Loading...

PODCAST

History That Doesn"t Suck

Prof. Greg Jackson

HTDS is a bi-weekly podcast, delivering a legit, seriously researched, hard-hitting survey of American history through entertaining stories. To keep up with History That Doesn’t Suck news, check us out htdspodcast.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram: @historythatdoesntsuck. Become a premium member to support our work, receive ad-free episodes and bonus episodes.Pre-order Prof. Jackson"s new book Been There Done That: How Our History Shows What We Can Overcome

history

All Episodes

62:35

165: America’s Favorite Pastime: Baseball, the Negro...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/09/23

"As I hit the ball, every muscle in my system, every sense I had, told me that I had never hit a better one . . . I didn't have to look. But I did. That ball . . . hit . . . exactly the spot I had pointed to." This is the story of the most American sport: baseball. Americans have been playing ball for a good long while now—even General Washington enjoyed an occasional game of catch—but baseball as we know it only emerged around the 1850s. That’s also about the time when people started forming

en

64:33

164: Harlem Renaissance: The Great Migration, Jazz,...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/09/09

“Harlem is the queen of the black belts, drawing Aframericans together in a vast humming hive . . . from the different states, from the islands of the Caribbean, and from Africa . . . It is the Negro capital of the world.” This is the story of the Harlem Renaissance. In the early twentieth century, many Black families and individuals down South are finding that the only way out is up—to the North. Driven by Jim Crow discrimination and harsh economic realities, hundreds of thousands of African

en

61:46

163: The Show (Boat) Must Go On: Broadway and the...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/08/26

“Miller, Lyles, and I were standing near the exit door . . . Blake stuck out there in front, leading the orchestra—his bald head would get the brunt of the tomatoes and rotten eggs.”This is the story of American musical theater and the dawn of modern Broadway. Popular entertainment is evolving fast in the early twentieth century. Minstrel shows just aren’t drawing the same numbers anymore (for good reason), and burlesque and variety shows abound. The earliest “official” musical, The Black Crook

en

64:06

162: The Birth of the Movies: From Silent Cinema to...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/08/12

“Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothing yet!”This is the story of the silver screen. In the late nineteenth century, technology is advancing rapidly. Eadweard Muybridge’s trip-wire camera work, made famous by a “motion study” of a galloping horse, is giving way to smoother and longer projections. Some see these short films simply as a curiosity, an “invention without a future” as early filmmaker Louis Lumière famously says, but Thomas Edison knows there is serious money to be had

en

38:11

161: An Epilogue Toast to Prohibition’s End with...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/07/29

Cheers to Professor Jackson’s post Prohibition conversation with distinguished author Daniel Okrent! Dan is the the author of Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, winner of the American Historical Association’s prize for the year’s best book of American History when it was published in 2011. Last Call was a go-to book in the HTDS bibliography for episodes 157-160 as we researched and selected the stories to tell in these four podcast episodes we’ve just completed.Dan was also the first

en

23:07

Introducing: American Criminal from Airship

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/07/22

From Airship, the studio behind American Scandal, American History Tellers, and History Daily, comes a new true crime history podcast that takes you inside the minds of some of our most notorious felons and outlaws, exploring the dark side to the American dream.In this new show, host Jeremy Schwartz will introduce you to the picture-perfect brothers who teamed up to kill their parents; the thief who stole babies and ruined countless lives; the crypto king who siphoned off billions in the name of

en

65:05

160: Al Capone & the End of Prohibition

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/07/15

“Only Capone kills like that.”This is the story of the rise and fall of Al Capone, and the last gasps of Prohibition. No other gangster compares to Scarface. He’s remained prominent in the American consciousness for 100 years due to his overt violence and lavish lifestyle, funded by *ahem* unsavory business practices. He brazenly orders murders like the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, but he also doesn’t hesitate to get his own hands dirty when it comes to traitors. Capone seems to have jumped

en

59:21

159: Scofflaws, Moonshiners, Bootleggers, and Crime...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/07/01

“Don’t ask me nothin’! You hear me? Don’t ask! And don’t bring anybody in here for me to identify. I won’t identify them even if I know they did it!”This is the story of the nation’s up-and-coming criminal underground. By 1920, with few exceptions, producing, buying, and selling alcohol is outlawed, but that doesn’t stop enterprising Americans. Many feel perfectly comfortable flouting the law and continuing to drink at their leisure, albeit with the added thrill that comes with evading

en

55:55

158: Prohibition - So You Wanna Be a Rum Runner?

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/06/17

“You’re Bill McCoy.” “Never heard of him.”This is the story of a crazy decade-plus when America outlawed booze…but the liquor kept flowing. The Prohibition era marks a partial return to the Golden Age of Piracy, with bootleggers frequenting old haunts in the Caribbean, including Nassau, capital of The Bahamas. These sailors are also buying, selling, and drinking copious amounts of—you guessed it—rum. But how does all this booze get from the Bahamas to speakeasies in New York? William “Bill”

en

60:01

157: Temperance, Prohibition, and the Path to the...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/06/03

Episode Description:“Farewell, you good-for-nothing, God-forsaken, iniquitous, bleary-eyed, bloated-faced old imp of perdition, farewell!” This is the story of the path to prohibition. Early America drinks a lot – I mean, A LOT. Alcohol doesn’t give you dysentery, it’s used as a medicine, and in the first decades of the Republic, whiskey is cheaper than coffee or tea. But some are starting to think that maybe Uncle Sam needs an intervention. First, it's the American Temperance Society, then the

en

60:33

156: The Presidency of “Silent” Cal Coolidge

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/05/20

“I believe I can swing it.”This is the story of the Coolidge Administration. Calvin Coolidge isn’t the most talkative guy–he’s painfully shy, to be frank–but “Silent Cal” does care deeply about public service. Over the years, the thrifty, hard-working New Englander moves up the ranks, from municipal offices to state offices, until, as Massachusetts Governor, he’s asked to join Warren G. Harding’s run for the White House. When the scandalous, playboy President meets an untimely end, family man Cal

en

66:52

155: The Life & Times of Warren G. Harding & The...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/05/06

“If you knew of a great scandal in our administration, would you for the good of the country and the party expose it publicly or would you bury it?” This is the story of a brilliant man’s presidency and the greatest presidential scandal to precede Watergate. This is the story of Warren G. Harding and the Teapot Dome Scandal. Growing up in Ohio, Warren–or little “Winnie,” as his mom calls him–shows his brilliance from day one. The smart, charismatic, and handsome boy grows up to become a

en

61:01

154: An Epilogue Discussion with Ben Sawyer

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/04/22

The Prof. sits down with fellow Prof. Ben Sawyer of the Road to Now Podcast and Middle Tennessee State University to chat through the last volume episodes. Russia, the Red Scare, the second Klan, and more, while Ben gets Greg to share behind-the-scenes details on the writing process. Enjoy!____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette come see a

en

62:06

153: West Virginia’s Mine Wars: From Trouble in...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/04/08

“I want to say make no settlement until they sign up that every bloody murderer of a guard has got to go.”This is the story of the largest uprising in the United States since the Civil War. As unions spread across the Progressive-Era United States, West Virginia mine owners manage to keep them out. They have some good reasons (tough margins) and some less savory ones … like their preference for an oppressive “mine guard system” in “company towns” that effectively removes civil government and

en

62:34

152: The Second Ku Klux Klan: Racism, Anti-Semitism,...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/03/25

“Every official except one elected yesterday at the first municipal election of this borough had been endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan.”This is the story of the Second Ku Klux Klan. It’s been nearly half a century since the Third Enforcement Act killed off the Klan in 1871. But amid Jim Crow segregation in 1915, the lynching of a Jewish Georgian Leo Frank, coupled with a new film, The Birth of a Nation, inspires William Simmons to resurrect the Klan. This new Klan has a longer list of enemies

en

62:22

151: The First Red Scare - Bombings, The Palmer...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/03/11

“Palmer, do not let this country see red.”This is the story of America’s First Red Scare. On June 2, 1919, Attorney General Mitchell Palmer is just going to bed when the first floor of his home is blown apart. It was a bomb, and part of a larger plot to attack several national leaders. It’s the work of anarchists. Shaken to the core, Mitch is determined to use his position as AG to rid the nation of such extremist, violent leftists–anarchists, Bolsheviks, and the like. Mitch turns to the Bureau

en

63:42

150: The Great War’s Aftermath: Coming Home, The...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/02/26

“I keep wondering if the Unknown Soldier is one of my men.”This is the story of the United States coping with and facing the aftermath of World War I. The American Expeditionary Force in France is breaking up but that means a lot of different things as doughboys occupy Germany, go fight in Russia, convalesce, or just head home. If only going home was so easy–for many, it’s a hard transition back to civilian life. One of the few familiar things they find in the States is a deadly strain of

en

60:05

11 (Second Edition): Southern (Dis)comfort & Global...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/02/12

“I reject your proposals … and shall defend myself to the last extremity.” This Is the story of the Revolution’s new hot spot: the South. After failing to crush the rebellion in the northern or middle states, British leaders hope to score some quick victories in the South, which they believe to be more loyal. Drawing support from loyalist and enslaved Americans, this new “Southern Strategy” enjoys a strong start as Savannah falls in late 1778. Other events around the world are changing the war

en

57:56

10 (Second Edition): Duels, the Trials of Valley...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/01/29

“Stand fast, my boys, and receive your enemy!” This is the story of a miserable winter at Valley Forge (1777-78), a possible conspiracy, and George Washington’s last major battle before Yorktown. Continental Commander George Washington is loved by many in Congress and the Army. But he has his enemies too. Some see a path to pushing George out of leadership–but will this so-called “Conway Cabal,” which happens while Continental soldiers are freezing and starving to death, actually work? Either way,

en

61:50

9 (Second Edition): 1777—The Battle of Princeton, the...

History That Doesn"t Suck ·

2024/01/15

“If old England is not by this lesson taught humility, then she is an obstinate old slut, bent upon her ruin.” - Horatio Gates This is the story of 1777’s Saratoga and Philadelphia campaigns. Playboy and playwright General "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne is leading a Canadian-based invasion of upstate New York–and it's a tale of egos. From Britain’s Gentleman Johnny to America’s Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold, a lot of Generals are looking out for "number one." But Saratoga is more than that; its

en

248 results

Similar Podcasts

Today In History with The Retrospectors

The Retrospectors

pplpod

pplpod

The Old Front Line

Paul Reed

This Day in Disney History

ATIS Products

Blues Moments in Time...

The Blues Hotel Collective