What kinds of events have inspired Americans to become activists? On this episode of Now & Then, “When Americans Can’t Turn Away,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman highlight moments where everyday people have spoken up to defend their rights and those of their neighbors. Heather and Joanne look at the catalyzing effects of the 1779 Battle of New Haven, John Quincy Adams’s 1840s crusade against the Gag Rule, and the 1946 blinding of Black World War II veteran Isaac Woodard. What does it take for Americans to suspend their everyday lives to support a cause? Why is activism important in a democracy? And what can past moments of political engagement tell us about the current push for voting rights activism?
Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: www.cafe.com/history.
For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief
For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/when-americans-cant-turn-away
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Rise of Bully Politics
Speakers of the House: Velvet Gloves and Iron Fists
Split Party Politics
Government Debt Roulette
New York, New York
Abortion: Whose Choice?
Climate Control
Attacking and Defending Voting Rights
Afghanistan & American Styles of War
Treason(ish)
A Backstage Peek
Projecting America at the Olympics
The Human Toll of Infrastructure
Culture Wars
Judging the Supreme Court
Creating Federal Holidays, July 4th to Juneteenth
Corrupting the Commonwealth
QAnon, Cults, and Cutlery
Battling Over Critical Race Theory
Investigating Democracy
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Irish Songs with Ken Murray
History Obscura
Historycal: Words that Shaped the World
The Rest Is History
Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra