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 Niki are joined by director and writer Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up, Vice, Anchorman) to talk about the campaign and how Adam’s career changed as a result. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Esoteric Political History is a pro...
Jul 28, 2022•25 min
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 discuss how exactly Bush got stuck, how he got out, and his deep love of fishing, as expressed in a letter to the editor of the Deh Cho Drum paper in Fort Simpson, N.W.T. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Esoteric Political Histo...
Jul 26, 2022•14 min
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 disabilities rights advocates. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the ADA transformed American life, not just for people with disabilities, and how the passage fits into Bush’s legacy. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Esoteri...
Jul 24, 2022•16 min
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 Kellie discuss why DC was a particular kind of powder keg for this kind of violence, given the city’s large and relatively upwardly mobile Black population, which sought to protect itself throughout the summer. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now from R...
Jul 21, 2022•18 min
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 country. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Cari Babitzke of Boston University to discuss the public and policy response to the event at the time — and the many lessons about mass shootings that we still haven’t learned today. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kell...
Jul 19, 2022•20 min
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 Wallace was almost chosen instead of Harry Truman — and the course of the end of WWII and a consequential moment in history may have looked very different. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the twists and turns of how Truman came to be nominated over Wallace, Wallace’s progressive “common man” politics, and what could have been. Sign up for our ...
Jul 17, 2022•18 min
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. It would be the first — and last — time that the Canadian government would collaborate with the U.S. to return an escapee. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss Hackett’s journey north, the ad-hoc network of safe-houses and sympathetic institutions that carried people north, and why Canada sent Hackett back to Detroit. Here’s the KUAF podcast we...
Jul 14, 2022•15 min
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. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the strike was aided by the way in which railroads connected different parts of the country, and how it planted the seeds for an era of massive strikes. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In E...
Jul 12, 2022•16 min
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 sentiment. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the riots wrapped up fears about schooling, economic competition, religion — and marked a moment in which Nativism started to wield political power. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In...
Jul 10, 2022•17 min
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 story, published almost ten years later under a pseudonym as “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” would paint a picture of slavery and sexual violence that was often not represented. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss Jacobs’s story, the impact of her work, and why it was lost to history for many years until fairly recently. Sign up for our new...
Jul 07, 2022•18 min
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 bit, of an era in which Texas changed hands, switched allegiances, went independent, and more. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the long and twisty road to this moment in Texas (and U.S.) history, and why questions of Texas going it alone are back in the air. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Opr...
Jul 05, 2022•19 min
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 Kellie are joined by Eddie Alterman, longtime editor of Car & Driver magazine, to discuss how the highway network reshaped the country and changed car culture. Be sure to check out Eddie’s podcast Car Show! from our friends at Pushkin Industries. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahde...
Jul 03, 2022•25 min
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 discuss how the Wrights went from independent inventors to striking a deal with the military — and their decades-long hope that aviation would actually help put an end to wars. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Esoteric Politic...
Jun 30, 2022•18 min
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 Abramoff and his associates. Jody, NIki, and Kellie are joined by Philip Bump of the Washington Post to discuss how Abramoff cheated his clients out of millions — and the political price many Republicans paid as a result. Be sure to subscribe to Phillip’s newsletter “How To Read This Chart!” //// Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more a...
Jun 28, 2022•15 min
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 are joined by Philip Bump of the Washington Post to discuss why the overall number of representatives had shifted a fair amount up to that point, but has now been stuck for almost a century. They also discuss the efforts at reform — and the unintended consequences of adding more seats. Be sure to subscribe to Philip’s newsletter “How To Rea...
Jun 26, 2022•17 min
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 were symbolic support for new energy initiatives, but also looked to reduce the building’s energy bill at a time of soaring gas prices. Jody, Niki and Kellie discuss the panels, the green energy efforts, and why Ronald Reagan tore them down. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , host...
Jun 23, 2022•12 min
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 major compromise involving the Treasury department and the location of the US Capitol. Jody, Niki and Kellie discuss the meeting, the myths around it, and how it was ultimately a major test of a new democracy in action. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now f...
Jun 21, 2022•17 min
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 diplomatic crisis, which almost leads to a war between the US and Canada. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Your support helps foster independent, artist...
Jun 19, 2022•12 min
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 topic or theme. Today, two stories about HBCUs, including one from our friends at The Stoop. Thanks to everyone at The Stoop for letting us run this episode! ///// Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Esoteric Political History i...
Jun 16, 2022•48 min
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 topic or theme. Today, a look at two prison uprisings from the summer of 1971. On our show, we talked about Attica and the many false narratives that emerged from that famous riot; and then our friends at Ear Hustle look back at a revolt at San Quentin in August 1971. To learn more about George Jackson and the events of August 21, 1971, check...
Jun 14, 2022•1 hr 25 min
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 topic or theme. Today, our episode about the 1951 school walkout in Farmville, Virginia, paired with an episode of The Memory Palace about the same event, led by Barbara Johns. Thanks to Nate DiMeo for letting us run this episode, and be sure to check out The Memory Palace wherever you get your podcasts! ///// Sign up for our newsletter! Find...
Jun 12, 2022•29 min
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 topic or theme. Today, our episode about the time the Air Force almost detonated nuclear weapons in Goldsboro, NC — paired with the Radio Diaries episode about a near-calamitous nuclear missile accident in Arkansas. Be sure to check out Radio Diaries wherever you get your podcasts! ///// Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod...
Jun 09, 2022•56 min
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 his very dubious medical track record, how much Oprah Winfrey is responsible for promoting his brand, and whether she has any obligation to speak out about his political life. Check out Oprahdemics wherever you get your podcasts — and join us for an Oprahdemics live show on June 15th in New York City as part of the Tribeca Film Festival! /...
Jun 07, 2022•37 min
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 discuss why Grier was on the scene, and Grier’s improbable and varied path through different parts of politics, media and society — including his turn as an advocate for needlepoint. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Esoteric Po...
Jun 05, 2022•18 min
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. The Dominion was a nation set up to commit bank fraud, but now it was formally recognized as a sovereign state. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how Melchizedek was able to exploit a number of legal loopholes to establish itself — and how the scheme brought up all sorts of deeper questions about politics, religion, and more. Sign up for our n...
Jun 02, 2022•14 min
It’s May 31st. This day in 1889, a wall of water rushing down the Conemaugh River wiped out the mountain town of Johnstown, PA. It was one of the worst “natural” disasters in American history, and due in large part to negligence by wealthy developers. Jody, Niki and Kellie discuss the details of the flood, the class dynamics, and how the incident changed liability law. Plus: what to make of David McCullough, who wrote his first book about the flood. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at t...
May 31, 2022•18 min
It’s May 29th. This day in 1846, 13 years after being granted their freedom, a group of formerly-enslaved Virginians arrive in Ohio to settle on land that they’d secured in a long court battle. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the plight of the “Randolph Freedpeople,” why their former owner John Randolph willed them their freedom, and the legacy of this group in Ohio today. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now fr...
May 29, 2022•15 min
It’s May 26th. This day in 2016, President Obama offered remarks at a memorial ceremony in Hiroshima, Japan. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss Obama’s speech, whether it constituted a proper acknowledgment of the US’s use of nuclear weapons, and how Obama grappled with the political dimensions of his “apology tour.” Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Esoteric Political History is a p...
May 26, 2022•16 min
It’s May 23rd. This day in 1909, Helen “Nellie” Taft, wife of President William Howard Taft, suffered a stroke that caused her to retreat from the White House to recover. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how Nellie was a highly influential figure, and how her absence may have significantly effected the course of the Taft presidency. Plus, Jody floats a theory… Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia....
May 24, 2022•15 min
It’s May 22nd. This day in 1950, East German farmers begin to report that the Colorado Potato Beetle has invaded their crops, causing devastation and fueling rumors that the infestation is part of an American plot. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the Beetles came to Germany, why the presence of the pest was so easy to propagandize, and the history of entomological warfare. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics , hosted by Kellie, out no...
May 22, 2022•13 min
