SMU presidential historian Sharron Conrad joins us to talk about this unprecedented event in American history – and about the role presidents play in American race relations.
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Mom By Day, Nazi Hunter By Night
Filmmaker Chana Gazit joins us to talk about the extraordinary, secret life of cryptanalyst Elizebeth Smith Friedman.
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The 2nd Amendment Doesn’t Cause Gun Violence
University of Alabama law professor Fredrick E. Vars joins us to discuss his 10 ideas for state-level policy to promote public safety while protecting gun ownership.
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The Malcolm X You Never Knew
Principal researcher Tamara Payne, who finished the book written by her late father, joins us to discuss previously unknown details of the man central to the Black freedom movement.
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For Inspiration, Look To The Stars
Science journalist Jo Marchant joins us to talk about the impact stargazing has had on human civilizations and the importance of connecting to the wonder of the night sky.
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How Textiles Stitched The World Together
Virginia Postrel joins us to talk about the international commerce built around silk, cotton, dyes and other materials that tied together people across the globe.
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How Black Women Became An American Political Force
Johns Hopkins University historian Martha S. Jones joins us to talk about the women who lead the charge for Black women’s suffrage, working to dismantle systemic racism and have their voices heard.
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American Populism, Post Trump
MIT professor Daron Acemoglu joins us to make the case that the American political landscape is deeply fractured, and that the nation’s unequal social classes add fuel to that fire.
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Education Inequality Starts Outside The Classroom
Ohio State professor Douglas B. Downey joins us to explain why academics are approaching closing equity gaps for student achievement all wrong.
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The Modern Day Hunt For Buried Treasure
Benjamin Wallace joins us to talk about the people who endlessly try to decode puzzles to solve where someone has buried the loot — sometimes upending their lives to find it.
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A Better Way To Spend Those Education Dollars
Brandon L. Wright, editorial director of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, joins us to talk about public education funding challenges and how in the aftermath of the pandemic we must find smarter ways to spend those dollars.
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How One White House Hands Off The Baton To The Next
Anita Kumar, White House correspondent and associate editor at Politico, joins us to discuss the complicated issues of presidential transitions, from national security to the COVID-19 pandemic, and what happens when they don’t run smoothly.
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