Professor Buzzkill History Podcast

Dr. Matthew Delmont explains the complicated and distressing history of African-American participation in World War II at home, and in the war theaters. Discrimination was rampant and inexcusable. African-Americans had to fight for the right to fight in the military. And war industry jobs were just as segregated (sometimes more so) than during peacetime. Episode 501.

1865. The Civil War is over. Slavery has been abolished. The country is “reconstructing” itself. This should have meant that the lives of African-Americans improved during this period. But it didn’t. 1865-1930 is often called the “nadir of African-American life.” Not only did they gain very little economic or social benefit from the end of slavery, but white Southerners also built up a system of racial oppression that still stains American consciousness. Listen as Professor Phil Nash explains it all! Encore episode!

Professors Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway explain how and why Americans came to believe that the “free market” was not only natural, but also moral, and the highest form of human interaction. Their deep archival research shows how the rise of free market fundamentalism was artificially created by business elites, trade associations, and allies in the media over the 20th century. Only by understanding this history can we imagine a future where markets will serve, not stifle, democracy. Episode 500.

Dr. Kathleen Belew explains the history and myth behind insurrections in recent American history. She dismantles the “lone wolf” myth about political violence, as well as the myth of “it’s not who we are as Americans.” She shows us how insurrectionists have created their ideologies, promoted them through fiction and educational materials, and crafted organizational structures. Frightening but important history! Episode 499!

Dr. Vernon Burton tells the many amazing stories that make up the life of Robert Smalls, a genuine Civil War hero, and a man who deserves far more fame and glory than he’s received! From piloting a Confederate States ship out of Charleston Harbor and turning it over to the United States Navy, to becoming an important Reconstruction-era politician, to being a publisher and an educator, Smalls was an American Renaissance man. And yet there is no movie or novel about him. Let’s correct that! Episode 498.

Dr. Natalia Mehlman Petrzela provides an excellent overview of the debates about how feminism has been discussed in terms of varieties of “family values” in modern American history. From the early suffragists, through the Progressives, through the Second Wave, and up to the 21st Century, Professor Petrzela shows the emphasis that feminists have put on parenting and family. And they did all this in the face of nasty opposition and abusive characterizations of their ideals by opponents of women’s rights! Episode 497.

Dr. David Bell relates the long and strange history of the concept of “American Exceptionalism,” analyzing various interpretations of the phrase from the Puritan John Winthrop to President (and non-Puritan) Donald Trump. We wrestle with: the true meaning of the phrase; to what extent it has meant American “difference” and/or American “superiority;” and everything in between. And you’ll get the shock reveal of who actually coined “American Exceptionalism.” A totally gripping analysis! Episode 496.

Dr. Carol Anderson talks about her “Voter Fraud” chapter in “Myth America: Historians Take On the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past.” Her work is based on the most solid research imaginable. And she gives us shocking new information about the extent of voter suppression in many American states. You won’t be to listen to election night coverage again without mentally fact-checking lies about fraudulent voters running rampant across the country. Episode 495.

Dr. Karen Cox shows us the complex history of Confederate Monuments in the US, and what has actually happened during this recent period of removal. Professor Buzzkill himself was floored to hear how many monuments still exist, and about the complicated ways in which some monuments have been removed. Her work as part of the new book, Myth America, is not to be missed! Episode 494.

Drs. Kevin Kruse and Julian Zelizer introduce “Myth America,” one of the most consequential books to address myths and misunderstandings of American history. They talk about the genesis of the book and its purpose, and the problems historians now face in a time of frenetic social media. Finally, they address their own specific chapters (Kruse on “The Southern Strategy” and Zelizer on “The Reagan Revolution”) in this edited collection. One of our very best shows! Episode 493.