Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast

Joining me this week is former managing editor of People magazine, Landon Jones, to discuss his latest book, Celebrity Nation.

Our conversation covers what brought Jones to the subject, what we can l…

Known for his military success, Zachary Taylor came to office as President of the United States at a critical moment in United States history. Despite being a leader on the battlefield, many historia…

I am back with another listener request! 

Anna Kingsley was a slave woman who went on to become property and slave owner  who won a monumental court case during a period when women and former slaves w…

Sitting along the busy intersections of San Jose stands a grand mansion with a haunted past.

The Winchester Mystery House has been a top tourist destination for one hundred years and is known for its…

Join me this week as I interview historian, professor, and new author Dr. Stan Fisher about his book, Sustaining the Carrier War: The Deployment of U.S. Naval Air Power to the Pacific.

In his book, D…

One of the most well known newspaper in the world, The New York Times has been publishing the news since 1851. Despite the financial hurdles faced by many news organizations, the New York Times manag…

The first African American to earn a medical degree, James McCune Smith was a leader black intellectual, counting friends like Frederick Douglass and Henry Highland Garnet. He was known for both his …

The first to earn a medical degree in the United States, Elizabeth Blackwell broke barriers and carved a path for others to follow. Graduating at the top of her class, Blackwell would fight to create…

One of the best selling novels in history, Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin forcefully took on the institution of slavery and challenged citizens of the country to fight for abolition.

Begin…

One of the most prolific authors of the nineteenth century, William Wells Brown remains a bit of a mystery.

A man born into slavery who clawed his way to freedom, Brown has quite the fascinating biog…

In recent years, much has been written about the political theater involved in Supreme Court Justice confirmation hearings. Many Americans report feeling frustrated at both the question asked by Sena…

Earlier this year I attended to annual Society for Military History academic conference in San Diego. I was invited to participate in a panel on podcasting, aptly named Making Airwaves.

Fellow podcas…

After the murder of two white men in the Clear Lake region of California, the United States government responded by launching a campaign to exact revenge. This campaign came to be known as the Bloody…

Join me this week as I chat with speechwriter, consultant, and former journalist Dana Rubin to discuss her book, Speaking While Female.

Our conversation covers her book, the value of learning about w…

Experiencing a new wave of interest thanks to the HBO series Warrior, Ah Toy is a fascinating woman from history. She immigrated to the San Francisco Bay Area during the California Gold Rush and quic…

Earlier this year, many watched as California Representative Kevin McCarthy waited out multiple ballots to secure his position as Speaker of the House. The week-long series of votes led many to wonde…

Joining me this week is military historian, podcaster, and newly published author Philip C Shackelford to discuss his brand new book The Rise of the Mavericks: The U.S. Air Force Security Service and…

The discovery of gold in California's waterways is one of the most consequential moments in United States history. Not only did it put the newly acquired territory on the fast track towards statehood…

In the summer of 1848, women from across the country gathered in Seneca Falls, New York to discuss their rights. Included in their demands was a right that would launch a massive coalition - the righ…

Wife to eleventh president James Polk, Sarah Childress Polk enjoyed much more freedom than her contemporaries. Without children and more educated that many other women, Mrs. Polk used her charms in f…