Join us for a sampler of Norfolk State University’s 1619:The Making of America conference, including the myths and truths behind the lives of two native women—Pocahontas and Tituba—by Page Laws (Norfolk State University), a brief history of human slavery by Paul Finkelman (University of Pennsylvania), and three remarkable enslaved women in Canada who fought back by Maureen Elgersman Lee (Hampton University).

Later in the show: The story of Pocahontas has been told and retold for 400 years, from Captain John Smith’s early letters, to director Terrence Malick’s film, The New World. In a lively discussion, historians Helen Rountree (Old Dominion University) and Camilla Townsend (Colgate University) demystify the legend of Pocahontas and, in doing so, paint an engrossing picture of Indian life in the early 1600s.

Join us for a sampler of Norfolk State University’s 1619:The Making of America conference, including the myths and truths behind the lives of two native women—Pocahontas and Tituba—by Page Laws (Norfolk State University), a brief history of human slavery by Paul Finkelman (University of Pennsylvania), and three remarkable enslaved women in Canada who fought back by Maureen Elgersman Lee (Hampton University).

Later in the show: The story of Pocahontas has been told and retold for 400 years, from Captain John Smith’s early letters, to director Terrence Malick’s film, The New World. In a lively discussion, historians Helen Rountree (Old Dominion University) and Camilla Townsend (Colgate University) demystify the legend of Pocahontas and, in doing so, paint an engrossing picture of Indian life in the early 1600s.

In 1853, Eyre Crowe, a British artist, visited a slave auction in Richmond, Virginia. His painting of the scene was later exhibited at the Royal Gallery in London in 1861. In her new book Slaves Waiting for Sale: Abolitionist Art and the American Slave Trade, Maurie McInnis (University of Virginia) describes the impact this pivotal painting had on the British Public at the outbreak of the American Civil War. Greg Kimball (Library of Virginia) talks about a new exhibition of art dealing with the American slave trade. Also: Jonathan White (Christopher Newport University) says many Union soldiers were not for re-election of Abraham Lincoln in 1864, and were in fact pressured to vote for him.

Later in the show: 1619 was the year the first Africans arrived on the North American continent. There were at least 20 of them and they came as slaves from Angola. But what’s often overlooked is the culture they brought with them. Many were Christians with European names like Jean Pedro and Angela, and some came from cities. Scholars Linda Heywood and John Thornton recently discussed the lives of these first Africans at Norfolk State University’s 1619: The Making of America conference. Also featured: When we think of colonial American essayists, New Englanders like Cotton Mather and Ben Franklin come to mind. But recently discovered essays by an anonymous writer who called himself “The Humourist” are now being hailed as some of the best in America’s colonial period. Brent Kendrick (Lord Fairfax Community College) *thinks he’s discovered the real identity of their author.

In 1853, Eyre Crowe, a British artist, visited a slave auction in Richmond, Virginia. His painting of the scene was later exhibited at the Royal Gallery in London in 1861. In her new book Slaves Waiting for Sale: Abolitionist Art and the American Slave Trade, Maurie McInnis (University of Virginia) describes the impact this pivotal painting had on the British Public at the outbreak of the American Civil War. Greg Kimball (Library of Virginia) talks about a new exhibition of art dealing with the American slave trade. Also: Jonathan White (Christopher Newport University) says many Union soldiers were not for re-election of Abraham Lincoln in 1864, and were in fact pressured to vote for him.

Later in the show: 1619 was the year the first Africans arrived on the North American continent. There were at least 20 of them and they came as slaves from Angola. But what’s often overlooked is the culture they brought with them. Many were Christians with European names like Jean Pedro and Angela, and some came from cities. Scholars Linda Heywood and John Thornton recently discussed the lives of these first Africans at Norfolk State University’s 1619: The Making of America conference. Also featured: When we think of colonial American essayists, New Englanders like Cotton Mather and Ben Franklin come to mind. But recently discovered essays by an anonymous writer who called himself “The Humourist” are now being hailed as some of the best in America’s colonial period. Brent Kendrick (Lord Fairfax Community College) *thinks he’s discovered the real identity of their author.

In 1853, Eyre Crowe, a British artist, visited a slave auction in Richmond, Virginia. His painting of the scene was later exhibited at the Royal Gallery in London in 1861. In her new book Slaves Waiting for Sale: Abolitionist Art and the American Slave Trade, Maurie McInnis (University of Virginia) describes the impact this pivotal painting had on the British Public at the outbreak of the American Civil War. Greg Kimball (Library of Virginia) talks about a new exhibition of art dealing with the American slave trade. Also: Jonathan White (Christopher Newport University) says many Union soldiers were not for re-election of Abraham Lincoln in 1864, and were in fact pressured to vote for him.

Later in the show: 1619 was the year the first Africans arrived on the North American continent. There were at least 20 of them and they came as slaves from Angola. But what’s often overlooked is the culture they brought with them. Many were Christians with European names like Jean Pedro and Angela, and some came from cities. Scholars Linda Heywood and John Thornton recently discussed the lives of these first Africans at Norfolk State University’s 1619: The Making of America conference. Also featured: When we think of colonial American essayists, New Englanders like Cotton Mather and Ben Franklin come to mind. But recently discovered essays by an anonymous writer who called himself “The Humourist” are now being hailed as some of the best in America’s colonial period. Brent Kendrick (Lord Fairfax Community College) *thinks he’s discovered the real identity of their author.

“Duping Delight” and Who’s Likely to Lie? (October 25, 2014)

People who get a kick out of lying are said to have “duping delight.” Randy Boyle (Longwood University) studies human deception at the Longwood Center for Cyber Security. He has devised a questionnaire that measures a person’s propensity to lie. Also: Each year there are many food recall or contamination alerts, but not everyone heeds the warnings. Christopher Brady (Virginia State University) looks at the psychological factors that determine which of us will act on the alerts. And: A researcher (Andrew Neilson, Virginia Tech) has found that certain flavanols in cocoa can reduce weight gain. His study identified one particular compound in cocoa prevented laboratory mice from gaining excess weight when fed a high-fat diet.

Later in the show: The trade in human beings—for sex and labor—is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world today, and it’s happening just below the surface of our everyday lives. Author Corban Addison (University of Virginia Law School 2004) confronts human trafficking in his novel A Walk Across the Sun. Also featured: Since World War II, the American “H2” program has brought hundreds of thousands of Jamaican men to the United States to do difficult and dangerous work for some of the nation’s largest agricultural corporations. Cindy Hahamovitch (College of William and Mary) tells the story of these workers in her book No Man’s Land.

“Duping Delight” and Who’s Likely to Lie? (October 25, 2014)

People who get a kick out of lying are said to have “duping delight.” Randy Boyle (Longwood University) studies human deception at the Longwood Center for Cyber Security. He has devised a questionnaire that measures a person’s propensity to lie. Also: Each year there are many food recall or contamination alerts, but not everyone heeds the warnings. Christopher Brady (Virginia State University) looks at the psychological factors that determine which of us will act on the alerts. And: A researcher (Andrew Neilson, Virginia Tech) has found that certain flavanols in cocoa can reduce weight gain. His study identified one particular compound in cocoa prevented laboratory mice from gaining excess weight when fed a high-fat diet.

Later in the show: The trade in human beings—for sex and labor—is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world today, and it’s happening just below the surface of our everyday lives. Author Corban Addison (University of Virginia Law School 2004) confronts human trafficking in his novel A Walk Across the Sun. Also featured: Since World War II, the American “H2” program has brought hundreds of thousands of Jamaican men to the United States to do difficult and dangerous work for some of the nation’s largest agricultural corporations. Cindy Hahamovitch (College of William and Mary) tells the story of these workers in her book No Man’s Land.

“Duping Delight” and Who’s Likely to Lie? (October 25, 2014)

People who get a kick out of lying are said to have “duping delight.” Randy Boyle (Longwood University) studies human deception at the Longwood Center for Cyber Security. He has devised a questionnaire that measures a person’s propensity to lie. Also: Each year there are many food recall or contamination alerts, but not everyone heeds the warnings. Christopher Brady (Virginia State University) looks at the psychological factors that determine which of us will act on the alerts. And: A researcher (Andrew Neilson, Virginia Tech) has found that certain flavanols in cocoa can reduce weight gain. His study identified one particular compound in cocoa prevented laboratory mice from gaining excess weight when fed a high-fat diet.

Later in the show: The trade in human beings—for sex and labor—is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world today, and it’s happening just below the surface of our everyday lives. Author Corban Addison (University of Virginia Law School 2004) confronts human trafficking in his novel A Walk Across the Sun. Also featured: Since World War II, the American “H2” program has brought hundreds of thousands of Jamaican men to the United States to do difficult and dangerous work for some of the nation’s largest agricultural corporations. Cindy Hahamovitch (College of William and Mary) tells the story of these workers in her book No Man’s Land.

Horror in the Hills (October 18, 2014)

Early struggles between Native Americans and the U.S. government centered on gold claims. But Jaime Allison (Christopher Newport University) says the tension now centers on the new black gold-coal. Plus: Emily Satterwhite (Virginia Tech) talks about two very different images of Appalachia: the pastoral, small towns of literature and the often violent cannibals of horror films. And: In the mid-90s, Latino immigrants started to migrate to smaller towns in the South. Barbara Ellen Smith (Virginia Tech) says the new Appalachia includes chicken enchiladas and tamales.

Later in the show:

Great American composer Aaron Copland wrote the opera The Tender Land after seeing the Depression-era photographs of Walker Evans in Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. In this show from our archives, With Good Reason visits Southwest Virginia for a 2012 performance of that famous work under the direction of Dr. David Volk and Amber Burke (University of Virginia's College at Wise). Also featured: Weldon Hill (Virginia State University) is a jazz pianist who has played with some of the greats in the field. He takes us on a musical tour of his own music and also plays recordings of some of the giants of jazz piano like Oscar Peterson and Nat King Cole, discussing the influence they had on American jazz.

Horror in the Hills (October 18, 2014)

Early struggles between Native Americans and the U.S. government centered on gold claims. But Jaime Allison (Christopher Newport University) says the tension now centers on the new black gold-coal. Plus: Emily Satterwhite (Virginia Tech) talks about two very different images of Appalachia: the pastoral, small towns of literature and the often violent cannibals of horror films. And: In the mid-90s, Latino immigrants started to migrate to smaller towns in the South. Barbara Ellen Smith (Virginia Tech) says the new Appalachia includes chicken enchiladas and tamales.

Later in the show:

Great American composer Aaron Copland wrote the opera The Tender Land after seeing the Depression-era photographs of Walker Evans in Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. In this show from our archives, With Good Reason visits Southwest Virginia for a 2012 performance of that famous work under the direction of Dr. David Volk and Amber Burke (University of Virginia's College at Wise). Also featured: Weldon Hill (Virginia State University) is a jazz pianist who has played with some of the greats in the field. He takes us on a musical tour of his own music and also plays recordings of some of the giants of jazz piano like Oscar Peterson and Nat King Cole, discussing the influence they had on American jazz.