Lectures in History

Brigham Young University Professor Jay Buckley taught a class about Lewis and Clark’s expedition across the American West after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, he described their goal to map a route to the Pacific coast as well as to gather information on the people, flora and fauna in the new territory. This class was taught online due to the coronavirus pandemic and Brigham Young University provided the video. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tulane University professor John “Ray” Proctor taught a class about playwright August Wilson, his contribution to African American theatre and his Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Fences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this speech from 1945, Robert Oppenheimer speaks about the development and use of the atomic bomb. He also talks about atomic weapons as “evil things” and the ethical application of science and scientific discovery. He also expressed his hope that the atomic bomb would never be used again, the peaceful use of nuclear technologies, and nuclear deterrence. The physicist known as “the father of the atomic bomb” served as the first director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory beginning in 1943. The first atomic bomb test in New Mexico was on July 16, 1945, and on August 6, 1945, Little Boy was detonated above Hiroshima. After WWII, he became chief adviser to the newly-created Atomic Energy Commission. The speech was delivered at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. It is presented courtesy of the American Philosophical Society Library. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Dayton Professors John Heitmann and Todd Uhlman taught a class about 1970s American car culture and films of the era. Using examples like Easy Rider, American Graffiti, and Badlands, they argued these films reflected many Americans' disillusionment and glorified the open road as a way to take back control in the face of societal changes. They also talked about the impact of oil shortages, the rise of coast-to-coast races called “Cannonball Runs,” and the popularity of trucker movies and music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House Historical Association historian and American University lecturer Matthew Costello taught a class on White House myths. He talked about the realities and legends behind often repeated stories such as the tunnel system, a gift alligator, how decorating traditions began, and Dolley Madison rescuing George Washington’s portrait. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Baruch College Professors Vincent DiGirolamo and Elizabeth Wollman taught a class about New York City and Broadway in the 1960s. They described the political culture of the time, the relationship between Broadway and off-Broadway productions, and how smaller theaters were often more experimental and responded to current issues such as Vietnam. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. Army War College professor Douglas Douds gives a lecture about the causes and military objectives of the Civil War prior to a day-long staff ride at Gettysburg for the college’s resident class. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Colorado Denver professor Sarah Fields teaches a class about the 1981 Jean Harris trial, also known as the "Scarsdale Diet" doctor murder case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professor Laura Watt talked about the evolution of a national park system and the effort to preserve pristine wilderness. She argued that this approach often obscures the ways humans have already interacted with the land. She also spoke about her research on the Point Reyes National Seashore, which used to be a dairy ranch community before it was designated a national park in the 1960s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Norfolk State University history professor Cassandra Newby-Alexander discussed the history of the Underground Railroad and efforts to escape enslavement before the Civil War. Norfolk State is an historically black university in Norfolk, Virginia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Akron professor Kevin Kern discusses the Ohioans who were elected president, including the seven that served between 1868 and 1920. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Delaware Professor Zara Anishanslin taught a class about how colonial history is remembered through historic sites and monuments, and sometimes contested. She argued that people’s assumptions about Colonial America are influenced by material and popular culture, including paintings depicting early American history in the U.S. Capitol and statues of Columbus and Pocahontas. This video was provided by the University of Delaware. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

American University professor Joseph Campbell explored a decade of political, foreign policy, cultural and social events to define the zeitgeist of the American 1990s. American University is located in Washington, D.C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Boston College economics professor Chandini Sankaran discussed the evolution of job skills and how computers and robots have changed labor markets and the types of jobs available. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of California, Davis, art history professor Heghnar Watenpaugh discussed objects of native American culture in museum collections as well as repatriation efforts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Douglas Kennedy of the U.S. Air Force Academy taught a class on Vietnam's War's "Operation Rolling Thunder" air campaign, which took place from 1965-68. He described goals of the campaign, such as destroying North Vietnam's transportation system, but also discussed the limitations put in place to avoid antagonizing other communist powers such as the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of South Carolina professor Kent Germany used an urban stream and its surrounding landscape to tell the history of Columbia, South Carolina. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Boston College professor Angela Ards taught a class about underground newspapers during the 1960s. Boston College is located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wright State University professor Paul Lockhart taught a class on the development of weapons technology in the American Revolution. Wright State University is located in Dayton, Ohio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Princeton University scholar Allen Guelzo taught a class on how Puritanism and the Enlightenment shaped religion, politics and philosophy in colonial America. Princeton University is located in Princeton, New Jersey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marquette University political science professor Julia Azari taught a class on the life and presidency of Jimmy Carter. Marquette University is located in Milwaukee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

West Virginia University professor William Gorby taught a class on the formation of West Virginia and its entry into the Union during the Civil War. West Virginia University is located in Morgantown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of California-Davis history Professor Kathryn Olmsted taught a class on how the 'Red Scare' evolved into a wide-ranging conspiracy theory in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Santa Clara University professor Nancy Unger taught a class on the experiences of gays and lesbians in Colonial America. Santa Clara University is located in Santa Clara, California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Maryland Eastern Shore history Professor Arlisha Norwood taught a class on the role of black women played during the Reconstruction Era. University of Maryland Eastern Shore is an historically black university located in Princess Anne, Maryland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Northwestern University professor Kevin Boyle taught a class about immigration and working class life in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rutgers University professor David Greenberg discussed Bill Clinton's path to the White House, his major legislative achievements and his place in the history of the modern Democratic Party. Rutgers University is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stonehill College professor Peter Ubertaccio taught a class on the history of State of the Union addresses. He described George Washington's first address -- delivered in person -- but explained that many presidents who followed simply elected to send Congress a written statement until Woodrow Wilson in 1913. He explored how, since then, State of the Union speeches have evolved along with new technology and, in modern times, have been used to bolster political platforms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Maryland professor Piotr Kosicki teaches a class on the Cold War and the concept of the atomic apocalypse. The University of Maryland is located in College Park, Maryland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

La Sierra University professor Alicia Gutierrez-Romine taught a class about laws and policies regarding abortion. Starting in the 19th century, she tracked changes in medical practice and public opinion through court cases and newspaper coverage. She also described abortion restrictions, access to illegal abortions, costs, and health risks in different time periods and states. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Notre Dame professor Katlyn Carter taught a class about British imperial reforms and American colonial grievances in the wake of the Seven Years War (1756-63). This class was from a course titled, "American Empires: Defining Colonial America." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Kansas rhetoric and political communication professor Robert Rowland taught a class on President Ronald Reagan's first inaugural address in 1981. The University of Kansas is in Lawrence, Kansas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Charleston, South Carolina Mayor Joseph Riley, and professor Kerry Taylor co-teach a course at The Citadel military college looking at why a new African American history museum is being built in the city. They’re joined by Walter Hood. This podcast originally aired on November 13, 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professor Natalia Mehlman Petrzela of the New School taught a class about the 1980s fitness industry and culture in the United States. She talked about new business models for group classes like Jazzercise, as well as about career opportunities for people who otherwise might only have had the option of being physical education teachers. This class was taught online due to the coronavirus pandemic and the New School provided the video. This podcast originally aired on January 1, 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California State University Fullerton professor Eric Gonzaba taught a class about evangelical nightlife and Christian nightclubs in 1970s California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mount Marty University professor Richard Lofthus taught a class about World War I by examining the correspondence of American Army Private John Warns, a farmer from a German-American family near Wentworth, South Dakota. Mount Marty University is located in Yankton, South Dakota. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of South Carolina Professor Nicole Maskiell teaches a class on the early development of slavery in the northern American colonies. The University of South Carolina is located in Columbia, South Carolina. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Thanksgiving. Chances are you're travelling. It's possible you're flying. And you might even be at an airport-- stuck. If that's the case, listen to C-SPAN's podcast "The Weekly." We present Seven Fun Facts about Dulles Airport. All connected to politics and the presidency. It's the perfect way to pass time during a miserable experience at any airport. What are the Seven Fun Facts? Listen to "The Weekly" and find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

College of the Ozarks professor David Dalton, who teaches a class on 19th Century American history, discussed the rise of American industry in the Gilded Age. College of the Ozarks is located in Point Lookout, Missouri. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Pennsylvania Law Professor Kermit Roosevelt, who teaches Constitutional law, asserted that modern America traces its political sentiments to Lincoln and the Reconstruction era, rather than the Founding Fathers and the Revolution. Kermit Roosevelt is the great great grandson of Theodore Roosevelt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

American University Professor Joseph Campbell taught a class on public opinion and election forecasting. He spoke about some of the most significant polling misses in American politics. American University is located in Washington, D.C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gregory Daddis of San Diego State University teaches a class on comics during the Cold War. San Diego State University in California is home to the Center for Comics Studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

York College professor Jacqueline Beatty discussed women's rights and changing political power during the American Revolution and the early years of the Republic. York College is located in York, Pennsylvania. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hillsdale College Professor Richard Gamble teaches a class on American churches and religion during World War I. He discussed how American pastors, ministers and rabbis spoke about the Great War before and after the U.S. entered the conflict. This lecture was part of a course titled "The U.S. from the Great War to the Cold War." Hillsdale College is located in Hillsdale, Michigan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Matthews of George Mason University teaches a class on Europe from 1914-1948. He discusses America’s entry into World War I and the role U.S. troops played in ending the war. George Mason University is located in Fairfax, Virginia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Catholic University professor Michael Kimmage taught a class on the history behind the war in Ukraine. He talked about the competing U.S., Russian and Ukrainian interests, from the Cold War through the 21st century, that led to the ongoing conflict. Catholic University is located in Washington, D.C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Utah Political Science Professor James Curry taught a class about the creation of the Electoral College and explained how it works as a part of the presidential election process. Professor Curry taught the class prior to the 2020 vice presidential debate, which took place October 7 at the University of Utah. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Madison University Professor Andrew Witmer taught a class about the evolution of rural areas after the Civil War. Using his own hometown of Monson, Maine, as a case study, he examined rural industry such as slate mining and the rise of country tourism aided by the expansion of railroad networks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kent State University Professor Elaine Frantz taught a class about the experience of being arrested from the 1850s to the present day. She examined what groups were most likely to be arrested and how the process changed over time with the introduction of police side arms and patrol vehicles. This class took place at the Trumbull Correctional Institution in Ohio as part of the national Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, which brings together college students and inmates for classes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey all you teachers and all you parents, and all you professors and all you students: Season #2 of the C-SPAN in the Classroom podcast drops this fall! Whether you're mowing the yard, on a peaceful weekend drive, or just relaxing on the couch with your favorite blanket, make sure to tune in to the first episode of Season #2 of C-SPAN in the Classroom on September 10th, available at c-span.org, on the free C-SPAN Now app, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Make sure to like, subscribe, and share, and visit us at www.c-span.org/classroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices