The History of Santa Claus & Christmas Culture w/ James Cooper
The Road to Now
It’s Christmas time and this week we’re resharing the original RTN Christmas Classic! Christmas expert James Cooper joins Bob and Ben to explain how Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and other Christmas traditions made their way into popular culture. He also shares stories of lesser known traditions, such as setting fire to the giant Swedish straw goat known as the Gävlebocken! You can find out more about the history of Santa Claus and Christmas at James Cooper’s website This is a rebroadcast of RTN #82, which originally aired on December 18, 2017. This reair was edited by Ben...
info_outline
#354 In Pursuit w/Anita McBride & Colleen Shogan
The Road to Now
is one of the foremost experts on the legacy of American first ladies. served as the 11thArchivist of the United States. Together, they’re bringing forward a new project called In Pursuit, which offers up a series of essays on Presidents and First Ladies by some of today’s most accomplished historians and political leaders. In this episode, Anita and Colleen join Ben and Bob for a discussion about how the project came together, the exciting (and surprising) list of authors and subjects they’ve assembled, and why the format they envision holds a lot of promise for public...
info_outline
It’s a Wonderful Life: The Story Behind America’s Favorite Christmas Film w/ Eric Smoodin
The Road to Now
Dr. , film historian at the University of California- Davis and author of , joins Bob and Ben for the history of the people, the industry, and law that made Frank Capra’s 1946 film It’s A Wonderful Life into one of America’s quintessential Christmas films. This episode originally aired as #292 on December 16, 2024. This rebroadcast was edited by Ben Sawyer.
info_outline
America's First War on Christmas w/ Bruce Carlson
The Road to Now
On December 25, 1776, George Washington and his men celebrated their first post-Declaration of Independence Christmas by crossing a freezing river to mount a surprise attack against their enemies. The plan worked, but almost 250 years later the story of Washington crossing the Delaware might surprise you too. In this episode, RTN favorite Bruce Carlson of My History Can Beat Up Your Politics joins Bob & Ben for a conversation about one of the US’s most recognized, yet little-known battles and how it affected the course of the Revolutionary War. If you enjoy this episode, check out...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
#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.
info_outline
#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.
info_outline
#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...
info_outline
#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.
info_outlineTeaching 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 Tennessee Council for History Education, 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 better our students’ lives.
A special thanks to Kira Duke at TNCHE for organizing this event and to Will Ackerman at Metro Nashville Public Schools for handling the a/v.
If you enjoy this episode, make sure to check out our conversation with Andy Polk about his book, Faith in Freedom: Propaganda, Presidential Politics, and the Making of an American Religion in RTN episode number 216.
This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.