Throughline

A Marxist revolution, a Cold War proxy battle, and a dream of a Black utopia. In 1983, Ronald Reagan ordered the U.S. military to invade the island of Grenada. Almost four decades later, many Americans don't remember why — or that it even happened. This week, Martine Powers, from Post Reports, brings us a story of revolution, invasion, and the aftermath of unresolved history.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Olympics originated in Ancient Greece, and were resurrected in the 1890's after a 1,500 year ban. Since then, the International Olympic Committee has been behind every Olympic Games. In this episode, we explore the story of how the IOC turned the Olympics into a huge commercial success and whether the cities that host the games end up winning or losing.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What do we owe innocent civilians who are killed or injured in war? This is one of the thorniest ethical questions that any military faces, but it was not abstract for anti-war activist Marla Ruzicka. From Rough Translation's new series Home/Front.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Frederick Douglass dreamed of a country where all people could vote and he did everything in his power to make that dream a reality. In the face of slavery, the Civil War and the violence of Jim Crow, he fought his entire life for what he believed was a sacred, natural right that should be available to all people - voting.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This week we're featuring an episode from Code Switch, Do The Golden Arches Bend Toward Justice?. Calls for racial justice are met with a lot of different proposals, but one of the loudest and most enduring is to invest in Black businesses. But can "buying Black" actually do anything to mitigate racism? To find out, they taking a look at the surprising link between Black capitalism and McDonald's.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Dive into the intriguing world where faith intersects with wealth. Explore the rise of the prosperity gospel, where riches are perceived as divine favor. Discover how this belief impacts business, politics, and personal identities in America. Listen to a lawyer’s transformation from a spiritual crisis to social activism. Uncover the historical roots of revivalism and the influence of charismatic preachers. Reflect on how televangelism reshapes spirituality and consumerism, questioning the balance between faith and financial success.

Explore the birth of neoliberalism and its impact, the formation of Montpeller in Society, the rise of Milton Friedman, FDR's response to the Great Depression, and the political shifts towards tech-centric Democrats in the 1990s.

This week we're featuring an episode from Radiolab's latest new series, The Vanishing of Harry Pace. Harry Pace founded the first major Black-owned record label in the U.S., ushering in a new wave of American music. But it's also a mystery story, because one day, Harry Pace just disappeared. The Vanishing of Harry Pace is a series about the phenomenal but forgotten man who changed the music scene in the United States. It's a story about betrayal, family, hidden identities, and a time like no other.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What do we mean when we talk about capitalism? Our economic system might seem inevitable, but it's a construction project hundreds of years in the making and no part of it is natural or left to chance. This week, we kick off our series on the past, present and future of capitalism with Kristen Ghodsee, Vivek Chibber, and Bryan Caplan, who debate how an economic system became an all-encompassing force that rules our lives and our minds.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In 1969, a gay bar in New York City called The Stonewall Inn was raided by police. It was a common form of harassment in those days but what followed, days of rebellion as patrons fought back, was anything but ordinary. Today, that event is seen as the start of the gay civil rights movement, but gay activists and organizations were standing up to harassment and discrimination years before. On this episode from our archives, the fight for gay rights before Stonewall.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy