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

Immigration: Defining ‘Us’ ...

09.27.2022

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 ...

Now & Then episodes:

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 ...
02.08.2022 Bans, Schools, & Power: Book Panics Book bans are back. What’s causing this resurgence? What have similar acts of censorship meant throughout American history? And how should concerned citizens respond? In this first installment of a special three-part series, “Bans, Schools, & Power: Book Panics,” Heather ...
02.01.2022 The Culture of Cash What has money meant in American society? On this episode of Now & Then, “The Culture of Cash,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman look at the culture of American currency & capital. They examine attempts in the early republic ...
01.27.2022 CAFE Insider Special 1/27: Breyer Retires In a special episode of CAFE Insider, former U.S. Attorneys Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement from the Supreme Court, and reflect on his legacy. President Biden now faces the tough question of nominating Breyer’s replacement. ...
01.25.2022 When Americans Can't Turn Away What kinds of events have inspired Americans to become activists? On this episode of Now & Then, “When Americans Can’t Turn Away,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman highlight moments where everyday people have spoken up to defend their rights ...
01.18.2022 Restitution & Reparations How should the American government take responsibility for past actions that have caused significant harm? On this episode of Now & Then, “Restitution & Reparations,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the tangled history of restitution, with a specific ...
01.11.2022 The Lure of Political Outsiders How have outsider legislators changed American history? On this episode of Now & Then, “The Lure of Political Outsiders,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the history of the eccentric and anti-establishment members of Congress, from the frontier politics ...
12.21.2021 Historians Have Their Heroes Who are the most relevant and inspiring heroes from American history? On this year-end episode of Now & Then, “Historians Have Their Heroes,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss their definitions of American heroism and the figures–from Ida B. ...
12.14.2021 God & Morality in American Politics How have religion and morality shaped the United States? On this episode of Now & Then, “God & Morality in American Politics,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss how politicians and reformers have interacted with faith systems, from Thomas ...
12.07.2021 Disinformation and Democracy What damage does disinformation cause our body politic? On this episode of Now & Then, “Disinformation and Democracy,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman trace the history of disinformation in America, with an emphasis on how technology has fueled the ...
11.30.2021 Encore: Creating Federal Holidays, July 4th to Juneteenth As we come out of Thanksgiving and welcome in Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, and New Years, we revisit Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman’s look at the American debates that accompanied the creations of July 4th, Columbus Day, and Election Day. ...
11.23.2021 Thanksgiving Wars How have Americans fought over Thanksgiving? And what can the holiday tell us about democracy and national styles of celebration? On this episode of Now & Then, “Thanksgiving Wars,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman explore past debates over the ...
11.16.2021 Mill ‘Girls,’ Company Men, & the Great Resignation How have American experiences of work changed throughout our history? On this episode of Now & Then, “Mill ‘Girls,’ Company Men, & the Great Resignation,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the evolution of American work, from the emergence ...
11.09.2021 Associations: From the Masons to the Mob What’s the history of associations and powerful internal groups in American life? On this episode of Now & Then, “Associations: From the Masons to the Mob,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the popularity of the Freemasons and other ...
11.02.2021 Democracy Is In the Mail On this episode of Now & Then, “Democracy Is In the Mail,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman talk about the development of the post office in American culture. They explain why the Framers believed so deeply in a government-backed ...
10.29.2021 Gastropod: Trick or Treat: Soul Cakes, Candy Corn, and Sugar Skulls Galore! This week, Heather and Joanne appeared on the food podcast Gastropod, hosted by journalists Cynthia Graber and Nicky Twilley, to discuss the history of Halloween candy, trick-or-treating, and poison candy paranoia. Listen and subscribe to Gastropod at gastropod.com or wherever ...
10.26.2021 Voting Rights: The Big Picture (ft. Carol Anderson) On this episode of Now & Then, “Voting Rights: The Big Picture,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman talk about the history of voter suppression with Carol Anderson, professor of African American Studies at Emory University and author of One ...

Older episodes

Now & Then

What's Now & Then about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Now & Then episodes:

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

Bans, Schools, & Power: Book Panics

The Culture of Cash

CAFE Insider Special 1/27: Breyer Retires

When Americans Can't Turn Away

Restitution & Reparations

The Lure of Political Outsiders

Historians Have Their Heroes

God & Morality in American Politics

Disinformation and Democracy

Encore: Creating Federal Holidays, July 4th to Juneteenth

Thanksgiving Wars

Mill ‘Girls,’ Company Men, & the Great Resignation

Associations: From the Masons to the Mob

Democracy Is In the Mail

Gastropod: Trick or Treat: Soul Cakes, Candy Corn, and Sugar Skulls Galore!

Voting Rights: The Big Picture (ft. Carol Anderson)