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 drawn to the work of Timoth O'Sullivan. Robert Sullivan's new book is availa...
Jul 16, 2024•18 min
[[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 group felt compelled to rebel, what their fight was really about — and what ...
Jul 11, 2024•14 min
[[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 hundreds more. Jody and Niki discuss who was responsible for the bombing, the ...
Jul 09, 2024•18 min
[[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 of Boston and move it underground. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by ...
Jul 07, 2024•28 min
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. Want to test your knowledge of who is in the statuary hall? Check out the quiz put together by researcher Jacob Feldman! It's...
Jul 02, 2024•14 min
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 the teeth out of the act. This Day In Esoteric Political History is a prou...
Jun 30, 2024•14 min
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-owned podcasts and award-winning stories. If you want to support the ...
Jun 27, 2024•21 min
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-owned podcasts and award-winning stories. If you want to support the ...
Jun 25, 2024•21 min
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 of the 1992 election, but he'd actually dropped out for much of that rac...
Jun 23, 2024•17 min
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 the Republican party. But there was a third party candidate, John Anderson,...
Jun 20, 2024•23 min
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 votes away from Al Gore and "spoiled" the election. This episode, we look...
Jun 18, 2024•16 min
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 running to shape policy, to those who are running to boost their ego. Later ...
Jun 16, 2024•31 min
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. If you want to hear our Juneteenth history episode, find it here! https://podcasts.apple.com/us...
Jun 13, 2024•22 min
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 of Radiotopia from PRX. Your support helps foster independent, artist-ow...
Jun 11, 2024•25 min
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 History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Your support helps foster in...
Jun 09, 2024•22 min
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. If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com Get in touch if you have any i...
Jun 06, 2024•26 min
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. If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com Get in touch if you have any i...
Jun 04, 2024•18 min
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. If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com Get in touch if you have any i...
Jun 02, 2024•22 min
It's May 7th. This day in 1787, the writers of the constitution are debating a central question -- how many presidents should the United States have? Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by author A.J. Jacobs, whose new book " The Year of Living Constitutionally " dives into the weird world of our founding document. They discuss why the founders were concerned with the imperial presidency, and how the system we have was finally agreed on. AJ's new book is out now ! And be sure to check out The Puzz...
May 30, 2024•19 min
It's May 28th. This day in 1892, the newspaper offices of Ida B. Wells are ransacked by a white mob in Memphis, TN. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss the incident that led up to the attack on Wells's office, why her journalism on lynching in the South was such a threat to white supremacy, and why she ultimately decided to leave Memphis and eventually land in Chicago. Sign up for our newsletter! We’ll be sending out links to all the stuff we recommended later this week. Find out more at thisdaypod.c...
May 28, 2024•20 min
In the runup to Memorial Day, we're bringing you some stories from the archives about war and the cost of war. We'll be back with new episodes next week! It’s March 27th. This day in 1863, Jefferson Davis declared a “day of fasting and prayer” to support the Confederate cause in the Civil War. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the role of days like this — the fasting was as much about food shortages as anything — and how religion and the cause of the war mixed for both north and south. Sign up for ...
May 26, 2024•19 min
In the runup to Memorial Day, we're bringing you some stories from the archives about war and the cost of war. We'll be back with new episodes next week! 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 under a month earlier, there had been a massive explosion at the same location, killing hundreds. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why the sailors refused to work, the impact of the Port Ch...
May 23, 2024•18 min
In the runup to Memorial Day, we're bringing you some stories from the archives about war and the cost of war. We'll be back with new episodes next week! It’s September 2nd. This day in 2005, Cindy Sheehan embarks on a tour around the country to protest the Iraq War, where her son Casey had died the prior year. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss Sheehan’s protests, the “Camp Casey” encampment she established outside of George W. Bush’s Texas ranch, and how public opinion around a number of issues wa...
May 21, 2024•20 min
In the runup to Memorial Day, we're bringing you some stories from the archives about war and the cost of war. We'll be back with new episodes next week! It’s January 7th. In 1970, the New York Times published an article with the headline “Statisticians Charge Draft Lottery Was Not Random.” Jody and Niki are joined by data reporter Walt Hickey to talk about how statistical analysis exposed that people born in December were more likely to be selected for the Vietnam War draft than those born in J...
May 19, 2024•28 min
It's May 16th. This day in 1964, the FBI drops its years-long investigation into the pop song "Louie Louie." Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss why there was a moral and political panic over the song and its indecipherable lyrics -- and look into what the song is actually about. 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. If you want to support the show directly, you can do so...
May 16, 2024•15 min
It's May 14th. This day in 1958, Vice President Richard Nixon is on a goodwill tour of South America when his motorcade is attacked by a violent mob in Venezuela. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the incident reflected the larger tensions between the United States and the region -- and how the U.S. saw Latin America as a key pawn in the growing Cold War showdown with Communism. This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Your support helps foster independen...
May 14, 2024•16 min
It's May 12th. This day in 1867, Jefferson Davis, the former President of the Confederacy, left a courthouse in Richmond after waiting in jail on treason charges for two years. His trial would never take place. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss why Davis was brought up on charges in the first place, and the way in which his trial got delayed and eventually cancelled mirrored the overall progress of Reconstruction throughout the South. This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radi...
May 12, 2024•20 min
Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by author A.J. Jacobs, whose new book " The Year of Living Constitutionally " dives into the weird world of our founding document. They discuss the debate over what to call the new leader of the executive branch, and what that signaled about the direction of the new country. A.J.'s new book is out now ! And be sure to check out The Puzzler too! The book A.J. mentioned is called " For Fear Of An Elective King " This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud me...
May 09, 2024•19 min
It's May7th. This day in 1882, Congress passes the Chinese Exclusion Act, aimed at curbing Chinese immigration as fears about Asian immigrants threatening White American jobs is on the rise. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the American economy relied on Chinese labor at the same time that policy sought to exclude Chinese immigrants -- and how the decades after the Civil War applied new pressures on race-based legislation around the country. This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud me...
May 07, 2024•17 min
It's May 5th. This day in 1960, a British theater critic named Kenneth Tynan is hauled before a Senate sub-committee to answer questions about what is seen as his anti-American work. It's a moment that captures the cultural and political swirl of the late 50s, which is the subject of Benjamen Walker's new audio series " Not All Propaganda Is Art, " out now as part of the Radiotopia show "Theory of Everything." Check it out! Find out more at thisdaypod.com This Day In Esoteric Political History i...
May 05, 2024•24 min
