Ken Burns: How To 250 [Teaser]

Ken Burns: How To 250 [Teaser]

Author: Jody Avirgan & Radiotopia April 5, 2026 Duration: 11:26
We’re kicking off a series of chats that (until we find a better name) we’re calling “How to 250.” This is our chance to check in with some friends of the show - historians, writers, podcast folks - about how they are marking America 250, and what it means to do the work of history in this moment. And what better way to kick it off than with filmmaker Ken Burns! We get into his work, the idea of American history as a “series of revolutions,” and how to counter simplistic narratives. To hear the full episode, become a paying subscriber of newsletter - sign up at thisdaypod.substack.com

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
Silent Majority: Nixon and the Hardhat Riots (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:33
Our conversation about the "silent majority" continues with a look at the so-called Hard Hat Riots in New York City, and how the idea of a conservative backlash politics began to coalesce. Join our America250 newsletter…
Silent Majority: The Kent State Massacre (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:19
For the nineteenth installment of “50 Weeks That Shaped America” we talk about a fateful week in the spring of 1970, when the anti-Vietnam movement was confronted by a conservative backlash. We discuss the tragedy at Ken…
Separate But Equal: The Rise of Jim Crow (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:54
Our conversation about Plessy vs Ferguson continues with a look at the world that the ruling helped usher in: Jim Crow laws, poll taxes, grandfather clauses, the rise of the KKK and more. Join our America250 newsletter c…
Separate But Equal: The Plessy Case (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:09
For the eighteenth installment of “50 Weeks That Shaped America” we talk about a landmark Supreme Court case, Plessy v Ferguson, which in 1896 codified the idea of “separate but equal” accomodations for Black and White A…
Golden Gate Bridge: We Can Do Big Things (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:44
Out conversation about the Golden Gate Bridge continues with the opening of the bridge, and a bunch of people who didn't get enough credit. Plus, what the story says about how we need big ideas even in moments when thing…
The Highs And Lows Of Latin American Diplomacy [Some Sunday Context] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:48
This past week we discussed the Bay of Pigs fiasco in Cuba, 1961. Today, another episode about JFK' in the very same time period -- when he hosted a couple hundred Latin American diplomats to lay out his vision for the “…
Bay of Pigs: Lessons Not-Learned (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:59
We continue our conversation about the Bay of Pigs invasion with a look at how it all went wrong on the two days of combat in Cuba. Plus, the long-term lessons for JFK, the CIA, and US foreign policy. Join our America250…
Bay of Pigs: A Well-Planned Fiasco (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:26
For the sixteenth installment of “50 Weeks That Shaped America” we go, for the first time to the Cold War. It’s April 1961, and the US is concerned about Cuba’s new leftist leader, Fidel Castro. The US has a new leader o…