

Lectures in History
C-SPAN
Go back to school with the country's top professors lecturing on a variety of topics in American history. New episodes posted every Saturday evening. From C-SPAN, the network that brings you "After Words" and "C-SPAN's The Weekly" podcasts.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 21, 2021 • 1h 8min
National Intelligence Under President Kennedy
Catholic University professor and former CIA historian Nicholas Dujmovic teaches a class about national intelligence during President Kennedy’s administration. He talks about the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and other covert operations during the Cold War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 14, 2021 • 52min
Lead-Up to the Battle of Gettysburg
U.S. Army War College professor Douglas Douds gives a lecture about the causes and military objectives of the Civil War prior to a day-long staff ride at Gettysburg for the college’s resident class. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 7, 2021 • 1h 48min
World War II Leadership
Victor Hanson, a professor emeritus of Classics at California State University, Fresno, lectured to a history class on masters and commanders during World War II. In this fall seminar in classical and military history Professor Hanson examined how leaders, both civilian officials and generals on the battlefield, conducted themselves in wartime. That day’s class focused on Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill and how those very different American and British leaders learned to work together to defeat Nazi Germany. This episode was recorded in 2010. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 31, 2021 • 59min
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Professor Clayborne Carson talked about Martin Luther King Jr.'s early life, why he decided to become a minister, and how that contributed to his work in the Civil Rights movement. This class took place at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, where King followed in his father’s footsteps as pastor. The class was from a course that was part of a Stanford University program in which students could take a three-week seminar that included field trips before their sophomore year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 24, 2021 • 1h 12min
History of State of the Union Addresses
Stonehill College professor Peter Ubertaccio taught a class on the history of State of the Union addresses. He described George Washington’s first address -- delivered in person -- but explained that many presidents who followed simply elected to send Congress a written statement until Woodrow Wilson in 1913. He explored how, since then, State of the Union speeches have evolved along with new technology and, in modern times, have been used to bolster political platforms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 17, 2021 • 1h 14min
First Ladies' Memoirs
Washington University in St. Louis professor Peter Kastor leads a discussion comparing several first ladies' memoirs from Sarah Polk to Michelle Obama. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 10, 2021 • 1h 3min
Colonial Myths and Monuments
University of Delaware professor Zara Anishanslin teaches a class about how Colonial history is remembered through historic sites and monuments, and sometimes contested. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 3, 2021 • 35min
1783 Treaty of Paris
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor Kathleen DuVal teaches a class about the end of the American Revolution and the 1783 Treaty of Paris. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 27, 2020 • 58min
First and Second Amendment Court Cases
University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee visiting professor John Prevas teaches a class at IMG Academy about the First and Second amendments to the U.S. Constitution, using court cases to demonstrate how these rights have been interpreted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 20, 2020 • 1h 11min
Post-Civil Rights Era Music
Flagler College professor Michael Butler teaches a class about music in the post-Civil Rights era, highlighting artists such as James Brown, Marvin Gaye and George Clinton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices