Now & Then

By Cafe

Society & Culture History

What's Now & Then about?

How can the past help inform today’s most pressing challenges? Every Tuesday, award-winning historians Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman use their encyclopedic knowledge of US history to bring the past to life. Together, they make sense of the week in news by discussing the people, ideas, and events that got us here today. Now and Then is produced by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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LAST EPISODE

The 'Constitutional Sheriff...

01.25.2023

Why are some American sheriffs resisting government policies, including gun safety laws and even the peaceful transition of presidential power, while claiming constitutional authority? And how has the role of the sheriff impacted our national life? Heather and Joanne discuss ...

Now & Then episodes:

01.25.2023 The 'Constitutional Sheriff' Myth Why are some American sheriffs resisting government policies, including gun safety laws and even the peaceful transition of presidential power, while claiming constitutional authority? And how has the role of the sheriff impacted our national life? Heather and Joanne discuss ...
01.18.2023 Horses, Cats, and Chickens: Animal Power and Us How have animals influenced the American economy over the course of the nation’s history? And why have we seen such a sizable pandemic pet boom? Heather and Joanne discuss three moments where animals shaped national culture and financial health: the ...
01.11.2023 Things Are Looking Up? A New Year’s Show Could the arrival of a new Congress and the more hopeful national tone be the start of a new era in American life? Heather and Joanne discuss past transitions between national epochs, from the advent of the Era of Good ...
12.28.2022 Encore: From Monopoly to Mystery Date How do board games reflect America? How do debates over politics and identity show up in popular games? And how have these games shifted along with the nation? In this holiday encore presentation of an August episode, Heather and Joanne ...
12.21.2022 Georgia (Voting Rights) On My Mind (with Carol Anderson) How have marginalized Georgians fought for voting rights and equality over the course of the state’s history? Emory University African American Studies Professor Carol Anderson joins Heather and Joanne for a special year-end episode to discuss the pain and promise ...
12.14.2022 Why "Terminating" the Constitution Matters Former President Trump has called for the termination of the Constitution and the overturning of the 2020 election. What makes Trump’s comments so dangerous? When has the Constitution been under siege before? And how can we protect the document that ...
12.07.2022 FTX, Con Men, and the Power of Grift Following the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX and the undoing of its CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, Heather and Joanne discuss the businesspeople and money-makers who have fallen hardest throughout American history. How do we find the line between the “con ...
11.30.2022 Encore: Speakers of the House: Velvet Gloves and Iron Fists How did the Speaker of the House become such a crucial role in Washington? How do Speakers balance control with collaboration? And how can iconic Speakers from the past help to contextualize Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s tenure? On this encore presentation ...
11.23.2022 Now & Then Live! The Unsung Voices Episode Now & Then presents a conversation between Heather and Joanne from last Thursday, November 17th, recorded live at the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston. Heather and Joanne highlighted five objects in the Society’s collection that shed light on unsung brave ...
11.16.2022 The Power of the Youth Vote How did the youth impact last week’s midterm elections? And how have young people fought for representative democracy in American history? Heather and Joanne discuss the history of the youth vote in America, from the 1860 “Wide Awake” movement, to ...
11.08.2022 Power, Polling, & Public Opinion What should we make of political polls? Are they to be trusted? And why are Americans so interested in measuring public opinion? This week on Now & Then, Heather and Joanne discuss the history of polling in the United States, ...
11.02.2022 Fascism: Meanings and Methods The term 'fascism' is often invoked these days from voices on both the Left and the Right. Heather and Joanne start by defining the term and and have a conversation firmly rooted in history, from the proto-fascism of Southern enslavement, ...
10.26.2022 Fat Cats and Hidden Hands in Politics Why is there so much dark money in politics? How have political funders concealed their identities and motivations? And how does this sleight of hand damage American democracy? This week on Now & Then, Heather and Joanne discuss the role ...
10.19.2022 Educating a Nation: Higher Ed in Peril (with Will Bunch) How did college become so expensive? Why is higher education the subject of so much political and cultural division? And how can we restore a sense of equality to learning? This week on Now & Then, Philadelphia Inquirer national columnist ...
10.12.2022 The Meaning of Madison’s Flute: Who Owns Music? What can American instruments teach us about democracy? What does the controversy over Lizzo’s playing of James Madison’s crystal flute tell us about racism, representation, and the roots of our current cultural moment? Heather and Joanne discuss the evolution of ...
10.04.2022 Puerto Rico Has Stories to Tell How has Puerto Rico shaped American history? How does the national response to Hurricane Fiona reflect the complex relationship between Puerto Rico and the rest of the United States? Heather and Joanne discuss Puerto Rico’s historical trajectory, from Spanish colonization, ...
09.27.2022 Immigration: Defining ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ How has American immigration policy shifted over our national history? What can these changes show about how the U.S. defines “us” and “them”? Heather and Joanne discuss the politics and prejudices surrounding the two 1790s Naturalization Laws, the Immigration Act ...
09.20.2022 Mad About Monarchy How do Americans view the British monarchy? What role have England’s Kings and Queens played in helping to define democracy in the United States? And what can the stateside reaction to Queen Elizabeth II’s death tell us about America and ...
09.13.2022 When Parties Push Back When have American leaders confronted particularly hostile political opposition? How can fighting back against an unjust party help the nation? And what might the history of these back-and-forths say about the recent vibe shift in the Democratic Party? Heather and ...
09.06.2022 Forgiving (and Unforgiving) Debts How have Americans viewed personal debt over the course of history? What can the morality and functionality of debt tell us about the debate over President Bident’s student loan forgiveness program? Heather and Joanne discuss the history of debtors’ prisons ...
08.30.2022 Encore: Abortion: Whose Choice? Who gets to decide the future of reproductive rights? In this encore presentation of a Now & Then episode originally broadcast in September 2021, Heather and Joanne discuss the history of abortion from the colonial period to the present: the ...
08.23.2022 Vacation Nation How have vacations shaped American democracy? What can travel reveal about identity and national culture? And how does the history of tourism reflect the uncertainty of travel today? Heather and Joanne discuss the Grand Tour in early America, the rise ...
08.16.2022 From Monopoly to Mystery Date How do board games reflect America? How do debates over politics and identity show up in popular games? And how have these games shifted along with the nation? Heather and Joanne discuss the development of the American board game, from ...
08.09.2022 Does Anyone Love Taxes? How do Americans respond to taxation? What do trends around taxation say about American culture and values? And how can the history of tax policy help us to understand the recently-passed Inflation Reduction Act? Heather and Joanne discuss the legacies ...
08.02.2022 Tracking History's Mysteries What happens when there are gaps in the historical records of some of America’s most seismic political events? How do historians try to piece together those mysteries? And how might these question marks help to contextualize the missing Secret Service ...
07.26.2022 Gastropod: The Milk of Life Heather and Joanne are off this week, so we’re showcasing an episode from another Vox Media Podcast Network show: “The Milk of Life,” from Gastropod. On Gastropod, hosts Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley explore the history and science behind everyday ...
07.19.2022 Militia Movements How have American militias shaped the nation? And why do ‘militia movements’ keep returning to the fore of our national politics? On Now & Then, Heather and Joanne discuss the role of militias in the 1786 Shays’ Rebellion, during the ...
07.12.2022 Racism and the Second Amendment (with Carol Anderson) What are the origins of the Second Amendment? And what can America’s painful racial history illuminate about our national relationship to guns? On this special Live Taping of Now & Then, Heather and Joanne talk to Carol Anderson, professor of ...
07.05.2022 Alcohol in American Politics Following the news of Rudy Giuliani’s inebriated advice to Donald Trump on election night, Heather and Joanne dive into the historical role of alcohol in American politics. How have the norms around alcohol shifted — and how has that impacted ...
06.25.2022 Processing Roe’s Reversal in Real Time Heather and Joanne react to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. How did we get here? What does the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs signal for the future of women’s reproductive rights and broader civil rights in America? What kind ...
06.21.2022 Encore: Investigating Democracy On this encore episode of Now & Then, originally aired in June 2021 amid a Republican filibuster of an independent commission investigating January 6th, Heather and Joanne discuss the history of congressional commissions, from the investigation of the 1856 caning ...
06.14.2022 Nostalgia & Political Power What are the political purposes of nostalgia? Why does the GOP idealize the American past? And what can this backward-looking perspective give or take away from our collective future? On Now & Then, Heather and Joanne discuss the role of ...
06.07.2022 The Mirage of Money (or, NFTs, WTF?) Why have NFTs captured the American imagination? What can the recent instability in the NFT market tell us about the history of speculative bubbles? Heather and Joanne put the NFT craze in context with other American financial booms & busts, ...
05.31.2022 Free Speech: What IS Cancel Culture? Why are Americans so preoccupied with so-called “cancel culture”? What are the lines between accountability and cancellation? And what drives citizens to stand against objectionable statements? On this final episode in a three-part series on free speech, Heather and Joanne ...
05.24.2022 Free Speech: The Power of an Independent Press What have been the gravest threats to a free press over the nation’s history? And how can the past tell us how to safeguard our access to information today? On this second episode in a three-part series on free speech, ...
05.17.2022 Free Speech: The Government and Us How has the federal government limited and protected free speech rights over the course of American history? How have citizens responded when Washington has limited their speech rights? And what can Elon Musk’s commentary on online free speech tell us ...
05.10.2022 The Weeds: How the 1918 Flu Pandemic Ended Heather and Joanne are off this week, so we’re showcasing an episode from another Vox Media Podcast Network show: “How the 1918 Flu Pandemic Ended,” from The Weeds. Hosts Dara Lind and Dylan Matthews often explore the roots of our ...
05.03.2022 A Disability Discourse How has America historically defined physical disabilities? How have disability rights activists achieved hard-fought wins? And how does the current debate over mask mandates and pandemic restrictions leave out those with disabilities or chronic illness? Heather and Joanne discuss the ...
04.26.2022 American Jews and the American Story How have Jewish Americans fought for their identities? And how have other American groups used Jews to define themselves? White House celebrations of the recent Passover holiday have sparked conversations over how Jewish identity interacts with broader American self-definitions. Heather ...
04.19.2022 Tax Dollars and Tech Dollars: Who Supports Society? Who should support the needy in American society? The news is filled with controversies over the use and misuse of philanthropy, from Mackenzie Scott’s giving drive, to Elon Musk tax avoidance claims, to GoFundMe campaigns. Heather and Joanne look at ...
04.12.2022 Don’t Say Gay: A Queer History State lawmakers have proposed almost 250 anti-LGBTQ laws in 2022 alone. Why are we seeing such a virulent political backlash to sexual identity? And what can the current vitriol tell us about the entwinement of sexual orientation and politics in ...
04.05.2022 Ketanji Brown Jackson, Criminal Justice, & Public Defense Senate Republicans have attacked Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson for her past public defense work. How have defense attorneys elicited criticism and praise through American history? Why is the right to counsel so important to democracy? Heather and Joanne ...
03.29.2022 War Crimes & War Codes The State Department and President Biden have both declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin has committed war crimes in Ukraine. What are the rules of war? What constitutes a war crime? And what consequences might Putin face for the brutality ...
03.22.2022 Statecraft, Secrets, and Lies What information should a president keep secret? Recently, we’ve seen revelations about former President Trump’s removal of classified materials and a tense exchange about the Biden administration’s handling of intel on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Heather and Joanne connect these ...
03.15.2022 Women Warriors: Ukraine & Beyond Stories of remarkable heroism by women in Ukraine have captured the imagination of the world over the past few weeks. How have women warriors shaped conversations over gender, violence, and heroism over the course of United States history? Heather and ...
03.08.2022 Avatars of Democracy: Zelensky & More Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has become a symbol of democracy around the world. What does this mean for the United States? This week, Heather and Joanne look at past foreign and international figures who’ve fought fervently for democratic values and ...
03.04.2022 Heather Cox Richardson's Interview with President Biden Historian Heather Cox Richardson sat down with President Biden last week in the immediate aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the Supreme Court. Heather posted the interview on her Facebook ...
03.01.2022 Defining the State of the Union How do small and extreme groups take over the American political conversation? In this final installment of a three-part series on educating citizens, Heather and Joanne look at how reactionary movements utilize bullying tactics to wrest control from the majority. ...
02.22.2022 Bans, Schools, & Power: False Majorities How do small and extreme groups take over the American political conversation? In this final installment of a three-part series on educating citizens, Heather and Joanne look at how reactionary movements utilize bullying tactics to wrest control from the majority. ...
02.15.2022 Bans, Schools, & Power: Public Education Why have public schools become a setting for heated political debates? In this second installment of a special three-part series, Heather and Joanne weigh in on the current nationwide tensions over censorship and parental control in American public schools. Heather ...

Older episodes

Now & Then

What's Now & Then about?

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Now & Then episodes:

The 'Constitutional Sheriff' Myth

Horses, Cats, and Chickens: Animal Power and Us

Things Are Looking Up? A New Year’s Show

Encore: From Monopoly to Mystery Date

Georgia (Voting Rights) On My Mind (with Carol Anderson)

Why "Terminating" the Constitution Matters

FTX, Con Men, and the Power of Grift

Encore: Speakers of the House: Velvet Gloves and Iron Fists

Now & Then Live! The Unsung Voices Episode

The Power of the Youth Vote

Power, Polling, & Public Opinion

Fascism: Meanings and Methods

Fat Cats and Hidden Hands in Politics

Educating a Nation: Higher Ed in Peril (with Will Bunch)

The Meaning of Madison’s Flute: Who Owns Music?

Puerto Rico Has Stories to Tell

Immigration: Defining ‘Us’ and ‘Them’

Mad About Monarchy

When Parties Push Back

Forgiving (and Unforgiving) Debts

Encore: Abortion: Whose Choice?

Vacation Nation

From Monopoly to Mystery Date

Does Anyone Love Taxes?

Tracking History's Mysteries

Gastropod: The Milk of Life

Militia Movements

Racism and the Second Amendment (with Carol Anderson)

Alcohol in American Politics

Processing Roe’s Reversal in Real Time

Encore: Investigating Democracy

Nostalgia & Political Power

The Mirage of Money (or, NFTs, WTF?)

Free Speech: What IS Cancel Culture?

Free Speech: The Power of an Independent Press

Free Speech: The Government and Us

The Weeds: How the 1918 Flu Pandemic Ended

A Disability Discourse

American Jews and the American Story

Tax Dollars and Tech Dollars: Who Supports Society?

Don’t Say Gay: A Queer History

Ketanji Brown Jackson, Criminal Justice, & Public Defense

War Crimes & War Codes

Statecraft, Secrets, and Lies

Women Warriors: Ukraine & Beyond

Avatars of Democracy: Zelensky & More

Heather Cox Richardson's Interview with President Biden

Defining the State of the Union

Bans, Schools, & Power: False Majorities

Bans, Schools, & Power: Public Education