Q&A

This July 4th weekend, University of Michigan musicology and American culture professor Mark Clague discusses his book, "O Say Can You Hear?," about the history and cultural impact of the Star-Spangled Banner. He talks about how the 1814 poem written by Francis Scott Key became the U.S. national anthem, its widespread use today at sporting events, and renditions of the song performed by Jimi Hendrix, Whitney Houston, Roseanne Barr, and others. 

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Historian Cassandra Good talks about the lives and complicated legacies of George Washington's heirs. George and Martha Washington never had children together, but they raised Martha's children, and later grandchildren, as their own. Together they made up America's first "first family."   

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Emmett Till's cousin Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr., who accompanied Till on his trip to Mississippi in 1955, talked about the fateful events leading up to Till's murder by two white men and his efforts to get justice for his late cousin.

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Slate magazine staff writer Henry Grabar, author of "Paved Paradise," talks about the evolution of parking in the United States and the consequences of that development today. He argues that the decades-long importance given to parking has negatively impacted housing costs and development, city traffic, the environment, and more.     

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Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), author of "Lost and Broken," talks about his decades-long struggle living with chronic pain and anxiety and discusses his efforts to find the right treatment. He also talks about the U.S. healthcare system and its ability to meet the needs of Americans with physical and mental health issues.  

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This Memorial Day weekend on Q&A, Daniel Weiss, president & CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and author of "In That Time," talks about the life of poet and musician Michael O'Donnell, who went missing in action during the Vietnam War after the helicopter he was piloting was shot down over Cambodia. 

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Bloomberg Businessweek feature writer Ashlee Vance discusses his book "When the Heavens Went on Sale," about the private companies launching small satellites into Earth's lower orbit for commercial and noncommercial use. In the last three years alone, the number of satellites orbiting Earth has gone from 2,500 to 8,000. Mr. Vance estimates that these companies will put up tens of thousands more over the next decade. He discusses the positives and negatives of this new effort to dominate space.

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Longtime syndicated columnist and author Cal Thomas discusses his book "A Watchman in the Night," a look back at his over 50 year career in journalism and the political and cultural events he covered over that time. He also talks about his assessments of Presidents Reagan through Biden.

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San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge discusses her book "Generations," about the differences between the six generations – The Silents, Baby Boomers, Gen. X, Millennials, Gen. Y and "The Polars" – currently living in the United States. She argues that technological advances shape generations more than anything else and talks about the impact this will have on the country in the future.    

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Presidential historian and author Richard Norton Smith discusses his biography of President Gerald Ford titled "An Ordinary Man." He talks about Ford's personal life, anti-establishment politics, and post-presidential years. He also talks about the efforts made by President Ford to heal the country following the Watergate scandal and his controversial decision to pardon Richard Nixon.   

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