#138 The Power of Story (Live from NCSL's 2019 Legislative Summit)
Release Date: 08/12/2019
How John Adams Defined the Presidency w/ Lindsay Chervinsky
The Road to Now
John Adams’ single term as President has long been cast as a low point in his political career, but Lindsay Chervinsky sees it differently. “George Washington created the Presidency,” she writes in her new book Making the Presidency, “but John Adams defined it.” In this episode, Lindsay joins us to share why she sees Adams as a crucial figure in transforming an office that had been established for, and created by, George Washington, into a position with the customs and practices that could be passed down through generations. Along the way, Lindsay explains why she thinks...
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Americana w/ Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
The Road to Now
What is Americana music? Is it a genre? A community? A refuge? Twenty four years after the founding of the and thirteen years since the first Grammy was awarded for Best Americana Album, defining “Americana” remains tricky. In our experience, the most common answer has been “you know it when you hear it.” However you define it, however, there is one thing everyone agrees on: Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell are Americana legends. In this episode, recorded in front of a live audience in Nashville, TN, Emmylou and Rodney discuss their musical careers, how they became...
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#353 The American Revolution w/ Sarah Botstein & David Schmidt
The Road to Now
A decade after Ken Burns decided it was time to take on the American Revolution, the film is finished and premieres on your local PBS station on Sunday, November 16! In this episode, we talk with and , who directed the six-part series alongside Burns, to find out more about the stories and process that they used to construct this remarkable look at one of history’s most fascinating and consequential events. and make sure to tune in for the premiere on Sunday, November 16! This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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#352 Wakara's America w/ Max Perry Mueller
The Road to Now
Wakara was a Ute leader whose power stretched across western North America long before the US claimed the land on which he lived. In this episode, Max Perry Mueller joins us to discuss his new book, , and how a story of the west that excludes Native peoples leaves us with an incomplete and often dishonest account of US history. Dr. Max Perry Mueller is Associate Professor in the . You can find out more about Max and his work at his website, This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.
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#351 A History of the American Bookstore w/ Evan Friss
The Road to Now
America’s bookstores have always been about more than just books, but the role they play in American society has changed over the years. In this episode, Evan Friss joins us for a conversation about his New York Times Bestseller, (Viking, 2023), and the unique place that bookstores – and those who operate them – have held in American society from the colonial era to our own. Dr. Evan Friss is Professor of History at and the author of multiple books, including ). You can find out more about his work A special thanks to our friend, Dane Honeycutt, for recommending that we invite Evan on...
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#350 The Pursuit of Liberty w/ Jeffrey Rosen
The Road to Now
National Constitution Center President & CEO returns to the show to discuss his new book , and the ways that the contrasting visions of the founders live on in our political debates today. Make sure to check out the for links to the Interactive Constitution and the many excellent resources they offer for free. If you enjoyed this episode, you can hear more from Jeffery Rosen in and . This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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#349 Teaching History Roundtable
The Road to Now
Teaching history to a middle schooler is a very different task than teaching a university student, but those doing the teaching have a lot in common (and could probably learn a lot from each other). In this episode, recorded as part of a live event sponsored by the , Ben is joined by his MTSU colleague (and friend of the show) Andy Polk, 6th grade teacher Rupa Charles, and high school teacher Brandon Eldridge, for a conversation about what it’s like to teach history in 2025, the highs and lows of the profession, and what we wish those in our communities knew about the work we do to...
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#348 Chasing an Al Qaeda Killer w/ Jake Tapper
The Road to Now
The War on Terror that followed the 9/11 attacks took place on battlefields across the globe, but it also took place in our legal system. In this episode, CNN’s joins us to discuss his new book, , and how dedicated public servants saved countless lives by bringing a terrorist to justice. This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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An Unholy Traffic: Slave Trading in the Civil War w/ Robert K.D. Colby
The Road to Now
The American Civil War and the end of slavery in the US may seem like one and the same from our modern perspective, but for those living through the conflict, the abolition of human bondage was anything but certain. Even into the last days of the war, slave traders in Confederate-held cities continued to auction off human beings, realizing handsome profits as they imposed violence and family separation on their subjects. In his new book, , Robert K.D. Colby brings together a wide variety of sources to offer up a never-before seen look into the slave trade during the American Civil War....
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#347 A Graphic History of the Civil War w/ Andrew Fialka & Anderson Carmen
The Road to Now
Guerilla violence in the American Civil War was once considered a fringe topic of study, but the scale of the violence and its impact on society had a tremendous impact on the US during and after the conflict. In this episode, we speak with historian Andrew Fialka and illustrator Anderson Carmen about their new book, (University of Georgia Press), how new approaches to the Civil War allow us to reimagine one of the most consequential moments in American history. is Associate Professor of History at Middle Tennessee State University. is an Atlanta-based illustrator. You can see...
info_outlineWe make sense of our place in the world through stories. Our history as individuals & communities is always present, but the parts of the story we emphasize, as well as those we forget, are crucial in understanding the world today and in shaping the decisions we make going forward. In this episode, Bob, Ben and professional storyteller Donna Washington speak about the power of story and its potential for helping inspire action in a live forum hosted by National Conference for State Legislatures’ Executive Director Tim Storey as part of NCSL’s Legislative Summit held in Nashville, TN on August 7, 2019.
A special thanks to Tim Storey and everyone at NCSL for the invitation to participate in the summit, and to Donna Washington for sharing her wisdom with us and the crowd. We’re also grateful to all those who attended the panel and took the time to speak with us afterward.
The Road to Now is part of the Osiris Podcast Network. For more on the podcast, visit our website: www.TheRoadToNow.com. This episode was recorded by NCSL and edited by Gary Fletcher.