti...

It's May7th. This day in 1882, Congress passes the Chinese Exclusion Act, aimed at curbing Chinese immigration as fears about Asian immigrants threatening White American jobs is on the rise. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the American economy relied on Chinese labor at the same time that policy sought to exclude Chinese immigrants -- and how the decades after the Civil War applied new pressure...

It's May 5th. This day in 1960, a British theater critic named Kenneth Tynan is hauled before a Senate sub-committee to answer questions about what is seen as his anti-American work. It's a moment that captures the cultural and political swirl of the late 50s, which is the subject of Benjamen Walker's new audio series " Not All Propaganda Is Art, " out now as part of the Radiotopia show "Theory of...

It's May 2nd. This day in 1989, Pepsi cuts a trade deal with the USSR in which it receives 17 submarines, a cruiser, a frigate, and a destroyer. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why exactly Pepsi is amassing a small naval fleet, and how the company found a market behind the Iron Curtain going back decades. Find out more at thisdaypod.com This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Ra...

It's April 30th. This day in 1968, Columbia University asks the NYPD to intervene and break up campus protests. Sound familiar? Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss what the protests in '68 were about, how they married campus politics with national politics -- and why so many of the lessons of that year have still not been learned. Find out more at thisdaypod.com This Day In Esoteric Political History i...

Welcome to Veepstakes Week! From time to time this election year, we're going to do some special series that highlight the rhythm of an election cycle. This week, we are looking at the process of speculating, vetting, and selecting a Vice Presidential pick. Today: How JFK ended up picking Lyndon Johnson as his VP nominee. Its was an incredibly fraught and personal process, which of course had mass...

Welcome to Veepstakes Week! From time to time this election year, we're going to do some special series that highlight the rhythm of an election cycle. This week, we are looking at the process of speculating, vetting, and selecting a Vice Presidential pick. Today: We go to Juneau, Alaska, in the spring of 2007 to discuss the conservative-magazine-sponsored cruise rides where Governor Sarah Palin w...

Welcome to Veepstakes Week! From time to time this election year, we're going to do some special series that highlight the rhythm of an election cycle. This week, we are looking at the process of speculating, vetting, and selecting a Vice Presidential pick. Today: What are the main considerations that go into a VP pick? What does a good, and not so good, vetting process look like? Find out more at...

It's April 18th. This day in 1906, a massive earthquake devastates San Francisco. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the political impact of the quake -- from how it reshaped housing policy, shifted the demographics of the city, and provided a model for disaster response for years to come. Find out more at thisdaypod.com This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX....

It's April 16th. This day in 1962, Walter Cronkite takes over as the anchor of CBS's evening news program. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how Cronkite quickly became America's most trusted voice -- not just because he played it straight, but because he was willing to show some emotion. They also look at why there may never be a single voice as trusted as his again. Find out more at thisdaypod.com...