The Summer Olympics are here once again – a spectacular two weeks of athletic competition filled with tradition, including the passing of the torch, the parade of nations, medal ceremonies, and national anthems. But how traditional is it? Athletes in ancient Greece didn’t compete in togas and tunics; in fact, they didn’t compete in clothing at all! They raced chariots, avoided getting beaten by sticks, accepted awards of olive oil, and erected statues to their glory as well as their shame. Clearly, there’s a lot to learn and this episode strives to set the Olympic record straight.

Host: Andrew J. Falk

Guest: David Pollio 

Past is Prologue is a humanities podcast that provides the public with the background behind the day's headlines, and offers much-needed context to understand the significance of current events that people observe around them. It seeks to contribute to the public conversation in an engaging, informative, accessible, and constructive way. It's produced by the Department of History in the College of Arts & Humanities at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. We welcome your inquiries and feedback at [email protected].

You can listen here for a glimpse into the future of the past: the topics of our brand new summer episodes. Thanks for listening, subscribing, rating, and recommending to others!

Past is Prologue is a history podcast that provides the public with the background behind the day's headlines, and offers much-needed context to understand the significance of current events that people observe around them. It seeks to contribute to the public conversation in an engaging, informative, accessible, and constructive way. It's produced by the Department of History in the College of Arts & Humanities at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. We welcome your inquiries and feedback at [email protected].

During the “patriotic season” – Memorial Day, Flag Day, and July 4th – families come together to commemorate the nation, especially our hard-fought independence during the American Revolution. But the complex political events between “Mother England” and her American “daughter” also provide the backdrop to the family dramas that affected many Americans, including the “father of the country” George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin and William Franklin, John and Abigail Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, Henry and Lucy Knox, among many others. In many ways, family is very much a part of the history of the holidays. 

Host: Andrew J. Falk

Guest: Phillip Hamilton

Past is Prologue is a humanities podcast that provides the public with the background behind the day's headlines, and offers much-needed context to understand the significance of current events that people observe around them. It seeks to contribute to the public conversation in an engaging, informative, accessible, and constructive way. It's produced by the Department of History in the College of Arts & Humanities at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. We welcome your inquiries and feedback at [email protected].

The current situation in Haiti reveals political instability and a worsening humanitarian crisis. Can anything be done about it? Can the world sit back and watch? Can the United States do anything? Should it? Behind the headlines, there’s a long history of American involvement in Haiti. Our nations are intertwined, for better or for worse, perhaps more than most Americans realize.

Host: Andrew J. Falk

Past is Prologue is a humanities podcast that provides the public with the background behind the day's headlines, and offers much-needed context to understand the significance of current events that people observe around them. It seeks to contribute to the public conversation in an engaging, informative, accessible, and constructive way. It's produced by the Department of History in the College of Arts & Humanities at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. We welcome your inquiries and feedback at [email protected].

As the podcast returns after a hiatus, the headlines tell us that Joe Biden and Donald Trump are destined for a sequel to the 2020 election. As Trump attempts to return to the White House, how do past “returns” – from Napoleon and MacArthur to Michael Jordan and the Terminator – help frame the drama unfolding for voters? Spoiler: Some returns turn out better than others.

Host: Andrew J. Falk

Past is Prologue is a humanities podcast that provides the public with the background behind the day's headlines, and offers much-needed context to understand the significance of current events that people observe around them. It seeks to contribute to the public conversation in an engaging, informative, accessible, and constructive way. It's produced by the Department of History in the College of Arts & Humanities at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

Thanksgiving is noted for the fall harvest, feasts and festivals, and families. Many of us have grown up with children’s stories, fairy tales, and nursery rhymes that help frame our expectations and diverse experiences around the celebratory table. Here, we even dish on Harry Potter and Ebeneezer Scrooge. As the saying goes: “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are.” This episode is stuffed full of food for thought, and ripe to share with your family and friends during the season.

Host: Andrew J. Falk

Guest: Kara Keeling

Past is Prologue is a humanities podcast that provides the public with the background behind the day's headlines, and offers much-needed context to understand the significance of current events that people observe around them. It seeks to contribute to the public conversation in an engaging, informative, accessible, and constructive way. It's produced by the Department of History in the College of Arts & Humanities at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. We welcome your inquiries and feedback at [email protected].

How often do you think about the Roman Empire? As Halloween approaches, and as ghosts, skeletons, and flesh-eaters start to appear, we’ll look at death in the Roman Empire – from burial rituals to the secrets that cemeteries and headstones hold. What can they tell us about the people of the distant past? Friends, Romans, Countrymen, and podcast listeners, lend me your ears as we take a walk through the graveyard. Who says, “Dead men tell no tales?” 

Host: Andrew J. Falk

Guest: Jared Kreiner 

Past is Prologue is a humanities podcast that provides the public with the background behind the day's headlines, and offers much-needed context to understand the significance of current events that people observe around them. It seeks to contribute to the public conversation in an engaging, informative, accessible, and constructive way. It's produced by the Department of History in the College of Arts & Humanities at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. We welcome your inquiries and feedback at [email protected].

Reading, writing, and arithmetic are increasingly overshadowed by citizens, censorship, and the statehouse. The news is filled with outrage over teaching “divisive concepts” and banning books and graphic novels, which has placed school libraries and classrooms on the front lines. But there’s a complicated and interesting history to education, fights over curriculum, and who has a say over what children learn.

Host: Andrew J. Falk

Guest: Brian Puaca

Past is Prologue is a history podcast that provides the public with the background behind the day's headlines, and offers much-needed context to understand the significance of current events that people observe around them. It seeks to contribute to the public conversation in an engaging, informative, accessible, and constructive way. It's produced by the Department of History in the College of Arts & Humanities at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. We welcome your inquiries and feedback at [email protected].

We’re taking a brief summer vacation in July. But you can listen here for a glimpse into the future of the past: the topic of our brand new episode in August. Thanks for listening, subscribing, rating, and recommending to others!

Past is Prologue is a history podcast that provides the public with the background behind the day's headlines, and offers much-needed context to understand the significance of current events that people observe around them. It seeks to contribute to the public conversation in an engaging, informative, accessible, and constructive way. It's produced by the Department of History in the College of Arts & Humanities at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. We welcome your inquiries and feedback at [email protected].

As the weather warms up, you may be thinking about summer vacation. Whether you’re heading to the beach, taking a roadtrip to hike around a national park, trekking to a city or theme park, jetting overseas, planning a “staycation” closer to home, or just scrolling through social media to see friends’ vacation photos, there’s a history to travel and tourism. What happens when we seek adventure and explore our wider world? What baggage do we carry when we encounter other people and places? Let history be your guide!

Host: Andrew J. Falk

Guest: Matthew Harshman

Past is Prologue is a history podcast that provides the public with the background behind the day's headlines, and offers much-needed context to understand the significance of current events that people observe around them. It seeks to contribute to the public conversation in an engaging, informative, accessible, and constructive way. It's produced by the Department of History in the College of Arts & Humanities at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. We welcome your inquiries and feedback at [email protected].