Join me this week as I dive into how Black Americans entered the political arena in the years immediately after the Civil War. In this episode, I discuss the history of Union Leagues, Black Codes, and what role the Ku Klux Klan played in diminishing African American political participation. 

Robert Smalls was one of millions of Black American born into slavery in 1839. With the outbreak of the Civil War, Smalls embarked on one of the most daring escapes imaginable by commandeering a confederate transport ship. Join me this week as I dive into the life of Robert Smalls. 

Joining me this week is Dr. Donna Nichol to discuss her latest book Black Woman on Board: Claudia Hampton, the California State University, and the Fight to Save Affirmative Action. Her work traces this life and legacy of the first Black woman to serve on the California State University Board of Trustees, Dr. Claudia Hampton.

Tune in to learn about Dr. Hampton and how her work left tangible impacts for California students.

To learn more about Dr. Nicol, be sure to visit her website at www.donnajnicol.com

Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds is one of the most iconic horror movies in the history of cinema. Filmed in Bodega Bay, California in the 1960s, the terrifying story was plagued with production issues and questionable behavior from its director. Tune in this week as I dive into the history of making The Birds. 

Join me this week as I dive into the mysterious story of America's first female serial killer, Belle Gunness. Learn how her meager beginnings in Norway motivated her to seek prosperity in the United States, why she took in children, and how she managed to escape punishment for her crimes. 

Join me this week as I sit down with authors Andrea Balis and Elizabeth Levy to discuss their new book, With Hunt: The Cold War, Joe McCarthy, and the Red Scare. 

In the earliest months of Reconstruction, several Black Americans were elected to political offices throughout the south. The first man to serve in the Senate, Hiram Revels, hailed from the state of Mississippi. Join me this week as I dive into the life of Hiram Revels. 

What was the Freedmen's Bureau, and how did it shape the post-Civil War South? Join me this week as I dive into the triumphs and trials of this historic agency. Learn how the Freedmen's Bureau worked to provide support and equality for newly freed African Americans and learn about its pivotal role in education, attempted land distribution, and legal assistance. 

As the dust settled in the aftermath of the Civil War, the United States had several challenges to address. How should formerly seceded states be reintroduced to the Union? What punishment, if any, should former Confederate officials face? And what did freedom for Black Americans mean?

Reconstruction is a complicated, nuanced period in American history. Join me this week as I introduce Reconstruction and what you all can expect over the next several weeks. 

Joining me this week is Dan Slater. He is an author whose work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and GQ. Slater recently wrote the book The Incorruptibles: A True Story of Kingpins, Crime Busters, and the Birth of the American Underworld which tells the story of the origins of the Jewish criminal underworld in the early twentieth century. 

To learn more about Dan, head over to his instagram at: bydanslater

As news of end of the Civil War spread, officials made arrangements to get former POWs home. For union men, this meant traveling via steamship. A frequent method of travel, steamships had a reputation for bad accidents. A reputation that would prove true with the Sultana. 

Join me this week as I dive into one of the most devastating maritime disasters in U.S. history: the sinking of the Sultana. Overloaded and plagued by a critical flaw, this steamboat’s final voyage ended in catastrophic explosions on the Mississippi River. Learn more about this disaster - and why it isn't more widely known.