Separate But Equal: The Rise of Jim Crow (Part 2)

Separate But Equal: The Rise of Jim Crow (Part 2)

Author: Jody Avirgan & Radiotopia May 7, 2026 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 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
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Duration: 24:13
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The Memory Palace: This Weekend's Teach-In [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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A Toxic Town Fights Back (1982) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:15
It's October 21st. This day in 1982, residents of Warren County, NC are fighting back against plans to dump tons of PCB-laden dirt in their local landfill. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how Warren County came to be a ta…
Teddy Roosevelt's "Race Suicide" Fears (1903) w/ Andrew Porwancher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:11
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The Obamacare Website Crashes On Day One (2013) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:13
It's October 13th. This day in 2013, the healthcare.gov website is a total fiasco. It had launched a couple weeks earlier and was immediately unusable, with only six people being able to enroll in the Obamacare exchanges…
Teach-Ins (Plus A Special Announcement!) w/ Nate DiMeo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:25
It's October 9th. Today, we look back at the first "teach-ins" at the University of Michigan in 1965, and discuss the power of gathering together to learn and teach. Plus, we announce our very own teach-in, taking place…
The First Modern Shutdown w/ Steve Kornacki (2013) [Archive Episode] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:25
Today, we look back an episode we did about October 2013, when the United States government shut down after the Congress was unable to agree to a new budget proposal, that had been saddled with provisions that would have…
"We Didn't Start The Fire's" Crash Course In History (1989) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:44
It's October 2nd. This day in 1989, Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire," which name-checks a ton of events that took place from the 50s through the 80s, is rocketing up the charts. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why…