This Day in Esoteric Political History
We’re living in unprecedented times. Maybe. In this show, Jody Avirgan (538, 30for30, TED) and historians Nicole Hemmer (Vanderbilt) and Kellie Carter Jackson (Wellesley) take one moment, big or small, from that day in U.S. political history and explore how it might inform our present –– all in about fifteen minutes. New episodes release Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Sign up for the newsletter and more at ThisDayPod.com. We’re also posting about moments from the past @thisdaypod on Threads and Instagram. If you have a suggestion for a topic, get in touch. This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of the Radiotopia podcast network from PRX.
Episodes
It's the middle of July. In 1936, much of the country -- especially the Midwest -- is experiencing record heat.
Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss why the heat was so deadly, how it created economic and social ripple effects, and why FDR was able to rally the country to talk about government solutions to some of the problems the heat exacerbated.
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
You...
It's July 22nd. This day in 1934, FDR has signed the "Indian Reorganization Act," which provided economic relief to many tribes, but also came with provisions to reorganize the way in which Native Americans self-governed, and self-identified. This opened up a vacuum for fundamental questions of identity and community which reverberate today.
Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Angel Ellis and Robert Jago, the hosts of a ne...
In 1971, a massive explosion at the Thiokol plant in Woodbine, Georgia shook the small town and killed 29 workers, injuring dozens of others.
Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by director Patrick Longstreth to talk about how the plant provided good jobs for the rural community, but lax safety standards ultimately led to one of the worst industrial disasters in U.S. history.
It's July 18th. This day in 1980, Ronald Reagan accepted the Republican nomination for president. His speech included the phrase "let's make American great again."
Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss the long history of that phrase, why it is so appealing, the power of nostalgia in American politics -- and of course how Trump made MAGA into a movement.
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PR...
It's July 15th. This day in 1863, photographer Timothy O'Sullivan has taken a photo of dead soldiers at Gettysburg called "A Harvest of Death." It would become one of the most famous photos in American history -- and O'Sullivan would soon be contracted to travel west and photograph the American frontier.
Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by writer Robert Sullivan to talk about "A Harvest Of Death" and why Sullivan is so dra...
[[It's the heart of the summer, which means that our crew is taking some breaks here and there. In the meantime, we'll bring you some favorite episodes from the vaults -- and we'll be back with new episodes very soon!]]
It’s October 12th. This day in 1863, fighting is breaking out in Jones County, Mississippi, as a group of southern farmers starts to rebel against the Confederacy.
Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why this grou...
[[It's the heart of the summer, which means that our crew is taking some breaks here and there. In the meantime, we'll bring you some favorite episodes from the vaults -- and we'll be back with new episodes very soon!]]
It’s December 29th. This day in 1975, a bomb, planted in a luggage locker, exploded at NYC’s LaGuardia Airport, killing 11 and injuring 74. If it had gone off just minutes earlier, it would have killed hundr...
[[It's the heart of the summer, which means that our crew is taking some breaks here and there. In the meantime, we'll bring you some favorite episodes from the vaults -- and we'll be back with new episodes very soon!]]
It’s September 26th. This day in 1983, Massachusetts Senator Michael Dukakis held a press conference to announce an enormous and ambitious infrastructure project to take a roadway that cut through the center...
It's July 2nd. This day in 1864, President Lincoln signed a law declaring the chamber previously used as the House of Representatives to be a statuary hall, featuring two statues submitted by each state.
Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the kinds of statues that got submitted, what kind of story of American history it told, and how that has started to shift in recent years.
It's June 30th. This day in 1982, Ronald Reagan signed a bill re-authorizing the Voting Rights Act, among a lot of pressure to pass the civil rights legislation -- but also a growing legal strategy to undermine the enforcement of the provisions.
Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why Reagan ultimately supported the act, and how legal advisors - including future Supreme Court Justice John Roberts - planted the seeds for taking t...
Ahead of this week's very weird debate, we take a look at the weird history of how political debates have been structured in the U.S. -- from format, to audience, to the role of the moderators.
If you want to watch this episode, the full video is up on our YouTube page!
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-...
Ahead of this week's very weird debate, we take a look at the weird history of how political debates have been structured in the U.S. -- from format, to audience, to the role of the moderators.
If you want to watch this episode, the full video is up on our YouTube page!
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-...
Welcome to Third Party 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 third parties: who runs for a third party bid, who votes for a third party, and how much do third party candidates really matter?
Today, we bring you an episode we did in the fall of 2021 about Ross Perot. His presence looms large over the story...
Welcome to Third Party 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 third parties: who runs for a third party bid, who votes for a third party, and how much do third party candidates really matter?
Today: The 1980 election is remembered for Jimmy Carter's "malaise" and the fresh face of Ronald Reagan reviving th...
Welcome to Third Party 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 third parties: who runs for a third party bid, who votes for a third party, and how much do third party candidates really matter?
Today: Ralph Nader's 2000 run as a Green Party candidate is largely remembered for the question of whether he drew ...
Welcome to Third Party 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 third parties: who runs for a third party bid, who votes for a third party, and how much do third party candidates really matter?
Today: Semafor's Dave Weigel joins us to break down the basics of third party bids, from the candidates who are run...
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 decades.
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 Political History is a proud member ...
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 In Esoteric Political Histor...
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.
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