On this episode of BackStory, Joanne, Ed and Brian present and discuss a particular person from their time period, someone who they think sheds much-needed light on our current moment.

A founding host of the show, Ed Ayers has had hundreds of conversations on a huge variety of topics. But some of his favorite BackStory moments touched on anniversaries and events related to his own field in American history: slavery, the Civil War, and Reconstruction.

On this episode of BackStory, Joanne, Ed and Brian take a look at the complicated and often contentious relationship American officials and anti-racism activists have had with South Africa.

This week, we're showcasing another incredible history podcast, American Hysteria.

On this episode of BackStory, Joanne, Nathan and Brian learn about the history of the state of Florida.

On this episode of BackStory, Peter Onuf brings you some of his favorite segments from his time with the show.

On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Brian, Nathan and Joanne explore the legacy of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.

On this episode of BackStory, Brian speaks with Hussein Banai about the history of U.S./Iran relations.

On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Nathan, and Joanne explore how a longing for bygone eras has shaped politics and culture throughout American history.

On this episode of BackStory, Ed, Brian and Nathan explore the history of American taxidermy.

On this episode of BackStory, Brian brings you a sampling of some of our favorite segments from the past year.  BackStory is funded in part by our listeners. You can help keep the episodes coming by supporting the show: https://www.backstoryradio.org/support

On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Joanne and Nathan explore the many different forms gift giving has taken in American history.

On this episode, Nathan, Joanne, Brian and Ed turn our annual Holiday Book Show into an opportunity to talk all things historical fiction. They offer their picks for movies and books about history, and unpack the many ways fiction can help us understand the past.

Brian, Joanne, and Nathan sit down to discuss some of America’s many homegrown culinary traditions and what the food we eat says about American identity.

On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Ed and Joanne explore the history of Sesame Street and what made a show about muppets and their neighbors so revolutionary.

Brought to you by This Old House, Clearstory sheds light on the surprising stories behind our homes.

On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Nathan and Joanne talk about the memorable moments of the last 10 years and what future historians might say about the decade.

On this episode of BackStory, Nathan, Joanne and special guest host Erika Lee go beyond the standard narrative of US-China relations.

In this episode of BackStory, Ed, Joanne and Brian look at the many reasons for joining the US armed services - from a sense of patriotism, to escaping poverty, to earning American citizenship.

In this episode, Brian teams up with Lizzie Peabody, host of Sidedoor, a podcast from the Smithsonian, to detonate some explosive stories in dynamite’s history.

This is a preview of our upcoming episode, in which BackStory teams up with Lizzie Peabody, host of Sidedoor, a podcast from the Smithsonian, to present the explosive history of dynamite in America.

On this episode, Joanne brings you a sampling of some of our spookiest segments just in time for Halloween.

On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Nathan and Joanne dig into the little known history of white women and white supremacy.

In this excerpt from the 2014 episode "States of Mind," sociologist Jonathan Metzl talks with Brian about the rise of black protest in the 1960s and 70s, and how it was increasingly redefined in psychiatric terms.

On this episode, Ed sits down with Eric Foner to talk about public perceptions of Reconstruction, the landmark amendments to the Constitution and how they have the power to change the country today.