MLK Is Assassinated (Part 1)

MLK Is Assassinated (Part 1)

Author: Jody Avirgan & Radiotopia April 7, 2026 Duration: 36:48
For the fourteenth episode of “50 Weeks That Shaped America” we go (for the first time) to 1968 and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. In the months leading up to his killing, King had become much more class-conscious, and spoken out against the Vietnam War. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how his politics and activism evolved over the late 60s, how Americans responded — and how many cheered his death. 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
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…
Writing The Confederate Constitution [Some Sunday Context] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:19
For our "Sunday Context" episode, we look at how the Confederacy scrambled to draft a constitution as Civil War broke out in 1861. Plus, a quick follow up and correction about the founder of baseball. Join our America250…
Civil War Arrives (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:04
We continue our conversation about the start of the Civil War with why Fort Sumter was the site of the first battle, and how the fallout from Fort Sumter galvinized both North and South. Join our America250 newsletter co…
Fort Sumter And The Road To Civil War (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:05
For the fifteenth installment of “50 Weeks That Shaped America” we go to the end of 1860 and the first months of 1861. Lincoln's election made it inevitable that Northern and Southern states would have a showdown over sl…
The 40 Year Battle For MLK Day [Some Sunday Context] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:41
For our "Sunday Context" episode, we look at the 40-year battle for honoring Martin Luther King, Jr with a federal holiday. Many states and notable politicians dragged their feed and manipulated the system to prevent giv…
MLK's Legacy, Contested (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:04
Our conversation about MLK's assassination continues with a look at the day of King's death and the capture of James Earl Ray. Then, Niki, Kellie and Jody discuss how King's legacy has been contested and sanitized from t…
Ken Burns: How To 250 [Teaser] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 ma…
Over There! The US At War (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:26
**We've got new merch! Check it out.** We continue our discussion about WWI with Wilson's speech to Congress making the case for entering the war. Soon, troops are mobilizing and American men are experiencing a kind of b…
America Debates WWI (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:59
**We've got new merch! Check it out.** For the thirteenth episode of “50 Weeks That Shaped America” we go to 1917 and the growing pressure on Woodrow Wilson to send American troops to Europe and enter WWI. We discuss the…