In the late summer of 1968, thousands of protestors joined politicians, party leaders, and the media in Chicago to attend the Democratic National Convention. 

The convention is known as one of the most chaotic and violent conventions in history and led to significant changes in the party nominating process. Tune in as I dive into what happened and why so many are comparing 1968 to 2024. 

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Joining me this week is educator and historian Kristin Kessinger. In this episode, we discuss her scholarship analyzing the southern paternalistic justifications for slavery in Missouri and how important it is to understand our past. 

You can follow Kristin on instagram through her handle: rockthekessbah. 

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In the final months of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln focused his attention on securing the passage of a constitutional amendment banning slavery. But why, if he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, was an amendment necessary?

Tune in this week to find out. 

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James Baldwin was a writer, activist, and world traveler who dedicated his life to understanding his identity and how it fit within American society. His writing deftly explore these topics and sheds a light on the Black experience in the twentieth century.

Joining me for this bonus episode is past guest Ethan Healey. Healey shares his research about Baldwin's search for identity, how it influenced his activism, and why Baldwin's work still resonates today. 

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Joining me as I wrap up my coverage of sixteenth president Abraham Lincoln is Jerry Landry. 

Jerry is a presidential history expert and is the host and lead researcher behind the incredible Presidencies of the United States podcast. Jerry lends his insight, expertise, and analysis on Lincoln's administration, how his cabinet helped him be successful during the Civil War, and what current politicians could learn about Lincoln's leadership. 

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Join me this week for the second chapter of Lincoln's life and legacy. Tune in as I discuss Lincoln's early political career, his debates with Stephen Douglas, and how he surprised everyone to become the 16th President of the United States. 

And be sure to come back next week for a special guest as I wrap up my coverage of Abraham Lincoln. 

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Join me this week as I dive into the latest listener request: the history of coffee in the United States.

Coffee has long been associated with American culture. But how did we get here? Learn how a little revolution altered the drinking habits of colonists and how brewers sought to make the perfect coffee blend. Why was the coffee house considered the home of revolution? And who launched the first commercial coffee company? Tune in to find out. 

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Sitting down with me today is historian and author Kate Nicholson who recently published Behind Everest: Ruth Mallory's Story which details the life of Ruth Mallory, wife to famed British mountaineer George Mallory. 

We chat about how she discovered Ruth and what motivated her to tell Mallory's story. You can learn more about Kate by visiting the website www.civicsandcoffee.com. 

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Mary Eliza Mahoney broke the gender and racial barrier when she became the first Black woman to earn her nursing license in 1879. Although Black women had long been performing the work of nurses, Mahoney's successful completion of a rigorous licensing programming demonstrated that African American women were capable of succeeding in medicine. 

But just who was Mary Eliza Mahoney? Tune in to find out. 

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Not much is known about the first recorded drag queen in the United States, William Dorsey Swann. A man who was born into slavery in Maryland just ahead of the Civil War, Swann eventually moved to Washington, D.C. where he held parties celebrating a different form of expression. 

Tune in this week as I chat about William Dorsey Swann and how his actions are considered by some to be the origins of the LGBTQ rights movement. 

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