Now & Then

Former Now & Then co-host Joanne Freeman joins Preet Bharara on Stay Tuned with Preet. They discuss Biden’s decision not to seek reelection, how Democrats have embraced Vice President Kamala Harris, what to expect in the November election, & more. Listen to the full episode: https://cafe.com/stay-tuned/joanne-freeman-elections-kamala-harris-biden-trump-violence-democracy/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this finale episode of Now & Then, Heather and Joanne are joined by the show’s production team to discuss behind-the-scenes reflections and favorite memories from the series. Editorial Producers David Kurlander and Sam Ozer-Staton, Executive Producer Tamara Sepper, and Audio Producer Matthew Billy celebrate history, democracy, and friendship with the historians. For references & supplemental materials, head to: https://cafe.com/now-and-then/then-and-now/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can we expect from the 2024 Conventions? Heather and Joanne look at the role of political conventions in American life, from the “King Caucus” era of the early 1800s, to President Lincoln’s ascendance at the 1860 RNC, to the impact of the 1968 DNC on the political process. Heather and Joanne discuss the power of political history in the “Backstage” portion of the podcast. To get access to Backstage segments and other exclusive content, become a member at cafe.com/history. Now & Then is ending on September 13th. Leave us a voicemail with your favorite moment from the show at 669-247-7338 or write to us at [email protected]. For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/looking-ahead-to-2024-conventions-caucuses-and-the-balance-of-democracy/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team recently faced significant backlash after its World Cup defeat. Heather and Joanne explore how the team’s triumphs and losses fit into the history of women’s team sports, from the emergence of women’s basketball at Smith College in the 1890s, to the impact of Title IX, to the expansion of the Women’s World Cup in the 1990s. Heather and Joanne also share their personal experiences playing sports in a special “Backstage” segment of the podcast. To get access to Backstage episodes and other exclusive content, become a member at cafe.com/history. For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-womens-world-cup-title-ix-and-power/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How should we make sense of the current labor activism in transportation and entertainment? Heather and Joanne explain how the fault lines in the UPS contract negotiation can be seen in the 1894 Pullman Strike. And they compare the WGA and SAG-AFTRA “double strike” in Hollywood to a similar walkout in 1960, led by none other than Ronald Reagan. How do Heather and Joanne feel about the future of AI in their workplaces? And how do these feelings connect to worker protections and labor activism? They share more of their thoughts in a special “Backstage” segment of the podcast. Become a member of CAFE Insider and get access to Backstage episodes and other exclusive content. Head to cafe.com/history to learn more and join. For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/unions-strikes-and-the-public-what-matters/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather and Joanne respond to the presidential candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy and the hype surrounding the No Labels political organization by looking at two past third-party bids that changed the nation: the 1844 presidential candidacy of James G. Birney’s anti-slavery Liberty Party and the 1912 campaign of Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Party. How can third party candidacies reflect the values of the nation? How can they backfire? And how should Americans balance their interest in presidential purity with the strategic considerations of living in a democracy? What are Heather and Joanne’s personal feelings about Third Party bids? They share more of their thoughts in a special “Backstage” segment of the podcast. Become a member of CAFE Insider and get access to Backstage episodes and other exclusive content. For a limited time, you can get 40% off the initial annual membership price with discount code JUSTICE. Head to cafe.com/history to learn more and join. For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-third-party-problem/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather and Joanne reflect on the recent Haaland v. Brackeen Supreme Court decision, which upholds the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act. They put the case into context with past struggles by indigenous communities to define their place in the American story, from Tenskwatawa’s 1800s quest for representation, to the consequences of the 1887 Dawes Act, to the 1960s origins of the American Indian Movement. How is the challenge of teaching indigenous history different from teaching other historical topics? Heather and Joanne share their experience in a special “Backstage” segment of the podcast. Become a member of CAFE Insider for $1 for the first month and get access to Backstage episodes and other exclusive content. Head to cafe.com/history to learn more and join. For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-american-nation-and-indigenous-nations-sovereignty-struggle/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can past struggles over American water access tell us about national power and politics? Heather and Joanne place state and federal government responses to the Southwest’s current megadrought in the tangled history of water management, from Aaron Burr’s duplicitous scheme to give New York clean water, to William Mulholland’s Los Angeles “water wars,” to the proliferation of New Deal dams. What were Heather and Joanne’s different experiences of water in the 1970s? 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: cafe.com/history For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/theres-something-in-the-water/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stories of remarkable heroism by women in Ukraine have captured the imagination of the world over the past 15 months. How have women warriors shaped conversations over gender, violence, and heroism over the course of United States history? In this Memorial Day-inspired encore presentation of a March 2022 episode, Heather and Joanne discuss the Revolutionary War figures Molly Pitcher and Deborah Sampson, Harriet Tubman’s Civil War spying raids, and Ukrainian sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko’s 1942 tour of the U.S. 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: cafe.com/history For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/encore-women-warriors-ukraine-and-beyond/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the first episode of a two-part series, Heather and Joanne look at how the traditional American medical establishment has conceived of mental health over our national history. What can these designations say about the pandemic-associated mental health crises we currently face? How have powerful Americans defined “normalcy” and “abnormalcy” at various points? They explore the pioneering and controversial Philadelphia physician Benjamin Rush, the rise and fall of the “neurasthenia” diagnosis, and the 1950s emergence of antidepressants. How can we be in touch with our own mental health? 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: cafe.com/history For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-american-wellness-continuum-traditional-medicine/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can humor be used as a political weapon? Heather and Joanne discuss the recent White House Correspondents’ Dinner and the power of American comedy. They explore Seba Smith and his iconic Jack Downing character, Alice Duer Miller’s poetic suffragist satire, and Dick Gregory’s truth-telling on issues of race and class. What do comedians and historians have in common? 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: cafe.com/history Uncover history's impact on today's issues and get sharp insights into news at the intersection of law and politics with the weekly CAFE Brief newsletter. Sign up for free here: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/not-a-joke-humor-as-politics/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather and Joanne discuss the political climate surrounding the dramatic expulsion and reinstatement of Tennessee legislators Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. They also place the controversy within the history of state legislative expulsions, from the White Supremacist 1875 Mississippi Plan, to the 1920 attacks on New York State Socialist politicians, to the failed 1986 GOP quest to oust anti-war activist Tom Hayden from the California State Assembly. Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. This week, they discuss their emotional responses to the Tennessee legislative expulsions. Head to: cafe.com/history Listen to “Up Against The Mob: The Springfield Crew”: apple.co/3x4sgYj 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/expulsions-and-ousters-the-threat-in-tennessee/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden recently met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reaffirming the U.S.-Canada relationship and announcing the countries’ joint efforts at tackling a range of issues, from immigration to climate change. Heather and Joanne use the meeting as a springboard to discuss the ups and downs of America’s relationship with its Northern neighbor, from Revolutionary War attempts by colonists to draft Canada into the War, to Secretary of State William Henry Seward’s 1860s quest to annex British Columbia, to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s meteoric rise. Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. This week, they discuss their early understandings of other nations. Head to: cafe.com/history Listen to “Up Against The Mob: The Springfield Crew”: apple.co/3x4sgYj 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/canada-and-the-one-way-mirror/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices