Lectures in History

In this engaging discussion, journalism professor John Maxwell Hamilton from Louisiana State University delves into U.S. government propaganda efforts during World War I. He highlights the formation of the Committee on Public Information and its pivotal role in shaping public perception. Topics include the manipulation of information, ethical dilemmas, and the enduring influence of propaganda tactics, echoing modern concerns about media distortion and narratives. Hamilton also explores how wartime propaganda shaped societal views, particularly regarding perceptions of Germans.

Professor Richard Gamble from Hillsdale College discusses the intriguing blend of American nationalism and religious symbolism during the Cold War. He explores how civil religion shaped American identity, particularly during the Vietnam War, while examining pivotal crises and key historical figures. Gamble highlights the complexity of presidential rhetoric, especially Lyndon Johnson's contradictory use of biblical references against the backdrop of his policies. The conversation also touches on the role of faith in community cohesion and the tensions within religious groups regarding political engagement.

President John Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address was the topic of a class taught by University of Kansas political communication professor Robert Rowland. The University of Kansas is in Lawrence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Georgetown University professor Bonnie Morris talked about discrimination against women in sports and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

York College professor Jacqueline Beatty discussed women’s rights and changing political power during the American Revolution and the early years of the Republic. York College is located in York, Pennsylvania. 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

Professor Donald Spivey talked about the legacy of pitcher Satchel Paige and Negro Leagues baseball. Satchel Paige was the first Negro Leagues player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Professor Spivey also explained the ways that Paige and other Negro Leagues players and owners contributed to the struggle for civil rights, including fighting Jim Crow laws, financially supporting groups like the NAACP, and fostering friendships with white players in Major League Baseball.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professor Joan Waugh talked about the rise of baseball as a national activity, spectator event, and business. She described the efforts of baseball club owners to codify the rules of the games, establish a national league, and attract a broad middle class audience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pepperdine University professor Loretta Hunnicutt taught a class about baseball during the Great Depression. She looked at the role of baseball in American culture and the origins of sports journalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Maryland history professor Michael discussed, in the second of a two part lecture, the 1893 trial of Lizzie Borden. She was accused of murdering her father and stepmother with an axe. The murders and trial received widespread publicity at the time and Lizzie Borden became a lasting figure in American popular culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices