How To 250: Live from On Air Fest!

How To 250: Live from On Air Fest!

Author: Jody Avirgan & Radiotopia March 1, 2026 Duration: 25:59
This past week, we took part in On Air Fest in Brooklyn, soft-launching a series of bonus conversations about America 250 and the work of history in 2026. We talked about which events we're actually excited to attend, how we'd craft the perfect historical road trip, and what stories from our series have stuck with us the most. As we do more bonus conversations, those will be available in full for paying subscribers to our newsletter. 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 Elaine Massacre (1919) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:27
It's September 30th. This day in 1919, a bloody racial conflict is breaking out in the Arkansas Delta. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how a push to organize sharecroppers, combined with rumors and a frenzied media led to…
Post-911 Patriotic Mania (2001) [Chilled Speech Week Pt 2] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:42
This week, we're bringing you two episodes that highlight periods in American history where political speech was being policied, repressed, and persecuted -- much like it is today. Today: A look back at the way speech wa…
The Red Channels Whisper Network (1950) [Chilled Speech Week Pt 1] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:56
It's September 22nd. This week, we're bringing you two episodes that highlight periods in American history where political speech was being policied, repressed, and persecuted -- much like it is today. Today: A look back…
Campus Loyalty Oaths [Some Sunday Context] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:58
It's Sunday, and on Sundays we like to bring you new conversations and conversations from the archives that help provide a little context for the stories playing out today. Today, as we see a chilling effect on free spee…
Washington's Masonic Cornerstone (1793) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:31
It's September 17th. This day in 1793, President Washington visits a site where construction is beginning on what would be the Capitol. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the ceremony around the laying of the cornerstone…
The Great Crush Train Crash (1896) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:28
It's September 16th. This day in 1896, a railroad executive named William Crush (really) has a brilliant idea: take two trains and hurtle them towards each other in the middle of the Texas prairie. Jody, Niki, and Kellie…
Ollie North, Still In The News [Some Sunday Context] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:45
On Sundays, we try to bring you fresh conversations and stories from the archives that give you a little context on the news playing out in front of us. Today, Jody and Niki discuss the very dish-y news that Oliver North…
The Irish-Americans Fighting For Mexico (1847) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:40
It's 1847. This day, a battalion of Irish immigrants are hung by the U.S. Army for deserting to the Mexican side in the Mexican-American War. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the "San Patricios Battallion" was formed,…
The Hummer Takes Over (2001) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:21
It's September 9th. This day in 2001, a nationwide advertising campaign is underway for The Hummer truck, which has recently been taken over by GM and is poised to be everywhere. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the Hu…

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