

This Day
Jody Avirgan & Radiotopia
“This Day” takes you beyond the head-spinning headlines of today and into the unexpected historical moments that have shaped American politics. Hosted by Jody Avirgan (538), and historians Nicole Hemmer (Vanderbilt), and Kellie Carter Jackson (Wellesley), each episode explores a moment from that day in U.S. political history to uncover its lasting impact. On Sunday episodes, Jody, Niki and Kellie react to current news with their usual mix of humor, analysis, and historical perspective.New episodes released Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Lots more on our Instagram page, YouTube, and newsletter. Find it all at thisdaypod.com.This Day is a proud member of the Radiotopia podcast network from PRX.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 8, 2020 • 21min
The ANTI-Suffragettes (1915) w/ Kimberly Hamlin
It’s December 8th. On this day in 1915, newspapers reported a “near riot” at a meeting of the Democratic party, when pro- and anti-suffrage women debated each other over the right to vote.
Jody and Niki are joined by Kimberly Hamlin of Miami University to discuss the “ANTIs” — women who fought against the right to vote.
Kimberly’s most recent book is “Free Thinker: Sex, Suffrage, and the Extraordinary Life of Helen Hamilton Gardener”
Find a transcript of this episode at: https://tinyurl.com/esoterichistory
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com
Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Our website is thisdaypod.com Follow us on social @thisdaypod
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Dec 6, 2020 • 22min
United States vs One Book Called Ulysses (1933) w/ Kurt Andersen
It’s December 6th. On this day in 1933, a judge ruled that James Joyce’s “Ulysses,” which had been effectively banned in the United States, was not obscene.
Jody and Niki are joined by Kurt Andersen to discuss the ruling, the history of obscenity laws in the United States, and what to make of the current debates over free speech.
Kurt’s recent books are “Fantasylad” and “Evil Geniuses.”
Find a transcript of this episode at: https://tinyurl.com/esoterichistory
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com
Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Our website is thisdaypod.com Follow us on social @thisdaypod
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Dec 3, 2020 • 18min
US, Meet UN (1945)
It’s December 3rd. On this day in 1945 (technically, December 4th), the United States Senate voted to ratify an agreement to have the US join the United Nations.
Jody and Niki discuss the domestic politics that led to this moment, the lessons from the failed entry of the US into the League of Nations, and whether FDR gets enough credit in this story.
Find a transcript of this episode at: https://tinyurl.com/esoterichistory
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com
Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Our website is thisdaypod.com Follow us on social @thisdaypod
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Dec 1, 2020 • 20min
John Brown's Body (1859)
It’s December 1st. On this day in 1859, abolitionist John Brown was awaiting his execution by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Jody and Niki discuss John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry, how much he wanted to spark revolution in his lifetime or become a martyr in death; and how contemporary depictions of Brown have reflected the politics of the time.
Find a transcript of this episode at: https://tinyurl.com/esoterichistory
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com
Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Our website is thisdaypod.com Follow us on social @thisdaypod
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 29, 2020 • 18min
Harvey Milk is Assassinated (1978)
It’s November 29th. On this day in 1978, San Fransisco is in mourning, and there is violence in the streets, in the wake of the assassination of Harvey Milk, a board of supervisors member and gay rights advocate.
Jody and Niki discus the legacy of Harvey Milk, his evolution as a gay rights advocate, and the so-called “Twinkie Defense.”
Find a transcript of this episode at: https://tinyurl.com/esoterichistory
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com
Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Our website is thisdaypod.com Follow us on social @thisdaypod
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 26, 2020 • 23min
Franksgiving! (1939) w/ Adam Conover
It’s November 26th. On this day in 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had declared that Thanksgiving would take place a week earlier than usual. Americans were not happy.
Jody and Niki are joined by Adam Conover of “Adam Ruins Everything” and the podcast Factually to discuss why FDR tried to move the holiday, how it became politicized, and what Thanksgiving means to us in 2020.
Find a transcript of this episode at: https://tinyurl.com/esoterichistory
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com
Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Our website is thisdaypod.com Follow us on social @thisdaypod
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 24, 2020 • 19min
The Alcatraz Occupation (1969) w/ Julian Brave Noisecat
It’s November 24th. On this day in 1969, Native American activists have staged an occupation of Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay.
Jody and Niki are joined by Julian Brave Noisecat to discuss the 19-month occupation, often considered the birth of the modern Indigenous rights movement — and how exactly the protesters managed to pull off the occupation of the island.
Find a transcript of this episode at: https://tinyurl.com/esoterichistory
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com
Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Our website is thisdaypod.com Follow us on social @thisdaypod
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 22, 2020 • 22min
Queen of Code (1943) w/ Mar Hicks
It’s November 22nd. On this day in 2016, Barack Obama awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to computer programmer Grace Hopper, who entered the Navy in the mid-1940s and helped pioneer a lot of modern electronic computing.
Jody and Niki are joined by Mar Hicks of Illinois Tech University to discuss Hopper’s legacy, her knack for storytelling, and the other women whose stories may not be as popular.
Hick’s book is Programmed Inequality
Find a transcript of this episode at: https://tinyurl.com/esoterichistory
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Our website is thisdaypod.com Follow us on social @thisdaypod
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 19, 2020 • 21min
The US Rejects A Peace Treaty (1919) w/ Christopher McKnight Nichols
It’s November 19th. On this day in 1919, the US Senate rejected the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles.
Jody and Niki are joined by Christopher McKnight Nichols of the University of Oregon to discuss why the US rejected the peace treaty and what it says about how the country saw its role in the world in the wake of World War I.
Christopher’s book is Promise and Peril: America at the Dawn of a Global Age
Find a transcript of this episode at: https://tinyurl.com/esoterichistory
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Our website is thisdaypod.com Follow us on social @thisdaypod
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 17, 2020 • 15min
The Governator (2003)
It’s November 16th. On this day in 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in as Governor of California, after having won a recall election that ousted former Governor Gray Davis.
Jody and Niki discuss how Schwarzenegger came to power, California’s recall system, and the legacy of celebrity politicians crashing the GOP.
Find a transcript of this episode at: https://tinyurl.com/esoterichistory
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Our website is thisdaypod.com Follow us on social @thisdaypod
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices


