In this episode of the History Slam, Sean Graham talks with author/journalist D’Arcy Jenish about his book The Making of the October Crisis: Canada’s Long Nightmare of Terrorism at the Hands of the FLQ. We talk about his approach to the subject, the historical literature on the October Crisis, and the FLQ’s rise. We also talk about terrorism, the linguistic divide, and how the book connects past and present.

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In this episode of the History Slam, Sean Graham talks with Brian about his new book Written in Stone: A Modern History of Curling. They talk about curling becoming an Olympic sport, teams boycotting the Brier over sponsorship, and the TV controversies of the mid-2000s. They also talk about the changes in fitness, the professionalization of the sport, and what the future may hold for some of the top teams.

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In this episode of the History Slam, Sean Graham talks with Harold Johnson about his book Firewater: How Alcohol is Killing my People (And Yours). They talk about his motivation for writing the book, the “drunken Indian” stereotype, and how the criminal justice system deals with alcoholism. They also talk about trauma in Indigenous communities, reducing alcohol-related deaths, and how addressing these issues requires a communal approach.

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In this episode of the History Slam, Sean Graham is joined by Aaron Boyes and Megan Reilly-Boyes to talk about some of the biggest Christmas toy fads of the 20th century. They talk about some from our respective childhoods as well as some from the early part of the century as we break down what makes certain toys qualify as a ‘toy of the year,’ before being joined by a special guest.

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In this episode of the History Slam, Sean Graham talks with SFU Professor about the new book The Trans Generation: How Trans Kids (And Their Parents) Are Creating a Gender Revolution. They talk about conducting interviews with kids and their parents, the trans rights movement, and the social markers associated with gender. They also talk about biology and gender, opposition to the trans community, and the importance of treating everybody with dignity and respect.

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In this episode of the History Slam, Sean Graham talks with Marian Jago about her new book Live at the Cellar: Vancouver’s Iconic Jazz Scene in the 1950s and ’60s. They talk about Canada’s jazz scene, the co-operative structure of the Cellar, and the type of performers who played at the club. They also chat about clubs in other cities, the counterculture movement of the mid-20th century, and Marian’s use of oral history.

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In this episode of the History Slam, Sean Graham talks with Daniel Heidt, editor of the new book Reconsidering Confederation: Canada’s Founding Debates, 1864-1999. They talk about the Confederation Debates project, the team he assembled, and approaches to understanding Confederation. They also chat about Canada as a political entity, concepts of Canadian identity, and what an examination of Confederation tells us about contemporary Canada.

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In this episode of the History Slam, Sean Graham talks with Laurence Jurdem about his new book Paving the Way for Reagan: The Influence of Conservative Media on U.S. Foreign Policy. They talk about the power of partisan press outlets, the rise of conservative media, and the balance between political influence and commercial success. They also get into the conservative media’s relationship with Richard Nixon, the Watergate scandal, Vietnam, communism, and Ronald Reagan.

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Using the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada designations of historically significant people, we selected 24 people and combined their names (one person for first name and another for middle name) to come up with 12 names that could be used to name a newborn. In this episode of the History Slam, Sean Graham presents the 12 names to Jeremy Garrett and Aaron Boyes. They talk about the individuals who inspired these names, why they were designated as historically significant, and the best sounding name combinations.

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In this episode of the History Slam, Sean Graham talks with Tonya Davidson of Carleton University about the meaning of monuments. They talk about monuments from a sociological perspective, the controversies around taking monuments down, and whether we should have monuments to individual people. They also visit two monuments in downtown Ottawa to talk about their designs meaning, and use in public spaces.

In addition to teaching at Carleton, Tonya also does walking tours of downtown Ottawa where she takes groups to various monuments to discuss their role as pieces of public history and sociology. She runs her tours through (De)Tours, so the next time you’re in the nation’s capital, be sure to check them out.

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