Latest Episodes
August 16th: World Reacts to Atlantic Charter
August 16, 2022
- 05:43
On August 16, 1941, the world reacts to the Atlantic Charter.
August 15th: The Wizard of Oz Premieres in Hollywood
August 15, 2022
- 04:25
On August 15th, 1939, The Wizard of Oz Premieres in Hollywood.
August 12th: Lincoln's Proclamation of Prayer and Fasting
August 12, 2022
- 04:52
On August 12, 1861, President Lincoln calls for a national day of prayer and fasting.
About The Show
C13Originals and Pulitzer Prize winner and best-selling author Jon Meacham, co-creators of the Webby Award-winning Best Podcast Series It Was Said and the acclaimed podcast Hope,Through History, join together again on a daily series that guides listeners through critical moments in our history. Every Monday through Friday, Meacham travels back to impactful events that occurred on that date in history—the birth of a visionary filmmaker, the debut of an iconic athlete, the discovery of a lifesaving cure, a triumphant legal victory. You’ll learn how that event shaped politics, art, culture, sports and science, and why it’s still relevant today.
More Episodes
August 16th: World Reacts to Atlantic Charter
August 16, 2022
- 05:43
On August 16, 1941, the world reacts to the Atlantic Charter.
August 15th: The Wizard of Oz Premieres in Hollywood
August 15, 2022
- 04:25
On August 15th, 1939, The Wizard of Oz Premieres in Hollywood.
August 12th: Lincoln's Proclamation of Prayer and Fasting
August 12, 2022
- 04:52
On August 12, 1861, President Lincoln calls for a national day of prayer and fasting.
August 11th: John Henry Cardinal Newman Dies
August 11, 2022
- 05:07
On August 11, 1890, John Henry Cardinal Newman dies.
August 10th: Reagan Apologizes For Japanese Internment
August 10, 2022
- 05:10
On August 10, 1988, President Reagan apologizes for the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
August 9th: Atomic Bomb Dropped on Nagasaki
August 9, 2022
- 05:41
On August 9, 1945, the second atomic bomb is used against Nagasaki.
August 8th: Richard Nixon Announces His Resignation
August 8, 2022
- 05:45
On August 8, 1974, Richard Nixon announces his resignation.
August 5th: Republican National Convention Begins
August 5, 2022
- 04:43
On August 5, 1968, The Republican National Convention opens in Miami Beach.
August 4th: Fairness Doctrine Is Repealed
August 4, 2022
- 05:14
On August 4, 1987, The Fairness Doctrine is repealed.
August 3rd: Jesse Owens Begins Olympic Streak
August 3, 2022
- 04:36
On August 3, 1936, Jesse Owens begins his historic Olympic streak at the Berlin games.
August 2nd: Calvin Coolidge Becomes President
August 2, 2022
- 04:28
On August 2, 1923, Calvin Coolidge becomes president upon the death of Warren G. Harding.
August 1st: Slavery is Abolished in the British Empire
August 1, 2022
- 04:48
On August 1, 1834, Slavery is Abolished in Much of the British Empire.
July 29th: Prince Charles Marries Lady Diana
July 29, 2022
- 04:55
On July 29th, 1981, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer marry at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
July 28th: The 14th Amendment is Certified
July 28, 2022
- 04:14
On July 28th, 1868, the 14th Amendment is certified.
July 27th: Bugs Bunny Is Released
July 27, 2022
- 04:40
On July 27th, 1940, the first Bugs Bunny cartoon is released.
July 26th: The Cuban Revolution Begins
July 26, 2022
- 04:30
On July 26th, 1953, the Cuban Revolution begins.
July 25th: Emmett Till Is Born
July 25, 2022
- 04:15
On July 25th, 1941, in Chicago, Illinois, Emmett Till is born.
From Revisionist History: The Triplicate Program and Opioid Epidemic
July 23, 2022
- 12:55
We’re sharing a bonus episode from our friends at Revisionist History, Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast about things misunderstood and...
July 22nd: FDR's Plan To Pack The Court Fails
July 22, 2022
- 04:56
On July 22nd, 1937, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s court-packing plan is defeated.
July 21st: Union Forces Defeated At Bull Run
July 21, 2022
- 05:02
On July 21st, 1861, Union forces are defeated at Bull Run, Virginia.
July 20th: Hitler Survives An Assassination Attempt
July 20, 2022
- 05:34
On July 20th, 1944, Adolf Hitler survives an assassination attempt at Wolf’s Lair.
July 19th: The Women's Rights Convention
July 19, 2022
- 04:44
On July 19th, 1848, The Women’s Rights Convention opens in Seneca Falls, New York.
July 18th: A Shooting In San Ysidro
July 18, 2022
- 04:58
On July 18th, 1984, a gunman opens fire at a McDonald’s in San Ysidro, California.
July 15th: The First Atomic Bomb Test
July 15, 2022
- 05:24
On July 15th, 1945, in New Mexico, the United States prepares for the first atomic bomb test.
July 14th: Rockefeller Attacks The "Radical Right"
July 14, 2022
- 06:28
On July 14th, 1963, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller attacks the ‘Radical Right’ of His Own Party.
July 13th: The Northwest Ordinance
July 13, 2022
- 04:37
On July 13th, 1787, the Continental Congress passes the Northwest Ordinance, setting a new policy on slavery.
July 12th: The Battle of Fort Stevens
July 12, 2022
- 04:40
On July 12, 1864, the Battle of Fort Stevens threatens Washington, D.C.
July 11th: Skylab Disintegrates
July 11, 2022
- 05:38
On July 11, 1979, the American Space Station Skylab Disintegrates.
July 8th: Roswell Reports Go Public
July 8, 2022
- 05:07
On July 8th, 1947, the Roswell, New Mexico, “flying saucer” report goes public.
July 7th: Reagan Appoints Sandra Day O'Connor
July 7, 2022
- 04:48
On July 7, 1981, Ronald Reagan appoints Sandra Day O’Connor to the Supreme Court.
July 6th: William Faulker Dies
July 6, 2022
- 05:56
On July 6, 1962, in Bayhalia Mississippi, William Faulkner dies.
July 5th: Frederick Douglass Speaks in New York
July 5, 2022
- 04:27
On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass speaks in Rochester, New York.
July 1st: Gettysburg Begins
July 1, 2022
- 04:29
On July 1, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg begins.
June 30th: The National Organization for Women Is Founded
June 30, 2022
- 05:01
On June 30, 1966, the National Organization for Women is founded.
June 29th: The Feast Day
June 29, 2022
- 04:24
June 29th, The Feast Day of Saints Peter and Saint Paul.
June 28th: Archduke Franz Ferdinand Is Assassinated
June 28, 2022
- 05:16
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated in Sarajevo.
June 27th: "Captain Kangaroo" Is Born
June 27, 2022
- 04:49
On June 27, 1927, in Lynbrook, New York… Bob Keeshan, “Captain Kangaroo,” is born.
June 24th: Catholic Politicians Respond To Church's Abortion Views
June 24, 2022
- 05:34
On June 24th, 1990, The Catholic Church discusses excommunicating politicians who disagree with the church on abortion rights
June 23rd: Nixon's Cover Up
June 23, 2022
- 04:15
On June 23rd, 1972, Richard Nixon conspires to cover up the Watergate investigation.
June 22nd: Hitler Invades The USSR
June 22, 2022
- 04:47
On June 22nd, 1941, Adolf Hitler invades the Soviet Union.
June 21st: Three Murders In Neshoba County
June 21, 2022
- 05:46
On June 21st, 1964, three civil-rights workers are killed in Neshoba County, Mississippi
June 20th: The United States Is Named
June 20, 2022
- 04:57
On June 20th, 1787, The Constitutional Convention moves to call the nation “The United States.”
June 17th: The Watergate Burglary
June 17, 2022
- 04:49
On June 17th , 1972, the Watergate burglary is discovered.
June 16th: Lincoln's address, "A House Divided"
June 16, 2022
- 04:51
On June 16th, 1858, Abraham Lincoln delivers his “House Divided” address in Springfield.
June 15th: Mourning Medgar Evers
June 15, 2022
- 04:09
On June 15th, 1963, Civil-rights leaders hold white Southern leaders accountable for the assassination of the NAACP’s Medgar Evers.
June 14th: Harriet Beecher Stowe Is Born
June 14, 2022
- 04:25
On June 14th, 1811, in Litchfield, Connecticut, Harriet Beecher Stowe is born.
June 13th: LBJ Nominates Thurgood Marshall
June 13, 2022
- 05:06
On June 13th, 1967, Lyndon B. Johnson nominates Thurgood Marshall as a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
June 10th: Women Secure The Right To Vote
June 10, 2022
- 05:24
On June 10th, 1919, Wisconsin and Michigan become the first states to ratify the 19th Amendment.
June 9th: Joseph Welch Confronts Joseph McCarthy
June 9, 2022
- 04:32
On June 9th, 1954, Joseph Welch confronts Joseph McCarthy.
June 8th: Orwell's 1984 Is Published
June 8, 2022
- 04:50
On June 8th, 1949, George Orwell’s 1984 is published.
June 7th: Homer Plessy Is Arrested
June 7, 2022
- 05:21
On June 7th, 1892, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Homer Plessy is arrested for violating the Louisiana Separate Car Act.
June 6th: Franklin D. Roosevelt's Prayer
June 6, 2022
- 05:21
On June 6, 1944, Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers a prayer before perhaps the largest audience in human history.
June 3rd: The Miracle of Dunkirk
June 3, 2022
- 03:39
On June 3rd, 1940, the miracle of Dunkirk unfolds.
June 2nd: Lou Gehrig Passed Away
June 2, 2022
- 04:20
On June 2nd, 1941, in the Bronx, Lou Gehrig passed away.
June 1st: Senator Margaret Chase Smith Denounces McCarthyism
June 1, 2022
- 05:22
On June 1st, 1950, Senator Margaret Chase Smith delivers her “Declaration of Conscience” speech.
May 31st: The Tulsa Race Massacre Unfolds
May 31, 2022
- 05:28
On May 31st, 1921, the Tulsa Race Massacre unfolds in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
May 30th: The Lincoln Memorial Is Dedicated
May 30, 2022
- 05:53
On May 30th, 1922, the Lincoln Memorial is dedicated in Washington, D.C.
May 27th: Peter the Great Founds St. Petersburg
May 27, 2022
- 04:06
On May 27, 1703, Peter the Great founds the city of Saint Petersburg.
May 26th: Dorothea Lange is Born
May 26, 2022
- 05:23
On May 26, 1895, the photographer Dorothea Lange is born.
May 25th: Star Wars Is Released
May 25, 2022
- 04:39
On May 25, 1977, the original “Star Wars” film is released.
May 24th: The First Telegraph Is Sent
May 24, 2022
- 05:05
On May 24, 1844, Samuel Morse sends a successful telegraphic message.
May 23rd: William Harvey Carney Receives Medal of Honor
May 23, 2022
- 05:12
On May 23, 1900, William Harvey Carney is awarded the Medal of Honor for heroic action in the Civil War.
May 20th: Prisoners Arrive At Aushwitz
May 20, 2022
- 04:38
On May 20, 1940, the first prisoners arrive at Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Nazi death camp.
May 19th: MLK's Letter From A Birmingham Jail
May 19, 2022
- 04:39
On May 19, 1963, The New York Post Magazine publishes excerpts of Martin Luther King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail.
May 18th: Abraham Lincoln Is Nominated
May 18, 2022
- 04:33
On May 18, 1860, Abraham Lincoln is nominated for president by the Republican Party in Chicago
May 17th: Brown v. Board of Education
May 17, 2022
- 04:24
On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court rules in Brown v. Board of Education
May 16th: President Andrew Johnson Faces Removal
May 16, 2022
- 05:12
On May 16, 1868, Andrew Johnson survives removal from office by a single vote.
May 13th: Pope John Paul II Is Shot
May 13, 2022
- 03:54
On May 13, 1981, in the Vatican City, Pope John Paul II was shot by a would-be assassin.
May 12th: The USSR Lifts Its Blockade Of Berlin
May 12, 2022
- 04:30
On May 12, 1949, The Soviet Union lifts its blockade of Berlin.
May 11th: Ellis Island Becomes A National Monument
May 11, 2022
- 05:07
On May 11, 1965, Ellis Island becomes part of the Statue of Liberty national monument.
May 10th: Nelson Mandela Becomes President
May 10, 2022
- 04:49
On May 10, 1994, in South Africa, Nelson Mandela is sworn in as president of South Africa.
May 9th: The Abolitionsist John Brown Is Born
May 9, 2022
- 05:16
On May 9, 1800, in Torrington, Connecticut… the abolitionist John Brown is born.
May 6th: The Hindenburg Explodes
May 6, 2022
- 04:33
On May 6, 1937, the Hindenburg exploded as it prepared to make mooring at Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 36 people.
May 5th: The First American In Space
May 5, 2022
- 04:43
On May 5th 1961, Navy Commander Alan Shepard, Jr., became the first American to travel in space.
May 4th: The First Freedom Ride
May 4, 2022
- 06:03
On May 4, 1961, the first Freedom Ride leaves Washington, D.C., for the segregated South.
May 3rd: Margaret Thatcher Is Elected
May 3, 2022
- 05:23
On May 3, 1979, Margaret Thatcher was elected prime minister of Great Britain.
May 2nd: Osama Bin Laden Is Killed
May 2, 2022
- 05:16
On May 2, 2011, in Pakistan, U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden.
April 29th: Aretha Franklin Releases Respect
April 29, 2022
- 05:48
On April 29, 1967, Aretha Franklin released “Respect.”
April 28th: Harper Lee Is Born
April 28, 2022
- 05:57
On April 28, 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama, the writer Harper Lee was born.
April 27th: One World Trade Center
April 27, 2022
- 05:10
On April 27, 2006, in downtown Manhattan, Construction on One World Trade Center began.
April 26th: Fenway's First Homerun
April 26, 2022
- 05:09
On April 26, 1912, in Boston, Massachusetts, the first home run at Fenway Park was hit.
April 25th: The United Negro College Fund Is Incorporated
April 25, 2022
- 06:40
On April 25th, 1944, The United Negro College Fund was incorporated.
April 22nd: Richard Nixon Dies
April 22, 2022
- 05:50
April 22st, 1994. The day Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, dies.
April 21st: Queen Elizabeth Is Born
April 21, 2022
- 05:06
April 21st, 1926. The day the future Queen Elizabeth II is born.
April 20th: Macbeth Premiers
April 20, 2022
- 04:37
April 20th, 1611. The day William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is staged at the Globe.
April 19th: The Oklahoma City Bombing
April 19, 2022
- 05:55
April 19th, 1995. The day domestic terrorists attacked America in Oklahoma City.
April 18th: Paul Revere's Ride
April 18, 2022
- 05:55
April 18th, 1775. The day Paul Revere galloped into history to warn American revolutionaries that the British were coming.
April 15th: Jackie Robinson Joins The Majors
April 15, 2022
- 06:36
On April 15th, 1946, in Brooklyn, New York, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball.
April 14th: The Titanic Sinks
April 14, 2022
- 06:07
On April 14th, 1912, in the North Atlantic Ocean, the mighty ship Titanic sank.
April 13th: Thomas Jefferson Is Born
April 13, 2022
- 06:55
On April 13th, 1743, in Albermale County, Virginia, Thomas Jefferson was born.
April 12th: The Polio Vaccine Is Approved
April 12, 2022
- 05:53
On April 12th, 1955, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Dr. Jonas Salk’s vaccine for polio was approved.
April 11th: LBJ Signs The Civil Rights Bill
April 11, 2022
- 07:07
On April 11th, 1968, at the White House, Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968.
April 8th: The 13th Amendment Is Passed
April 8, 2022
- 07:14
On April 8th, 1864, in Washington, DC, the United States Senate passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
April 7th: Francis Ford Coppola Is Born
April 7, 2022
- 04:46
On April 7th, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan, the film director Francis Ford Coppola was born.
April 6th: The Battle of Shiloh Begins
April 6, 2022
- 04:37
On April 6th, 1862, in Hardin County, Tennessee, The Battle of Shiloh began.
April 5th: Churchill Resigns
April 5, 2022
- 05:55
On April 5th, 1955, in London, England, Winston Churchill resigned as Prime Minister of Great Britain.
April 4th: NATO Is Formed
April 4, 2022
- 06:08
On April 4th, 1949, In Washington, DC, the United States signed a treaty that led to the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Welcome to Reflections of History, with Jon Meacham
March 31, 2022
- 01:25
Welcome to Reflections of History. From the creators of the 2021 Webby Award-Winning Best Podcast Series, It Was Said, and Hope Through...
To Bend The Arc
May 26, 2021
- 27:26
Progress isn’t inevitable. Justice is forever elusive. Liberty is always fragile. What will it take for America to find its better...
One Nation, Under God?
May 19, 2021
- 20:22
The religious right becomes a force in American politics. Guided by a belief that Christianity belongs at the center of public life,...
Dashed Hopes
May 12, 2021
- 30:33
Republican presidents in second half of the 20th century were not strangers to extreme rhetoric and hardline statements, but in practice...
First Blood
May 5, 2021
- 26:31
From the Yalta Conference to the centrist Dwight Eisenhower administration, members of the far-right feel a sense of betrayal as the...
Rendezvous With Destiny
April 28, 2021
- 27:02
LBJ announces his vision for a "Great Society" in an America predominately defined by two competing visions, both rooted in a shared...
Welcome to Fate of Fact
April 16, 2021
- 03:51
Welcome to a new audio documentary, Fate of Fact, a presentation of Shining City Audio, a C13Originals and Jon Meacham studio....