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.
76
The Melting Pot: Americans & Assimilation
On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Joanne, and Nathan wrestle with a long-running tension in our country’s history: what it means to assimilate and “become American.”
62 min
77
A Conversation with Karl Rove
On this episode of BackStory, Brian sits down with Republican political strategist Karl Rove to talk about his book, “The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters.”
38 min
78
Starry-Eyed: A History of the Heavens
In this episode of BackStory, we look at how Americans in the past have made sense of meteors, eclipses, and the stars.
49 min
79
Charlottesville: Our Town, Our Country
On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Nathan, Joanne and Ed discuss the horrific events that happened in Charlottesville last weekend, and how it fits into American history.
28 min
80
Revisionist Climate: Americans & the Atmosphere
On this episode of BackStory, Nathan, Brian and Ed, talk about how Americans have tried to actively change the North American climate.
45 min
81
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.
53 min
82
Skin Deep: Whiteness in America
In this episode of BackStory, we explore what it means to be white in America, and how the concept of whiteness has fundamentally shaped our country.
52 min
83
Hometown History: Local Stories From Across The...
On this episode of BackStory, we look at local history by broadcasting segments from podcasts we admire.
69 min
84
Contested Landscape: The Battle over Confederat...
On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Nathan and Brian discuss when and why many of the nation’s Confederate statues were erected, and what they stood for.
45 min
85
Prying Eyes: Privacy in America
On this episode of BackStory, Joanne, Ed and Nathan explore the history of privacy in America.
53 min
86
Body Politics, JFK at 100 and African American ...
In this episode of BackStory, Joanne, Ed, and Nathan talk about the history behind items in this week’s news.
34 min
87
Call To Arms: Enlistment In America
In this episode of BackStory, Ed, Joanne, and Brian look at the many reasons for joining the U.S. armed services.
42 min
88
National Lampoon: A History of American Satire
In this episode of BackStory, Joanne, Ed and Brian look at the long history of political satire in America.
34 min
89
The Habit: Opioid Addiction in America
In this episode of BackStory, Nathan, Ed and Brian look at America's long history with opioids - like opium, morphine and heroin.
41 min
90
Over There: America Enters WWI
On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Joanne, and Ed discuss how this oft-forgotten war set the stage for the American century.
44 min
91
Seeing Red: A History of U.S./Russia Relations
In this episode of BackStory, Joanne, Ed and Brian probe the deeper history of the U.S. relationship with Russia — and discover moments of comity as well as conflict.
40 min
92
A More Perfect Union?: The Reconstruction Era
In this episode of BackStory, Ed, Nathan and Joanne explore the central questions of the Reconstruction era.
44 min
93
Behind the Bylines: Advocacy Journalism in America
On this episode of BackStory, Nathan, Joanne, and Brian look at the deep roots of advocacy in journalism.
48 min
94
Border Patrols: Policing Immigration in America
In this episode of BackStory, we explore how the federal government monitors and polices the undocumented.
38 min
95
Taking it to the Streets: Protest in America
On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Nathan and Brian look at the central role that political protests have played throughout American history.
41 min
96
On the Outs: Restricting American Immigration
On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Brian, and Joanne look back at sweeping immigration restrictions in the 19th and 20th centuries.
30 min
97
Worlds Apart: Urban/Rural Divides in America
On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Ed and Nathan look at what happens when urban and rural Americans collide.
50 min
98
PREVIEW - Worlds Apart
Urban/Rural Divides in America
2 min
99
Best of BackStory Pt. 2
Best of BackStory Pt. 2 by BackStory with the Ame…
51 min
100
Preview
BackStory is going through some big changes. Take…
1 min