Shows / This Day (An America 250 History Show)
This Day (An America 250 History Show)
To mark our 250th birthday, “This Day” presents "50 Weeks That Shaped America," a series of deep dives into the stories that brought us to this moment.
"This Day" takes you beyond the head-spinning headlines of today and into the unexpected historical moments that have shaped American politics and culture. Hosted by Jody Avirgan (538), and historians Nicole Hemmer (Vanderbilt), and Kellie Carter Jackson (Wellesley), each episode explores a moment from that day in U.S. political history to…
Episodes
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Referendum Week: The Badass Grandmas of North Dakota (2018) w/ Joshua Graham Lynn
In the run-up to the November election, we’re doing a number of episodes that may help you track and process the current news. This week, it’s Referendum Week…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Referendum Week: Direct Democracy In Action (1778) w/ Joshua Graham Lynn
In the run-up to the November election, we’re doing a number of episodes that may help you track and process the current news. This week, it’s Referendum Week…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Mid-Term Favorites: The Murkowski Write-In (2010)
In the run-up to the November election, we’re taking on and revisiting some of our favorite mid-term related topics. Today, we revisit an episode from 2021. In…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Mid-Term Favorites: Paul Wellstone Plane Crash (2002)
In the run-up to the November election, we’re taking on and revisiting some of our favorite mid-term related topics. Today, we revisit an episode from 2020…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Mid-Term Favorites: Contract with America (1994) w/ Kirsten Soltis Anderson
In the run-up to the November election, we’re taking on and revisiting some of our favorite mid-term related topics. Today, we revisit an episode from 2020. On…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Whiskey Rebellion and the Fear Of The Tax Collector (1794)
It’s October 6th. In 1794, violent skirmishes are breaking out in Western Pennsylvania as the newly formed country tries to levy a tax on whisky. Jody, NIki…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Franklin in France (1776) w/ Mike Duncan
It’s October 4th. In 1776, Benjamin Franklin is headed to France as the Continental Congress’s first diplomat, looking to secure support for the American…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Rudy vs Brooklyn Museum (1999) w/ Harry Siegel
It’s October 2nd. This day in 1999, a First Amendment battle is brewing between New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and the Brooklyn Museum, which is mounting a…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Rural Free Delivery (1896)
It’s September 29th. This day in 1896, a postal worker sets out to deliver the mail to ten rural towns in West Virginia. It’s the start of the Rural Free…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)No Crime Day (1986) w/ Josh Levin
It’s September 27th. This day in 1986, NBA star Isaiah Thomas promoted “No Crime Day” in the city of Detroit. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Slate’s Josh…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Pauli Murray Shoots Her Shot (1971)
It’s September 25th. In 1971, the longtime activist and law professor Pauli Murray wrote a letter to Richard Nixon nominating herself for the vacant Supreme…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Dogs as Deflection: Fala and Checkers (1944/1952)
It’s September 22nd. Today, we visit two speeches that used anecdotes about dogs to deflect and charm. In 1944, FDR gave a speech about his dog Fala and the…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
The Cleveland BalloonFest Fiasco (1986) w/ Clare Malone
It’s September 19th. In 1986, the city of Cleveland decided to stage a charity event in which they released millions of balloons into the air. It went very…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Romney's Secret 47% Tape (2012) w/ David Corn
It’s September 17th. In 2012, durig the home stretch of the presidential election, a secretly-recorded tape of Mitt Romney at a fundraiser upended the race…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Christiana Resistance (1851)
It’s September 15th. This day in 1851, a dramatic showdown takes place in Christiana, Pennsylvania over four fugitive enslaved people who were hiding in a…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Basket Of Deplorables (2016)
It’s September 13th. This day in 2016, comments from Hillary Clinton about how half of Trump supporters can be put into a “basket of deplorables” are going…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Partisans Week: Clinton Chronicles VHS (1994)
Nicole Hemmer has a new book out! It’s called “Partisans: The Conservative Revolutionaries Who Remade American Politics in the 1990s.” All this week, she’s…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Partisans Week: Buchanan at Smuggler's Gulch (1992)
Nicole Hemmer has a new book out! It’s called “Partisans: The Conservative Revolutionaries Who Remade American Politics in the 1990s.” All this week, she’s…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Partisans Week: Black Helicopters (1995)
Nicole Hemmer has a new book out! It’s called “Partisans: The Conservative Revolutionaries Who Remade American Politics in the 1990s.” All this week, she’s…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Mystery of LBJ's "Box 13" (1948) w/ Mark Lawrence
It’s September 4th. In 1948, a heated Texas Senate primary comes down to a very mysterious box of ballots found in Jim Wells County — which conveniently put…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Brownie, Heckuva Job (2005)
It’s September 1st. In 2005, in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, George W Bush offered praise to the director of FEMA, Michael Brown, saying…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Lincoln's Avenger (1894)
It’s August 30th. This day in 1894, a man by the name of Thomas H “Boston” Corbett is presumed dead in a fire in Minnesota. Boston Corbett led a troubled life…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Biden Bites Kinnock (1987)
It’s August 27th. This day in 1987, rumors are building that Joe Biden had plagiarized remarks from British politician Neil Kinnock. Soon, reporters would find…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Port Chicago Mutiny (1944)
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…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Wooed By Mussolini (1926)
It’s August 22nd. Throughout the late summer of 1926, legendary journalist Ida Tarbell is publishing a series of flattering profiles of Benito Mussolini. Jody…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Hoover Feeds Russia (1922)
It’s August 19th. This day in 1922, a massive food relief program is underway, with tons of American supplies headed for Russia. Jody, Kellie, and Niki discuss…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Roots of "Roots" (1976)
It’s August 18th. This day in 1976, Alex Haley’s sprawling epic Roots hits the bookshelves. It quickly caused a sensation — and controversy. Jody, Niki, and…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Acquittal of Joan Little (1975)
It’s August 16th. This day in 1975, a woman by the name of Joan Little was acquitted of murder — the first case in which a woman is acquitted of a murder…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
The Benghazi Memo (2012) w/ Leon Neyfakh
It’s August 14th. In 2012, on August 16th, a State Department memo was sent regarding the security of the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. Less…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Irish-American Gun-Runners (1973) w/ Nate Lavey
It’s August 11th. This day in 1973, a group of Irish-Americans known as “The Fort Worth Five” are caught up in the court system, accused of running guns to…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)TN Week: Elvis, Cash, and Tricky Dick (1972) w/ Jane Carr
Big news! Niki Hemmer is moving to Vanderbilt University to teach and found a center on the presidency. To help her get up to speed, she’s hosting “Tennessee…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)TN Week: State of Franklin (1784) w/ Jane Carr
Big news! Niki Hemmer is moving to Vanderbilt University to teach and found a center on the presidency. To help her get up to speed, she’s hosting “Tennessee…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)TN Week: Saint Dolly w/ Jad Abumrad
Big news! Niki Hemmer is moving to Vanderbilt University to teach and found a center on the presidency. To help her get up to speed, she’s hosting “Tennessee…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)What About Your Gaffes (2012)
It’s July 31st, 2012. This day, on the campaign trail, a reporter shouts a question at Mitt Romney: “What about your gaffes?!” Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
The Sinking of Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior (1985) w/ Adam McKay
It’s July 31st. This day in 1985, two divers acting on behalf of the French government planted bombs on the Greenpeace ship The Rainbow Warrior, blowing a hole…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Morris The Cat And Adam McKay's Big Break (1992) w/ Adam McKay
It’s July 28th. This day in 1992, “Morris The Cat,” the feline spokesperson for Nine Lives cat food, is in the heart of a stunt presidential campaign. Jody and…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Bush Gets Stuck In A Bog (1995)
It’s July 26th. This day in 1995, former President George HW Bush gets stuck neck-deep in a Canadian bog while on a fishing trip. Jody, NIki, and Kellie…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The ADA Changes Everything (1990)
It’s July 24th. This day in 1990, President George HW Bush signed the American with Disabilities Act, after decades of activism and political pressure from…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)DC's Red Summer (1919)
It’s July 21st. This day in Washington, DC, racialized violence is sweeping the city, part of what is known as “Red Summer” around the country. Jody, Niki, and…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The McDonald's Massacre (1984) w/ Cari Babitzke
It’s July 19th. This day in 1984, a gunman killed 21 people at a McDonald’s in San Isidro, California. It was one of the earliest public mass shootings in this…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Wallace What-If (1944)
It’s July 17th. This day in 1944, there are real questions about who will be the Vice Presidential nominee going into FDR’s run for office that fall. Henry…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Nelson Hackett's Escape -- and Return -- from Canada (1844)
It’s July 14th. This day in 1844, a formerly enslaved man by the name of Nelson Hackett is being sent back to the United States after having escaped to Canada…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Great Upheaval (Railroad Strike Version) (1877)
It’s July 12th. This day in 1877, a railroad worker strike is starting in West Virginia and will soon spread throughout the midwest and eastern United States…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Nativists vs Catholics in Philadelphia (1844)
It’s July 10th. This day in 1844, riots and violence are breaking out in Philadelphia as nativist groups coalesce around anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Harriet Jacobs, Budding Author (1853)
It’s July 7th. This day in 1853, Harriet Jacobs, a formerly enslaved woman, writes her first letter to the editor, and begins to work on her memoirs. Her…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Texas Opts In (1845)
It’s July 5th. This day in 1845, the Texas legislature votes to ratify a decision to join the United States of America. This marked the end, at least for a…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Great American Road Trip (1956) w/ Eddie Alterman
It’s July 3rd. This day in 1956, President Eisenhower signed the National Highway Act, the largest infrastructure project in American history. Jody, Niki, and…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Wrights Make Might (1909)
It’s June 30th. This day in 1909, the Wright Brothers are at Fort Meyer, Virginia, to demonstrate their latest airplane technology. Jody, Niki, and Kellie…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Abramoff Scandal (2005) w/ Philip Bump
It’s June 27th. This day in 2006, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee released a report about the breadth and depth of corruption on the part of lobbyist Jack…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Stuck On 435 (1929) w/ Philip Bump
It’s June 26th. In 1929, Congress passed the “Permanent Reapportionment Act,” which capped the number of representatives in the house. Jody, Niki, and Kellie…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Solar Panels On The White House Roof (1979)
It’s June 20th. This day in 1979, Jimmy Carter held a ceremony to celebrate the new solar panels that had been installed on the White House roof. The panels…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Dinner Where It Happened (1790)
It’s June 21st. This day in 1790, in lower Manhattan, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison sit down in a meeting brokered by Thomas Jefferson to work out a…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Pig War (1859)
It’s June 19th. This day in 1859, a skirmish on the San Juan Islands over a pig that intruded on a farmer’s potato crops leads to an argument, which leads to a…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Paired: HBCUs (w/ The Stoop)
For the next few episodes, we’re re-posting some of our favorite recent conversations — alongside episodes from fellow Radiotopia shows that cover the same…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Paired: Attica and San Quentin (w/ Ear Hustle)
For the next few episodes, we’re re-posting some of our favorite recent conversations — alongside episodes from fellow Radiotopia shows that cover the same…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Paired: The Moton School Strike (w/ Memory Palace)
For the next few episodes, we’re re-posting some of our favorite recent conversations — alongside episodes from fellow Radiotopia shows that cover the same…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Paired: Nuclear Mishaps (w/ Radio Diaries)
For the next few episodes, we’re re-posting some of our favorite recent conversations — alongside episodes from fellow Radiotopia shows that cover the same…
- This Day (An America 250 History Show)
The Oprah-Oz Conundrum (from Oprahdemics)
Dr. Mehmet Oz has secured the GOP nomination for Senate in Pennsylvania. On our sister show Oprahdemics, Kellie Carter Jackson and Leah Wright Rigueur discuss…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)Rosey Grier's Needlepoint for Men (1968)
It’s June 6th. This day in 1968, Robert Kennedy is assassinated, and the gunman is first tackled by former NFL player Rosey Grier. Jody, Niki, and Kellie…
This Day (An America 250 History Show)The Dominion of Melchizedek (1993)
It’s June 2nd. This day in 1993, the very-fake nation known as “The Dominion Of Melchizedek” received official recognition from the Central African Republic…