BackStory with the American History Guys

Home Bittersweet Home

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Fri, 18 May 2012 20:32:13 +0000

Tom Ireland House, Webberville, Travis County, TX 1937 (via Library of Congress)

In 1931, Herbert Hoover called the idea of owning one’s own home “a sentiment deep in the heart of our race and of American life.” In this episode, the History Guys search for the roots of that sentiment, and consider how it has played out over time. The image of a deed to a home with a yard and picket fence is at the core of the American Dream, but for many, the housing reality has looked more like a pile of rent receipts and back mortgage payments. Why has the ideal of home ownership been so difficult for so many generations of Americans to attain? Was there ever a Golden Age of home ownership, anyway?

Guests Include:

Loren Moulds — Historian, University of Virginia
Richard White – Professor of History, Stanford University
David Edelstein — Film critic, New York Magazine

Show Segments

Listen to individual segments of the show.

Further Exploration

A wealth of additional resources on the history of homeownership in the United States, as well as a bibliography of works consulted during the making of the episode.

Even Further

See the online discussion that helped shape this show.
See a listing of music used in the episode.

Born in the USA

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:31:40 +0000

Migrant cotton picker and her baby, Buckeye, AZ, 1940 (National Archives)

To mark the rebirth of BackStory as a weekly program, the History Guys set out to explore the earliest stages of life in America. They begin with a few of the basic assumptions we have about birth in America today, and spend the hour exploring how those assumptions came into being. How is it that hospital doctors moved in on what had been midwife’s exclusive territory? Why did Puritans think their newborns were damned from the outset? When did courts start ruling that fetuses had legal rights? Why have generations of Americans resisted the notion of birthright citizenship?

Guests Include:

Laura Wattenberg: Founder, BabyNameWizard.com
Peggy Bendroth: Congregational Christian Historical Society
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich: Professor of History, Harvard University (A Midwife’s Tale)
Jessica Waters, Professor of Law, American University

Show Segments

Listen to individual segments of the show.

Further Exploration

A wealth of additional resources on the history of birth and babies.

Even Further…

See the online discussion that helped shape this show.
See a listing of music used in this episode.
See a list of the works consulted for the show.

Love Me Did: A History of Courtship

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:26:44 +0000

This episode was originally broadcast in February, 2010.

Considering the stereotypes about Puritan New England, you might be surprised to learn that sweethearts in the 18^th century were not only allowed to sleep together before marriage – they were encouraged to! The catch? They had to do it within the parents’ home. It was known as “bundling,” and although sex was theoretically not involved, the practice coincided with a huge increase in premarital pregnancy. By the end of the century, 1/3 of all brides were pregnant by the time they reached the altar.

In this episode, the History Guys explore three centuries of pre-marital intimacy. Did economic considerations used to play a greater role in coupling? In what ways have dating practices challenged class & racial boundaries? Has the idea of “romance” itself morphed over time?

Guests Include:

*Beth Bailey — historian and author of From Front Porch to Back Seat: Courtship in 20th Century America

*Pamela Epstein — historian and blogger-in-chief, Advertising For Love

Features & Highlights

Hear more about dating in the 19th and 20th centuries in these extended interviews of Pam Epstein and Beth Bailey. Listen here.

Web Exclusive

Extended Interview: Beth Bailey tells Brian Balogh about three generations of courtship in her own family…and why there are only two entries for the word “love” in the index of her book.

Podcast: Big News From BackStory (also some sports)

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:36:50 +0000

We know that it’s been a while since you’ve heard from us, and we apologize for that. We miss you too. Hopefully the news contained in this here podcast will ameliorate some of the pain.

If you’re interested in reading more about college sports in American history, follow this link.

Naughty & Nice: A History of The Holiday Season

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:00:41 +0000

Christmas may be the big kahuna of American holy days, but it wasn’t always so. It used to be a time of drunken rowdiness, when the poor would demand food and money from the rich. The Puritans banned Christmas altogether. It wasn’t until the 1820s that the holiday was re-invented as the peaceful, family-oriented, and consumeristic ritual we celebrate today.

In this episode, the History Guys examine the history of the “holiday season” in America. Has Christmas grown more or less religious? How has the holiday evolved and changed here? To what extent was Hanukkah a reaction to Christmas, and how have American Jews shaped and reshaped their own wintertime rituals?

Guests include:

Stephen Nissenbaum, historian and author of The Battle for Christmas
John Gibson, host of Fox News Radio and author of The War on Christmas: How the Liberal Plot to Ban the Sacred Christian Holiday is Worse than You Thought
Rabbi Laura Baum, founder of ourjewishcommunity.org
Tyrone Jones, Santa Claus impersonator at Cheltenham Square Mall

Show Highlights

Listen to individual excerpts from the show, including interviews with historian Stephen Nissenbaum, Rabbi Laura Baum, and Santa impersonator Tyrone Jones.

Web Exclusive

Listen to more of historian Stephen Nissenbaum’s conversation with 18th century guy Peter Onuf. Here, they discuss the history of Christmas in the slave south.

Further Exploration

Click here for a comprehensive list of online resources on the history of Christmas, Hannukah, and Kwanzaa.

Even Further…

See a listing of the music used in this episode.
Read the full transcript of “Naughty & Nice.”

In the Beginning: Evolution & Creation in America

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:41:49 +0000

In 1925, Tennessee high school teacher John Scopes was charged with violating a state law banning the teaching of evolution. Back then, many people believed the Scopes “Monkey Trial” would be the last gasp of the anti-evolution movement. But 85 years later, only a minority of Americans believe Darwin was right.

On this episode of BackStory, the History Guys explore the ways Americans have attempted to grapple with the biggest question of them all: “Where did we come from?” Together, they trace the ups and downs in the relationship between science and religion. Are there times when the two have not been at odds? How did the Founders conceive of “creation,” and why did the idea of extinction pose such a challenge to their worldview? How were Darwin’s ideas received in the U.S., and why did it take six decades before public school systems started challenging the teaching of his theories? What lessons does history offer those interested in charting a peaceful relationship between science and religion in the future?

Guests Include:

Ronald Numbers – Professor of the History of Science and Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Joe Wilkey – Head of the Department of Science at Rhea County High School, Evensville, TN.

Features and Highlights

Listen to an extended interview with Professor of the History of Science and Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Even Further…

Full Show Transcript

American as Pumpkin Pie: A History of Thanksgiving

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:00:15 +0000

When we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner, we think we know what we’re commemorating. But if an actual Pilgrim were to attend your Thanksgiving, chances are he’d be stunned by what he saw there. In this episode, historian James McWilliams discusses why the Puritans would have turned up their noses at our “traditional” Thanksgiving foods. Religion scholar Anne Blue Wills reveals the Victorian origins of our modern holiday, and one woman’s campaign to fix it on the national calendar. An archeologist at Colonial Williamsburg explains what garbage has to tell us about early American diets. And legendary NFL quarterback Roger Staubach describes what it was like to spend every turkey day on the football field.

Guests Include:

Roger Staubach, former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys
Anne Blue Wills, Professor of Religion and author of “Pilgrims and Progress: How Magazines Made Thanksgiving” (PDF)
Joanne Bowen, Curator of Zooarchaeology at Colonial Williamsburg
James McWilliams, historian and author of A Revolution in Eating: How the Quest for Food Shaped America

Web Exclusives

So that you might have something to look at while listening to a couple of highlights from our show, we compiled two special audio slide shows. Watch them here.

Even Further

Full Show Transcript

Coming Home: A History of War Veterans

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:54:43 +0000

(Originally produced in 2008.) Most news coverage of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan focuses on troop movements, suicide bombings, and the geopolitical developments at work. Only rarely do we hear the stories of individual men and women fighting there, and hardly ever do we hear what it’s like for those Americans when they return home.

Has it always been thus? How have veterans been treated in the aftermath of America’s previous wars? How much depends on the politics of the war – are vets only as popular as the wars they’ve fought in? These are some of the central questions on the table as we explore veterans’ experiences through three centuries of American life.

Guests Include:

Frank Earnest, past Commander of the Virginia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans
Rebecca Jo Plant, historian and author of Mom: The Transformation of Motherhood in Modern America
Ed Tick, Director of Soldier’s Heart, a nonprofit serving America’s war veterans and their families

Show Highlights

Conflicting Loyalties
Sons of Confederate Veterans spokesman Frank Earnest tells 19th Century History Guy Ed Ayers how he reconciles his Confederate heritage with his identity as a veteran of the U.S. Navy. And he explains what the Confederate flag means to him.
Soldier’s Heart
Psychologist Edward Tick counsels combat veterans and studies historical accounts of war. He discusses the ways war was understood in the years before Post Traumatic Stress Disorder existed as a diagnosis.

American Spirit: A History of the Supernatural

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:31:54 +0000

"Houdini and the ghost of Abraham Lincoln," ca. 1920, Library of Congress

Halloween – despite its solemn Celtic roots – has become a safe way for Americans to transgress social norms and toy with the idea of ghosts in a family-friendly fashion. But for some, spirits from another plane have always been a very real part of life on this plane.

On this Halloween special, the History Guys explore Americans’ relationship with ghosts, spirits, and witches throughout our nation’s history. Why were colonists so fearful of New England “witches”? How is it that progressive social reformers found a home in the Spiritualist movement of the 19th century? Why do new media technologies always conjure talk of the undead? Can social upheaval help explain our history with the ineffable?

Guests Include:

Ann Braude — Director of the Women’s Studies in Religion Program at Harvard Divinity School and author of Radical Spirits: Spritualism and Women’s Rights in Nineteenth-century America
Cara Seekings — Spirit medium and resident at the Lily Dale Assembly
Nate DiMeo — listen to more of his stories about the forgotten corners of American history at thememorypalace.us.

Web Exclusives

Listen to an extended version of Ed’s interview with spirit medium Cara Seekings.
Call of the Week: Dawn from Charlottesville asks about the history of Halloween mischief

Even Further…

Listing of the music heard in “American Spirit”
Full transcript of the show

Indian Country Virginia: Real & Imagined

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:19:04 +0000

Louis Firetail (Sioux, Crow Creek), wearing tribal clothing, in American history class, Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia, ca. 1900 (Library of Congress)

In this live performance at Colonial Williamsburg’s Kimball Theatre, the History Guys take on the history of Indians in Virginia. From Jamestown to Thomas Jefferson to Disney’s Pocahontas, they consider some of the ways Virginian Indians have been imagined by non-Native people, and reflect on how those images have shifted over the centuries. Along the way, they are joined by two special guests, actor Larry Pourier and Colonial Williamsbug’s own Buck Woodard — both of whom contributed to the 2005 film The New World.

Guests Include

Larry Pourier, native production manager for Colonial Williamsburg
Buck Woodard, manager at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and adjunct instructor at Virginia Commonwealth University and the College of William and Mary

Borrowed Times: A History of the National Debt

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:36:54 +0000

“A national debt, if it is not excessive, will be to us a national blessing.” – Alexander Hamilton

With Congress at a standstill over whether to raise the nation’s borrowing limit, and the national debt approaching the size of the entire U.S. economy, you’d be hard pressed to find a politician with anything good to say about our debt. But America’s first Treasury Secretary famously called it a “national blessing.” What did he mean by that, and are there other times in history when Americans have actually celebrated our national debt?

On this episode, the History Guys ask why debt has continued to be so controversial in a nation that was founded on borrowing. What factors have contributed most to our ballooning deficit, and who, historically, have been most concerned about it? To whom does the nation owe all this money, and how has the slate of creditors changed? Is the current debt crisis truly unprecedented? How can history help us understand the extent to which debt endangers our 21st century economy?

Guests Include

Bill Chrystal, Alexander Hamilton impersonator
Julia Ott, Asst. Prof. of History, The New School (When Wall Street Met Main Street: The Quest for an Investors’ Democracy)

Even Further….

Full Show Transcript
Listing of Interstitial Music Used

Heart of the Stranger that Hovered Near

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:27:44 +0000

We don’t think of Civil War hospitals as the most poetic of places, given the realities of 19th century medicine and the war’s high casualty rates. But the poet Walt Whitman spent five years of his life in them, caring for wounded soldiers. He wrote that “The expression of American personality through this war is not to be looked for in the great campaign and the battle-fights. It is to be looked for in the hospitals, among the wounded.” In this special “Civil War 150th” podcast, BackStory correspondent Catherine Moore collects segments of The Good Grey Poet’s Civil War memoirs, diary entries, and poetry to tell the story of Walt Whitman’s encounter with America’s wounded.

Listen to more of BackStory‘s “Civil War 150th” programming here.

Independence Daze: A History of July Fourth

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:00:47 +0000

In the early days of our nation, July Fourth wasn’t an official holiday at all. In fact, it wasn’t until 1938 that it became a paid day-off. So how did the Fourth become the holiest day on our secular calendar? Historian Pauline Maier offers some answers, and explains how radically the meaning of the Declaration has changed since 1776. James Heintze chronicles early Independence Day Bacchanalia. And historian David Blight reflects on Frederick Douglass’ arresting 1852 Independence Day speech.

Guests Include:

Pauline Maier, Professor of History at MIT and author of American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence
James Heintze, Librarian Emeritus at American University and author of The Fourth of July Encyclopedia
David Blight, Professor of History at Yale University and author of Frederick Douglass’s Civil War: Keeping Faith in Jubilee

Show Highlights

Declaring Independence
For years, the Declaration of Independence sat untouched in a dusty archive. So how did it become one of America’s most prized documents? Historian Pauline Maier talks about how the meanings of “independence” have evolved over time.
Guide to Frederick Douglass’ speech
Historian David Blight narrates a reenactment of Frederick Douglass’ 1852 speech, “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro,” widely known as one of the greatest Abolitionist speeches ever. In it, Douglass highlights the hypocrisy of celebrating liberty in a nation that allows slavery.

Web Exclusive

What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?
Listen to all of Frederick Douglass’ speech, courtesy of TBM records.

Civil War 150th: The Road to Civil War

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:11:18 +0000

In hindsight, it’s easy to see the Civil War as a conflict just waiting to happen. But to Americans in the spring of 1861, disunion was anything but inevitable. In the days leading up to the firing on Fort Sumter, in fact, Virginia officials rejected secession by a 2-1 margin. Even among those who expected war, few imagined the devastation that was just around the corner.

In this episode, the History Guys focus on the dramatic six months between Abraham Lincoln’s election and the outbreak of war. Over the course of the hour, they attempt to understand the period from the perspective of Americans at the time. Why did abolitionists dread the prospect of Lincoln’s presidency? Why did slaveholders in many parts of the South argue against secession? What made the leaders of Virginia, a state long known as “the mother of presidents,” finally decide to break their ties with the nation? How did 19^th century ideas about race and gender shape people’s decision-making? And finally, did the existence of slavery mean some kind of civil war would come sooner or later, or might war have been averted?

“The Road to Civil War” is Part I of a three-part BackStory series commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.

Read Show Transcript

Guests Include:

* David Blight — historian and author of A Slave No More and Frederick Douglass’s Civil War

* Elizabeth Varon — historian and author of Disunion!: The coming of the American Civil War

* William Freehling — historian and author of Showdown in Virginia and The Road to Disunion

Features and Highlights

Listen to the story of Lincoln’s train journey from Springfield to Washington, DC, and hear extended versions of interviews in the show.

Civil War 150th: Questions Remain

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:00:26 +0000

In this third part of BackStory‘s “Civil War 150th” series, the History Guys present a special listener Q & A. The episode picks up on some of the themes of the previous two “Civil War 150th” episodes, and puts a number of new questions on the table. What role did religion play in the lead-up to war? Why did Abraham Lincoln free the slaves in the Confederate states before he freed the slaves in the loyal states? What is the relevance of the Civil War today?

“Why They Fought” is Part III of a three-part BackStory series commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.

Read Show Transcript

Civil War 150th: Why They Fought

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:48:41 +0000

23rd New York Infantry, ca. 1861-1865 (Library of Congress)

150 years ago this April, the Union went to war with the Confederacy. Ever since, Americans have been debating the causes of that war. Most historians today agree that it was fundamentally about slavery. And so what are we to make of the fact that most Southerners didn’t own any slaves, and most Northerners were not abolitionists?

In this hour of BackStory, the History Guys turn the question of the war’s causes on its side, asking instead why Northerners and Southerners took up arms to fight one another. What causes, in other words, were they willing to die for? Were families on the home-front united in their commitment to war, or were there differences of opinion? Who didn’t want to fight? What did slavery mean to white people on both sides, and what role did enslaved and free African-Americans play in the liberation of slaves? How much did Americans’ reasons for fighting change between 1861 and 1864? And finally – how have intervening wars altered the ways we interpret the motivations of Civil War soldiers?

“Why They Fought” is Part II of a three-part BackStory series commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.

Read Show Transcript

Guests Include:

Adam Goodheart (lead author, New York Times “Disunion” series)
Christy Coleman (president, American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar)
Gary Gallagher (historian, University of Virginia)
Aaron Sheehan-Dean (historian, University of North Florida)
Catherine Clinton (historian, Queens University Belfast)

Features and Highlights

Listen to historians Gary Gallagher and Aaron Sheehan-Dean explain what men on both sides of the conflict were really willing to die for.

Love Me Did: A History of Courtship

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:00:11 +0000

Guests Include:

*Beth Bailey — historian and author of From Front Porch to Back Seat: Courtship in 20th Century America

*Pamela Epstein — historian and blogger-in-chief, Advertising For Love

Features & Highlights

Hear more about dating in the 19th and 20th centuries in these extended interviews of Pam Epstein and Beth Bailey. Listen here.

Web Exclusive

Extended Interview: Beth Bailey tells Brian Balogh about three generations of courtship in her own family…and why there are only two entries for the word “love” in the index of her book.

Beyond Numbers: A History of the U.S. Census

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:24:02 +0000

To mark the culmination of Census 2010, BackStory takes on the fascinating story of how Americans have counted themselves throughout our nation’s history. As it turns out, the idea of doling out power based on the actual number of people in a region was an American innovation. The History Guys explain what was so revolutionary about the concept in 1787, and explore how assumptions about who counts as an American have shifted over time. They also look at the reasons the “undercount” became such an important issue in the 20th century, and consider the ways Americans’ suspicion of government has posed a challenge to the work of the Census Bureau. Over the course of the hour, they are joined by a scholar, former Census workers, and listeners interested in exploring the invisible backbone of American democracy: the U.S. Census.

Read Full Show Transcript

Guests Include:

* Michael Quinn, President of the Montpelier Foundation
* Melissa Nobles, political scientist (Shades of Citizenship: Race and the Census in Modern Politics)
* Fernando Armstrong, Philadelphia Regional Director of the U.S. Census Bureau
* Vincent Barabba, Director of the U.S. Census Bureau, 1973-76 & 1979-81
* Al Marquart, Enumerator for the 1940 Census

Features & Highlights

Hear more stories from the 1940, 1980, and 1990 Censuses in these extended interviews of Vincent Barabba, Al Marquart, and UVa professor Peter Norton. Listen here.

Grand Old Parties: A History of Partisanship

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:54:21 +0000

"Uncle Sam's Youngest Son, Citizen Know Nothing," ca. 1854 (Library of Congress)

When it comes to partisan politics, Americans are deeply conflicted. On the one hand, we complain that extreme polarization precludes the possibility for civil discourse. On the other, we”re nostalgic for a time when people really cared. We want an engaged citizenry without the deep fissures in the body politic, but can we have it both ways? Have we ever had it both ways?

On this special post-midterm election podcast, the History Guys reflect on Americans’ distaste for contemporary politics. Has Washington sunk to a new low, or is it merely American-constitutional-democracy-as-usual? Does partisanship threaten to tear our society apart at the seams, or is keeping us together?

This podcast features a special guest appearance by syndicated radio talk show host Randi Rhodes, who explains what it’s like to be a liberal in an industry dominated by conservatives.

Call of the Week: Dawn from Charlottesville

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:02:03 +0000

On each episode of Call of the Week, we feature one of our favorite listener phone calls. This week, our call is from Dawn in Charlottesville, VA. She wanted to know whether the extreme Halloween mischief perpetrated by the characters in the 1944 film “Meet Me in St. Louis” had any bearing on reality.

Dawn’s call was recorded for our recent full-length episode, American Spirit: A History of the Supernatural.

What do you think? Was mischief a big part of your childhood Halloweens? Post your comments below!

BackStory with the American History Guys

Home Bittersweet Home

Guests Include:

Show Segments

Further Exploration

Even Further

Born in the USA

Guests Include:

Show Segments

Further Exploration

Even Further…

Love Me Did: A History of Courtship

Guests Include:

Features & Highlights

Web Exclusive

Further Reading

Podcast: Big News From BackStory (also some sports)

Naughty & Nice: A History of The Holiday Season

Guests include:

Show Highlights

Web Exclusive

Further Exploration

Even Further…

In the Beginning: Evolution & Creation in America

Guests Include:

Features and Highlights

Further Reading

Even Further…

American as Pumpkin Pie: A History of Thanksgiving

Guests Include:

Web Exclusives

Further Reading

Even Further

Coming Home: A History of War Veterans

Guests Include:

Show Highlights

Further Reading

American Spirit: A History of the Supernatural

Guests Include:

Web Exclusives

Further Reading

Even Further…

Indian Country Virginia: Real & Imagined

Guests Include

Further Reading

Borrowed Times: A History of the National Debt

Guests Include

Further Reading

Even Further….

Heart of the Stranger that Hovered Near

Independence Daze: A History of July Fourth

Guests Include:

Show Highlights

Web Exclusive

Further Reading

Civil War 150th: The Road to Civil War

Guests Include:

Features and Highlights

Further Reading

Listing of the music heard in “Civil War 150th: The Road to Civil War”

Civil War 150th: Questions Remain

Read Show Transcript

Further Reading

Civil War 150th: Why They Fought

Guests Include:

Features and Highlights

Further Reading

Listing of the music heard in “Civil War 150th: Why They Fought”

Love Me Did: A History of Courtship

Guests Include:

Features & Highlights

Web Exclusive

Further Reading

Beyond Numbers: A History of the U.S. Census

Guests Include:

Features & Highlights

Further Reading

Grand Old Parties: A History of Partisanship

Call of the Week: Dawn from Charlottesville