Lectures in History

Latest Episodes:

FEED DROP: America's Book Club with Beverly Gage Apr 26, 2026

Show notes

Historian and Yale University Professor Beverly Gage joined David M. Rubenstein to discuss her Pulitzer Prize winning biography of former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and her road trip across the U.S. to visit historic sites.

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"Whiteness" & U.S. Citizenship Apr 19, 2026

Show notes

USC lecturer Nora Lessersohn looks at how racial classifications were used during the naturalization process throughout American history. This lecture takes place at University of Southern California's campus in Washington, DC.

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Allen Guelzo on Abraham Lincoln Apr 12, 2026

Show notes

University of Florida professor Allen Guelzo teaches a class on Abraham Lincoln's intellectual interests and how the 16th president was more than just a talented politician.

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FEED DROP BN+: Investigative Journalist Seth Harp Explores The Fort Bragg Cartel Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

Seth Harp is a lawyer and an Iraq war veteran and an investigative writer and journalist. His first book, "The Fort Bragg Cartel," is about drug trafficking and murder in the Special Forces. Near the end of his book, Harp writes: "Between January 2017 and September 2022, a total of 15,293 active duty service members suffered drug overdoses, and 322 of those were fatal. The Defense Department data showed that Fort Bragg had far more overdoses than any other military base in both absolute and per capita terms." Fort Bragg is located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and is the largest populated army base with close to 50,000 soldiers. It is headquarters of the secret Delta Force.

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2002 George W. Bush Speech Making the Case for Military Action in Iraq Mar 28, 2026

Show notes

The October 2002 speech by George W. Bush making the case for military action in Iraq was the topic of a class taught by University of Kansas political communication professor Robert Rowland. The University of Kansas is in Lawrence.

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President Jimmy Carter's Impact On the End of the Cold War Mar 21, 2026

Show notes

Gonzaga history professor Robert Donnelly argues that Jimmy Carter's role in ending the Cold War has largely been overlooked. He looks at how the 39th president's policies weakened the Soviet Empire.

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FEED DROP: BN+ David Sirota "Master Plan" Mar 15, 2026

Show notes

David Sirota, who is based in Denver, Colorado, has some very strong views about money and politics. His book is called "Master Plan: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America." There are 11 chapters which reflect the 11 episodes of his podcast, "Master Plan." In order to tell his story, he points his finger at the 1971 Powell secret memo. That's former US Supreme Court Associate Justice Lewis Powell, who served on the Supreme Court from 1972 to 1987. He died in 1998 at age 90. Author Sirota, who is 50, writes that the Powell memo laid out a comprehensive step-by-step strategy for corporate America to regain control, protect its interests, and reshape the political and legal system of the United States to favor business.

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Hawaiian History and Culture Mar 08, 2026

Show notes

Gonzaga University professor Veta Schlimgen chronicles the history of Hawaii and how it maintained its culture after becoming a U.S. state in 1959. Gonzaga University is located in Spokane, Washington.

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Supreme Court Cases and Privacy Mar 01, 2026

Show notes

History professor Lawrence Cappello analyzes Supreme Court cases that address the right to privacy, focusing on police and phone wiretaps.

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The Spanish-American War Feb 21, 2026

Show notes

University of Louisville history professor Matthew Goldberg chronicles the 1898 Spanish-American War, fought primarily in Cuba, Guam, and the Philippines.

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