BackStory
BackStory is a weekly public podcast hosted by U.S. historians Ed Ayers, Brian Balogh, Nathan Connolly and Joanne Freeman. We're based in Charlottesville, Va. at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. Each week we take a topic that people are talking about and explore it through the lens of American history. Through stories, interviews, and conversation with our listeners, we make history engaging and fun.
51
You Have The Right to Remain Silent: A History ...
On this episode of BackStory, Nathan and Joanne look at the interrogation that led to the landmark Supreme Court case "Miranda v. Arizona."
33 min
52
Wherever Green is Worn: The Irish in America
On this special St. Patrick’s Day episode of BackStory, Brian, Joanne and Nathan explore Irish American culture and identity.
51 min
53
Turf War: A History of College Sports
On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Peter, and Ed unpack the origins of college sports.
49 min
54
Too Good To Be True?: Myths in American History
On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Joanne, and Nathan explore some of the stories Americans tell about our past and find the kernels of truth that lie at the heart of a few American legends.
54 min
55
Billy Graham, Black Panther and Haiti, and Thom...
On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Brian, Nathan and Joanne look at the influence of the late Billy Graham, the parallels between “Black Panther” and Haitian history and, in a new First Draft segment, evaluate the reputation of Thomas Edison.
32 min
56
Life After the Oval Office: Presidential Legacies
On this episode of BackStory, Joanne, Brian, and Nathan honor President’s Day by exploring the ‘afterlives’ of U.S. presidents.
47 min
57
Catholics in America
On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Brian and Nathan explore American Catholicism—recounting the struggles, triumphs, and unique impact of Catholics on the history of the United States.
46 min
58
Forgotten Flu: America & the 1918 Pandemic
The U.S. is in the grips of the worst flu season in nearly a decade, with hospitals full across the country. But it’s nothing compared to the flu season one hundred years ago, when a nationwide pandemic killed over half a million Americans.
43 min
59
US vs Them: Sports on the World Stage
This year’s Winter Olympics have already seen their share of drama and political jockeying and the games haven’t even begun. So, BackStory is digging into the history of the power of international sports.
54 min
60
All that Glitters? Legacies of the California G...
On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Joanne, and Nathan delve into what happened in California after gold was found and some of the lasting impacts of the Gold Rush.
51 min
61
Presidents in the Public Eye, Slogans, and the ...
On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Joanne, and Brian focus on three stories in the news.
35 min
62
Schism: The Branch Davidians at Waco
On this episode of BackStory, Brian and Ed explore the 51 day siege at Waco and explore what the Branch Davidians actually believed.
36 min
63
History for the Headlines: 2017 in Review
On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Ed, Joanne and Nathan look back at the stories we produced in 2017.
46 min
64
Untrammeled: Americans and the Wilderness
On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Ed, and Nathan explore Americans’ fascination with wild places
49 min
65
What’s Cooking? A History of Food in America
On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Joanne, and Nathan discuss some of America’s many homegrown culinary traditions and what the food we eat says about American identity.
50 min
66
Man of The People: A New Technology Falls Into ...
On this episode of BackStory, we're featuring "Man of the People" an episode from the podcast "Reply All" that first aired January 19, 2017.
42 min
67
Men Apologizing, Alabama Senate Race, Net Neutr...
On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Joanne, Nathan and Brian focus on three stories in the news.
36 min
68
On the Take: Corruption in America
On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Joanne, and Nathan look at how Americans have wrestled with political corruption.
48 min
69
The Thin Light of Freedom
Brian sits down with Ed to talk about his new book "The Thin Light of Freedom: The Civil War and Emancipation in the Heart of America."
45 min
70
Red Dawn: Americans and the Bolshevik Revolution
100 years ago, the Bolshevik Party seized power in Russia. Brian, Joanne, and Nathan explore how that distant revolution had an immediate impact in the U.S.
54 min
71
Other People’s Battles: American Volunteer Sold...
On this episode, Ed, Brian and Joanne explore when and why Americans signed up to fight for other countries’ causes.
52 min
72
Boy Scouts Welcome Girls, Trump Drums Up Suppor...
On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Brian, Nathan, and Joanne tackle three stories that have been in the news recently.
33 min
73
It is So Ordered: 4 Landmark Decisions of the ...
In this episode of BackStory, Joanne, Ed, and Nathan dip into the BackStory archive to look at four rulings that shaped public life in America.
45 min
74
Enemies: A History of Bad Blood
On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Brian, and Nathan look at how America has dealt with our adversaries across time.
44 min
75
Longer Commutes, Equifax Data Breach, and Inco...
In this episode of BackStory, Brian, Joanne, and Ed discuss the history behind 3 stories in the news
36 min