Lectures in History

The International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina is slated to open its doors in the summer of 2022. We sat in on a course at the Citadel looking at how and why the museum came into existence. Former Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley -- who first proposed the idea for the museum more than 20 years ago -- co-taught the course with history professor Kerry Taylor. Their guest speaker for this class session was Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch, who shared his experiences as the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The Citadel provided this video. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Marwil talked to students about perceptions and remembrances of the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The class discussion revolved around a photograph by Associated Press photographer Richard Drew of a man falling from the North Tower of the World Trade Center. During his remarks, he responded to questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Indiana University Bloomington professor Stephen Andrews taught a class about conspiracy culture in American history. He described how conspiracy theories have changed over time, but often include the involvement of groups such as the Illuminati, Freemasons, and Skull and Bones. He talked about how in the 1950s a prominent aspect of conspiracy theories was the threat of communism, but in later decades a global “New World Order” was a more common feature. This is the first of a two-part seminar hosted by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professor Maria Cristina Garcia talked about the United States' refugee policy since World War II. She spoke about qualifications to be a refugee and how those have changed as well as legislation governing quotas and procedures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Central Florida professor Yanek Mieczkowski teaches a class about some of the people who challenged the status quo of the U.S. auto industry from the post-World War II era to the present day. He discusses the successes and failures of people such as Harley Earl, Preston Tucker, John DeLorean, and Elon Musk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iowa State University professor Tracy Lucht talked about women journalists in the late-19th and early 20th centuries. She described the careers of some pioneers, such as Nellie Bly and Dorothy Dix, and the societal pressures for women writers to balance traditional femininity and a career in journalism.  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

Baylor University Professor Thomas Kidd taught a class on the First Great Awakening in the Americas, a period in the mid-18th century of Christian revitalization that swept through the colonies. He explained how the Salem witch trials and the decline of Puritanism led to an era of traveling preachers, such as George Whitefield, and an emphasis on evangelism.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professor Joseph Glatthaar talked about the Korean War, General Douglas MacArthur’s removal from command by President Harry Truman, and civil-military relations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professor Maurice Jackson talked about the philosophy of W.E.B. Du Bois, an influential African-American sociologist, author, and civil rights activist in late-19th and early 20th centuries. He described Du Bois' early life, his role as an educator, and his relationship with other activists of the time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices