A New Orleans Slave Rebellion [Some Sunday Context]

A New Orleans Slave Rebellion [Some Sunday Context]

Author: Jody Avirgan & Radiotopia January 25, 2026 Duration: 18:42
For our "Sunday Context" series, we build on this past week's coversation about the Battle of New Orleans with a look at the largest slave rebellion in US history, led by Charles Deslondes, which took place just outside of New Orleans in 1811. Like the story of the War of 1812, this involved the mix of ethnic, political, and cultural forces that only New Orleans has -- and highlights the way in which the future of slavery would become the defining issue of the era. Join our America250 newsletter community! Subscribe for free to get the latest news and analysis of how America250 is playing out. Paying subscribers get access to early, ad-free versions of the show. Plus bonus features throughout the year. To support our work and get access to everything, subscribe now. This Day is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-winning stories. If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Follow us on social @thisdaypod Our team: Jacob Feldman, Researcher/Producer; Khawla Nakua, Transcripts; music by Teen Daze and Blue Dot Sessions; Audrey Mardavich is our Executive Producer at Radiotopia.

Hosted by Jody Avirgan alongside historians Nicole Hemmer and Kellie Carter Jackson, This Day is a historical podcast from Radiotopia that steps back from the relentless news cycle to find context in the past. The series "50 Weeks That Shaped America" serves as its core, offering a rich, narrative-driven examination of pivotal moments that have fundamentally influenced the nation's political landscape and cultural identity. This isn't a dry recitation of dates but a deep, engaging exploration of the stories and decisions that collectively brought us to the present. Each episode functions as a carefully researched journey, unpacking the complexities and unintended consequences of historical events you might think you know, revealing the surprising threads that connect them to contemporary life. By focusing on these formative weeks, the podcast provides a unique and clarifying lens, arguing that to understand today's headlines, you often need to listen to the echoes of yesterday. The conversations between Avirgan, Hemmer, and Jackson are insightful and accessible, blending scholarly depth with compelling storytelling. Tuning into this podcast feels like gaining a new set of tools for thinking about America, its ongoing struggles, and its evolving character, all through the meticulous and thoughtful work of its hosts.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

This Day (An America 250 History Show)
Podcast Episodes
The Bootletter Biplane Bombings [Some Sunday Context] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:43
For our "Sunday Context" series, we build on this past week's coversation about Prohibition with perhaps the most colorful story of bootlegging and liquor gangsters we've ever heard. In 1926, members of the Shelton gang…
The Drinking Continues (1920) [Part 2] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:03
Part two of our look at the rise of prohibition looks at the many ways in which Americans tried to evade the law, and how a burgeoning police state went after them. Plus: How did Prohibition shape America, in the end? Jo…
Prohibition Arrives (1920) [Part 1] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:27
This week on "50 Weeks That Shaped America," we're headed to January 1920 and the first night of Prohibition. Hide your booze! Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the long road to prohibition, going back decades, and the poli…
From Bicentennial to Semiquincentennial: History Under Trump [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:53
For our "Sunday Context" series, we build on this past week's coversation about the bicentennial to point out how this year's America 250 project is coming together. We look at some of the key figures in Trump world who…
The Bicentennial Boondoggles (1976) [Part 2] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:04
In part two of our look at the bicentennial, Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the festivities played out, and how Philadelphia ended up becoming the center of the action, depsite (or because of) their corrupt mayor Fra…
Bicentennial Fever! (1976) [Part 1] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:18
It's Week 1 of "50 Weeks That Shaped America," and we're headed to 1976 to look at how America's last big birthday came together. In part one, Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the country was in a deep malaise headed i…
2026 Predictions and Provocations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:48
2026 is here! As is America250. On Tuesday, we're launching our 50 Weeks That Shaped America series, but today we get together to ring in the new year with a few "predictions and provocation." Note: The full version of t…
"Give Me Liberty Or..." [2025 Favorite] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:36
We're bringing you some of our favorite episodes of 2025 while we get a holiday break -- and prepare for our big America250 series. See you in 2026! It's March 23rd. This day in 1775, Patrick Henry of Virginia gave a spe…
Wikipedia Saves The Internet [2025 Favorite] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:18
We're bringing you some of our favorite episodes of 2025 while we get a holiday break -- and prepare for our big America250 series. See you in 2026! It's June 24th. In 2003, Jimmy Wales, the owner of Wikipedia, made the…
Sanctuary Churches vs Immigration Enforcement [2025 Favorite] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:59
We're bringing you some of our favorite episodes of 2025 while we get a holiday break -- and prepare for our big America250 series. See you in 2026! It's March 25th. This day in 1980, a church in Tucson announces that it…