Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast

Over the summer I had the wonderful opportunity to present at the virtual conference Intelligent Speech. The theme of the conference was crossings and so I selected a woman from history who crossed g…

In 1978, a young unknown director put together a small independent horror movie that took place on one of the scariest nights of the year: Halloween. The film, named after the holiday it takes place …

One of the most notorious horror writers in history, Edgar Allan Poe produced a voluminous collection of work before his untimely death at the age of forty.

His life was a series of sad events and lo…

Join me this week as I wrap up the story of the infamous serial killer who terrorized the Bay Area in late sixties.

In this episode, I discuss the crimes against Cecelia Ann Shephard, Bryan Hartnell …

One of the most infamous crime sprees in United States history, the man who would be known as the Zodiac terrified the sleepy Northern California community in the late sixties. Taunting police with l…

Hannah Van Buren never lived to see her husband take the oath of office as the eighth president of the United States. Passing away decades before he hit the national stage, very little is known about…

The eighth president of the United States is likely a mystery to most casual history lovers, however his impact and legacy can be felt today.

So just who was Martin Van Buren? How did he get into pol…

Women were a dominating and powerful force when it came to abolition. Though they were largely overlooked in male driven abolitionist societies, women pushed ahead and established their own networks …

At the height for the push to relocate thousands of indigenous Americans, a conflict erupted between the Seminole of central Florida and the United States.

Known as the Second Seminole War, this conf…

This week I am joined by Holley Snaith, public historian and writer who has participated in projects with the National Park Service, The Richard Nixon Foundation and much more.

In this episode, she a…

Join me as I wrap up the narrative of Harriet Tubman; abolitionist, Underground Railroad conductor and Civil War spy.

In this episode I dive into her time on the railroad, her efforts to help the Uni…

One of the most mythical women found in American history, the name Harriet Tubman is synonymous with the Underground Railroad.

But Tubman, who singlehandedly liberated over one hundred slaves during h…

In the early days of the republic, thousands of European settlers made the journey to the new world, often without any money with which to support themselves or the costs associated with crossing The…

One August night, under the cover of darkness, a small band of enslaved men quietly struck a blow against the system that claimed ownership of their bodies. As they moved from house to house, silentl…

Many learned about the Underground Railroad in their history classes. Often described as a super secret network filled with tunnels and various stops along the route to freedom, the Underground Railr…

Sarah and Angelina Grimké were well known abolitionist activists who not only worked tirelessly in their pursuit to end the institution of slavery, but also advocated for the rights of women. 

However…

The topic of reparations has been a contentious debate since the end of the Civil War over a century ago. But in the immediate aftermath of the war, one woman successfully sued a man she claimed ille…

In May, news leaked of a draft Supreme Court decision regarding a Mississippi ban on abortion. As written, the opinion seeks to overturn two landmark Supreme Court cases regarding women's healthcare …

Join me this week as I sit down and chat with author, historian and educator A.J. Schenkman about his recent book, Unexpected Bravery.

His book tells the stories of women and children who made the co…

In the final edition of the Andrew Jackson series, I am taking a look at the life of his wife and soulmate, Rachel Donelson Jackson.

Though she passed away before Jackson assumed office, the marriage…