Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast

In 1877, the body of a woman was found near a twisted oak tree in Jefferson, Texas—dressed in fine clothes, shot in the head, and missing a diamond ring. Her name was Bessie Moore, better known as Diamond Bessie. What followed was one of the most sensational murder trials in Texas history.

Join me as I dive into the tangled story behind her death and the man accused of killing her—Abraham Rothschild, a wealthy Cincinnati heir with p...

Join me this week as I dig into the real story behind Louisiana Voodoo — a spiritual tradition shaped by West African roots, Haitian resistance, and the streets of New Orleans. Discover how the Haitian Revolution sent shockwaves across the Atlantic, bringing people, beliefs, and tensions into the heart of Louisiana. Hear the story of Betsey Toledano, a name often left out of the textbooks, and unravel the legend of Marie Laveau.

Voo...

From spinsters to old maids, women who broke conventions to remain single have long been derided as somehow outside of the norm. But history shows this has been happening for generations. What gives?

Join me this week as I sit down with author and illustrator Emma Duval to chat about her debut book, Unwed & Unbothered: The Defiant Lives of Single Women Throughout History. Learn about what motivated Emma to write such a book, wha...

Join me this week as I explore the vital but often overlooked role of Black women in the Reconstruction-era South. In the aftermath of the Civil War, Black women were central to rebuilding Black communities and creating the social foundation for future generations. Through everyday acts of care, resistance, and resilience, they redefined citizenship and freedom on their own terms. This episode is a closer look at how liberation was...

Join me as I sit down with Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer William Taubman to explore his latest work, McNamara at War: A New History. Authors Philip and William Taubman take readers behind the scenes of Robert S. McNamara’s career, from his role in shaping U.S. defense policy to the internal conflicts that defined his legacy. In this episode, we discuss how McNamara navigated war, power, and moral complexity while telling the st...

After the Civil War, education became one of the most powerful tools for newly freed Black Americans and one of the most fiercely contested. Join me as I explore the rise of Black education during Reconstruction, from grassroots schools built by the Black community to the founding of the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Learn how freed people organized, taught, and funded early schools, often under threat ...

How do you replace enslaved labor and rebuild an economy?

In the aftermath of the Civil War, the Southern economy didn’t just have to recover; it had to reinvent itself. Join me as I explore how systems like sharecropping and the cotton lien system emerged to replace slavery, and why these systems often kept both Black and white farmers trapped in poverty.

This episode unpacks the economic realities of Reconstruction, revealing how f...

What can a miniature portrait painter teach us about fame, fortune, and forgotten women of the Gilded Age?

In this episode I welcome historian and author Kathleen Langone to explore the fascinating life and career of Amalia Kussner — one of the Gilded Age’s most sought-after portrait artists. Drawing from her new book, The Miniature Painter Revealed: Amalia Kussner's Gilded Age Pursuit of Fame and Fortune, Langone discusses Kus...

Reconstruction is often taught as a Southern story, focused on the political, social, and legal changes that followed the Civil War. But for Mexican Americans living in the American Southwest, this era brought a different set of challenges, betrayals, and broken promises.

Join me as I explore the Mexican American experience during Reconstruction. Learn how laws and treaties meant to protect land rights and citizenship were frequentl...

Join me this week as I take a look at the life and legacy of Jay Gould, one of the most talked-about figures of the Gilded Age. From his early years in the tannery business to his rise as a major player in America’s railroad expansion, Gould left a complicated mark on U.S. history.

Learn how he navigated the cutthroat world of 19th-century finance, earned both admiration and criticism, and came to symbolize the era’s fierce capitali...

Charles Sumner was one of the fiercest voices for abolition and racial equality in 19th-century America, but how much do we really know about the man behind the Senate desk? Join me as I sit down with Zaakir Tameez, author of Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation, to explore the radical ideas, bold political stands, and enduring legacy of a leader who challenged a nation to live up to its ideals.

From Sumner’s anti-slavery crusade ...

In 1875, the United States passed the Page Act: the first federal law to restrict immigration. The Page Act marked a turning point in American immigration policy, introducing the use of moral and racial criteria to determine who could enter the country.

Join me as I examine the origins, language, and enforcement of the Page Act, how the law impacted immigration from China, and how it shaped future U.S. policies, including the Chines...

The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union was one of the most powerful reform organizations of the 19th century, but its story goes far beyond banning booze. Sit down with me as I dive into the WTCU's origins, its wide-ranging activism, and the influential women who helped shape its legacy.

From the moral crusades of Frances Willard and her ambitious "Do Everything" policy to the saloon-smashing spectacle of Carrie Natio...

Veteran screenwriter and producer Rob Edwards (The Princess and the Frog, Treasure Planet) joins the show to discuss his newest project: a graphic novel chronicling the extraordinary life of Robert Smalls, a man born into slavery who became a Civil War hero, ship captain, and U.S. Congressman.

Topics include:

• The life and legacy of Robert Smalls
• The creative process behind adapting history into a graphic novel
• How storytelling can ...

Sit down with me as I reflect on five years of Civics and Coffee! In this episode I look back on where I started and explain where I would like to go. I also give you an inside look into the rebranding of the show and how I landed on the new name, Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast. 

Help me celebrate five years by subscribing to the podcast's YouTube Channel and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a free book! 

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What do cocktails, hospitals, and the American railroad system have in common? Ice.

This week, I’m joined by Dr. Amy Brady, author of Ice: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks – A Cool History of a Hot Commodity, to explore how something as simple as frozen water reshaped the nation. From 19th-century ice harvesting to the rise of refrigeration and its impact on food, medicine, and leisure, we dive into the chilly history behind one o...

For over a century, the Colfax Massacre was inaccurately labeled a “race riot.” But in reality, it stands as one of the deadliest instances of racial and political violence during the Reconstruction Era. Join me this episode as I uncover what happened in Colfax, Louisiana in 1873 including why Black citizens were targeted for defending their newly won rights and how the legal aftermath shaped the limits of federal civil rights enfo...