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Uncivil

Gimletuncivil.show
America is divided, and it always has been. We're going back to the moment when that split turned into war. This is Uncivil: Gimlet Media's new history podcast, hosted by journalists Jack Hitt and Chenjerai Kumanyika. We ransack the official version of the Civil War, and take on the history you grew up with. We bring you untold stories about covert operations, corruption, resistance, mutiny, counterfeiting, antebellum drones, and so much more. And we connect these forgotten struggles to the political battlefield we’re living on right now.

Episodes

Introducing Resistance: Is It Too Revolutionary?

Hey Uncivil listeners! We want to share a new show we think you’ll love, made by one of our producers. Resistance is a show about refusing to accept things as they are. Stories from the front lines of the movement for Black lives, told by the generation fighting for change. In this first episode, 22-year-old Chi Ossé goes out to protest and the trajectory of his life is changed forever. If you like this episode, follow now on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad ch...

Oct 27, 202042 min

The Fugitive

A young woman, held by one of America’s founding slaveowners, bolts one day for a life of freedom that keeps her on the lam for the rest of her life, eventually touching upon the life of the most notorious slaveowner of the Civil War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 09, 201835 min

The Ring

Two brilliant women—one black, one white—assemble a spy ring in the rebel capital of Richmond, Virginia that eventually attempts a ‘mission impossible’ inside the military planning rooms of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 09, 201834 min

Uncivil Presents: The Nod

Hey, Uncivil listeners! This week we’re sharing a story from our friends at the The Nod, a podcast that tells the stories of Black life that don't get told anywhere else. We know you all will love this episode about a woman who broke away from a plantation in the South, where descendants of enslaved people and slave owners stayed together as family, long after the end of slavery. To listen to part 2 of the story, Diary of a Mad Black Cousin, look for The Nod in your podcast feed, wherever you ge...

Feb 07, 201833 minSeason 1Ep. 13

The Portrait

A listener voicemail sends us deep down the rabbit hole into one of the most toxic myths of the Confederacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 27, 201733 minSeason 1Ep. 10

The Assets

Rachel Swarns of the New York Times joins us to discuss what she discovered when she followed the money trail of one of the nation's top financial institutions all the back to the 19th century. Further reading: You can read more of Rachel Swarns's reporting here, and check out her book, American Tapestry: The Story of the Black, White, and Multiracial Ancestors of Michelle Obama. For further reading on slave insurance we recommend Investing in Life: Insurance in Antebellum America by Sharon Ann ...

Dec 20, 201731 minSeason 1Ep. 9

The Sentence

In 1640 three men attempted to escape indentured servitude. The outcome lay the foundation for the split in America that lead to Civil War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 13, 201727 minSeason 1Ep. 8

The Paper

This Uncivil episode delves into the story of Samuel Upham, a Philadelphia shopkeeper who undermined the Confederacy by counterfeiting their currency on a massive scale. Upham's actions, driven by profit and perhaps a bit of patriotism, flooded the South with fake money, exacerbating inflation and eroding faith in the Confederate government. The episode explores the Confederacy's desperate attempts to stop him and the ultimate impact of his scheme on the Southern economy and psyche.

Dec 06, 201726 minSeason 1Ep. 7

The Song

We dig deep into the anthem of the Confederacy, and learn that almost everything we thought we knew about it... was wrong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 15, 201732 minSeason 1Ep. 6

The Spin

From the cemetery to the big screen, a 150 year old push to rewrite American history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 08, 201731 minSeason 1Ep. 5

The Soldiers

A woman discovers a secret that the government long tried to keep hidden: a secret about who exactly fought in the Civil War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 01, 201726 minSeason 1Ep. 4

The Takedown

We sat down with Nikole Hannah-Jones of the New York Times Magazine, Al Letson of Reveal, and Christy Coleman of the American Civil War Museum to talk about how they take down Civil War myths. For more Uncivil, visit our website: uncivil.show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 18, 201739 minSeason 1Ep. 3

The Deed

A 19th century promise, and a 21st century betrayal. The past and present of 40 acres and a mule. For more Uncivil, visit our website: uncivil.show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 11, 201733 minSeason 1Ep. 2

The Raid

A group of ex-farmers, a terrorist from Kansas, and a schoolteacher attempt the greatest covert operation of the Civil War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 04, 201729 minSeason 1Ep. 1

Give Us a Call

We want to hear from you! Do you have a family story from the Civil War? A myth you've seen on social media you want busted? Let us know! Call 347-395-5078 and leave us a voicemail with your name, story, and the best way to reach you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 20, 20172 min

Coming Soon

America is divided, and it always has been. We're going back to the moment when that split turned into war. This is Uncivil: Gimlet Media's new history podcast, hosted by journalists Jack Hitt and Chenjerai Kumanyika. We ransack the official version of the Civil War, and take on the history you grew up with. We bring you untold stories about covert operations, corruption, resistance, mutiny, counterfeiting, antebellum drones, and so much more. And we connect these forgotten struggles to the poli...

Aug 24, 20172 min