This week we look at a story that calls into question just how successful the Civil Rights Movement really was. Itβs the iconic story of the Little Rock Nine, the courageous African American students who began the process of desegregating Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. They faced a … [Read more...]
Episode 040 Little Rock 1957 and the Problem of Civil Rights Memory
Episode 039 Ken Burns and Coming to Terms with The Vietnam War
This week I speak with America's most acclaimed documentary filmmaker, Ken Burns, about his new project, The Vietnam War. This 10-part, 18-hour epic debuts on PBS on September 17, 2017. Vietnam has long been one of the most divisive events in recent US history. And yet, after making films on the two … [Read more...]
Episode 038 Classroom Wars! The History Behind the Fights over Bilingual Ed and Sex Ed in US Public Schools
It's September, so this history podcast is rolling out its annual back-to-school episode. This go around, we address the question: What do the controversies in the 1960s and 1970s surrounding sex education and bilingual education have to do with each other? Well, quite a bit, as it turns out. And … [Read more...]
Episode 029 Spies, Traitors, & Saboteurs: Civil Liberties in Times of National Crisis
This week, In The Past Lane is in Chicago to check out a cool history exhibition and speak with John Russick of the Chicago History Museum. The exhibition, "Spies, Traitors, and Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America," was originally created by the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC in the … [Read more...]
Episode 027 JFK at 100 – The Legacy and Memory of a President
In this episode, in recognition of John F. Kennedy's 100 birthday β I know, 100?, Really? β we dive into the life and legacy of the nation's 35th President. Every couple of years, we read about a poll that ranks the presidents of the United States from best to worst. These surveys generally attract … [Read more...]