Cement City

Cement City

*Named one of The New York Times Best Podcasts of 2024* Two journalists stumble into a dying town with a Smog Museum and a mayor named Piglet… and not a whole lot else. They have one burning question: What’s it like to live here, in a town left for dead? They buy a house and stay – for three years. They get caught up in an election cycle and a web of scandals. It’s democracy in action on the smallest scale. It’s Our Town for our time. And it’s all real. Cement City is an Audacy original in partnership with Cement City Productions. For more stories on the power of American resilience, check out Seasons 1 and 2 of Hope, Through History, available in this feed. Hope, Through History is an Audacy original in association with Jon Meacham and The HISTORY® Channel.

Episodes

Trailer: Hope, Through History

April 9, 2020 • 3 mins
Welcome to Hope, Through History with Jon Meacham. This limited series explores some of the most historic and trying times in American History, and how this nation dealt with these moments, the impact of these moments and how we came through these moments a unified nation. Season One takes a look at critical moments around the 1918 Flu Pandemic, the Great Depression, World War II, the polio epidemic and the Cuban Missile Crisis. ...
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Hope, Through History: Episode 1 | FDR and The Great Depression

April 21, 2020 • 40 mins
Following a decade of roaring prosperity in America, something invincible was proving vulnerable. The Great Depression was ravaging the economy and destroying lives, creating a dire need for bold, honest leadership. With the help of Pulitzer Prize-winners Doris Kearns Goodwin and David M. Kennedy, along with Allida Black, the Director of The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Jon Meacham delivers a vivid and intimate look at a President who...
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Hope, Through History: Episode 2 | Winston Churchill and World War II

April 28, 2020 • 35 mins
In May of 1940, Great Britain was in the crosshairs of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi war machine. As nations on mainland Europe fell prey to fascism, Winston Churchill seized the moment in dramatic fashion, ultimately winning a permanent place in the pantheon of heroic leaders who have single-handedly shifted the course of history. Churchill believed that “the only safe way” forward “was to convince Hitler that he couldn’t beat us.” An...
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Hope, Through History: Episode 3 | The Polio Epidemic

May 5, 2020 • 34 mins
From the late 19th to mid 20th centuries, the nation lived in fear of the polio virus. Often handicapping or paralyzing its victims, sometimes resulting in death, the disease was made all the more frightening by the fact that it preyed on young children. Generations of Americans were affected by this incurable illness until a brilliant young medical researcher, empowered by the coordinated efforts of public and private institutions...
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Hope, Through History: Episode 4 | JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis

May 12, 2020 • 42 mins
It is known as the most dangerous moment in human history. In late October of 1962, American spy planes discovered Soviet missile bases with nuclear capabilities on the island of Cuba. Normalcy was put on indefinite pause as millions of Americans grappled with terrifying idea that at any moment, without warning, their communities and loved ones could be decimated by an atomic bomb. While military leaders and hardliners clamored for...
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Hope, Through History: Episode 5 | The 1918 Influenza Pandemic

May 19, 2020 • 26 mins
In 1917, as President Woodrow Wilson prepared the nation for World War, an even deadlier crisis was hiding in plain sight. An influenza virus flourished on European battlefields and rapidly spread among civilians, paralyzing the globe with illness and fear. The 1918 flu pandemic serves as a poignant reminder that science, cooperation, transparency and leadership can help clear a path to recovery.  To learn more about listener dat...
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Trailer: Hope, Through History, Season Two

June 28, 2021 • 1 min
Welcome back to a new season of the C13Originals critically acclaimed Hope, Through History documentary limited series. Narrated and written by Pulitzer Prize Winning and Best Selling Historian, Jon Meacham, Season Two explores some of the most historic and trying times in American History, how this nation dealt with the impact of these moments, and how we came through these moments a more unified nation. Season Two, presented by C...
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Hope, Through History: Episode 1 | Slow Walk To War

June 30, 2021 • 35 mins
At the onset of World War II, Franklin Roosevelt contends with a fierce and at times virulent isolationsist movement in America while Winston Churchill pleads with President Roosevelt to join the fight against Axis forces. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Hope, Through History: Episode 2 | A New Birth Of Freedom

July 7, 2021 • 34 mins
Abraham Lincoln arrives in Gettysburg to consecrate a battlefield, and to commit America to fulfilling its original promise that all men are created equal. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Hope, Through History: Episode 3 | To End A Plague

July 14, 2021 • 25 mins
In the midst of a devastating humanitarian crisis, President George W. Bush announces a bold, international plan to turn the tide against HIV/AIDS.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Hope, Through History: Episode 4 | Death At Sea

July 21, 2021 • 27 mins
As World War erupts in Europe, President Woodrow Wilson follows public opinion and stays out of the international conflict. But when a merchant ship carrying American passengers is attacked by a German U-boat, the United States begins to emerge from isolation and establishes itself as a source of possibility in the world.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy ...
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Hope, Through History: Episode 5 | Bloody Sunday: A Battle For Justice

July 28, 2021 • 43 mins
A violent attack on peaceful marchers in Selma, Alabama fuels the fires of progress, leading to a monumental victory for voting rights. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Introducing Cement City: I Think I Like You

September 17, 2024 • 3 mins
Two journalists stumble into a dying rust belt town with a Smog Museum and a mayor named Piglet… and not a whole lot else. They have one burning question: What’s it like to live here? In a town left for dead. But it’s not dead. Donora, PA will not go down without a fight. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://...
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Cement City: Episode 1 | I’ll Die Here

September 18, 2024 • 49 mins
Jeanne Marie and Erin wander off the highway into Donora, Pa, a dying town with a dark secret. They decide to buy a house. A solid concrete house. In a neighborhood called Cement City. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Cement City: Episode 2 | Just as Good as Ever

September 18, 2024 • 48 mins
Donora has no banks, no gas stations, no schools. Jeanne Marie and Erin discover the one thing that could bring the town back to life. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Cement City: Episode 3 | The Skeleton Crew

September 25, 2024 • 43 mins
It’s gridlock on council and nothing’s getting done. An upcoming election feels like the only ray of hope. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Cement City: Episode 4 | Big Day in a Little Town

October 2, 2024 • 65 mins
It’s Election Day. A ragtag group of rookies is promising change and looking for a clean sweep. Jeanne Marie sees a potential hero and falls hard. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Cement City: Episode 5 | Great Societies Crumble from Within

October 9, 2024 • 58 mins
Indictments! Scandal and intrigue! The s***show on council is worse than anyone could have imagined.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Cement City: Episode 6 | The Island of Donora

October 16, 2024 • 59 mins
There’s trouble everywhere. Jeanne Marie and Erin realize what the town has always known: This town isn’t on anyone’s radar. No one is coming in to help. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Cement City: Episode 7 | Make Sure You Take Care of Vicki

October 23, 2024 • 49 mins
Donora to the rescue!... of itself. Jeanne Marie and Erin discover the intricacies of Donora self-provided, self-maintained, totally improvised safety net. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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