Throughline
NPR
Throughline is a time machine. Each episode, we travel beyond the headlines to answer the question, "How did we get here?" We use sound and stories to bring history to life and put you into the middle of it. From ancient civilizations to forgotten figures, we take you directly to the moments that shaped our world. Throughline is hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalists Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei.Subscribe to Throughline+. You'll be supporting the history-reframing, perspective-shifting, time-warping stories you can't get enough of - and you'll unlock access bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org/throughline
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 24, 2020 • 42min
Outside/In: The Dark Side Of The Moon
50 years ago the world watched as man first landed on the moon, an incredible accomplishment by the engineers and scientists of NASA. But what if some of those same engineers and scientists had a secret history that the U.S. government tried to hide? This week, the story of how the U.S. space program was made possible by former Nazis.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Dec 17, 2020 • 51min
Outside/In: Rules of Engagement
The US and Iran have been in some state of conflict for the last 40 years, since the Iranian revolution. This week, we look at three key moments in this conflict to better understand where it might go next.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Dec 10, 2020 • 1h
Supreme
When, why, and how did the Supreme Court get the final say in the law of the land? The question of the Court's role, and whether its decisions should reign above all the other branches of government, has been hotly debated for centuries. And that's resulted in a Supreme Court more powerful than anything the Founding Fathers could have imagined possible.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Dec 3, 2020 • 50min
The Modern White Power Movement
It has been nearly twenty years since 9/11 and during that time much of the media coverage and government attention has been directed at the threat of radical Islamist terrorism. Yet, during that time, it has been domestic terrorism from armed, mostly white American men, that has posed the biggest threat. This week, the rise of the modern white power movement.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Nov 26, 2020 • 34min
The Spotted Owl
The story of how the Endangered Species Act went from unanimous passage under a Republican president to becoming a deeply partisan wedge. The act was passed to protect big, beloved animals like bald eagles and blue whales; no one thought it would apply to a motley, reclusive owl. In this episode from Oregon Public Broadcasting's Timber Wars, a story about saving the last of America's old growth forests and the push to roll back environmental protections.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Nov 19, 2020 • 41min
The Invention of Race
The idea that race is a social construct comes from the pioneering work of anthropologist Franz Boas. During a time when race-based science and the eugenics movement were becoming mainstream, anthropologist Franz Boas actively sought to prove that race was a social construct, not a biological fact.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Nov 16, 2020 • 49min
BONUS: Louder Than A Riot
This week we're bringing you something extra, an episode from the NPR Music series, Louder Than A Riot. The series examines the relationship between hip hop and mass incarceration and you can find the rest of the series here.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Nov 12, 2020 • 44min
The Shadows of the Constitution
The Constitution is like America's secular bible, our sacred founding document. In her play, What the Constitution Means to Me, Heidi Schreck goes through a process of discovering what the document is really about – who wrote it, who it was for, who it protected and who it didn't. Through Heidi's personal story, we learn how the Constitution and how it has been interpreted have affected not just her family but generations of Americans.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Nov 5, 2020 • 29min
Bush v. Gore and Why It Matters in 2020
In the 2000 presidential election, results weren't known in one night, a week, or even a month. This week, we share an episode we loved from It's Been A Minute with Sam Sanders that revisits one of the most turbulent elections in U.S. history and what it could teach us as we wait for this election's outcome.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Oct 29, 2020 • 1h 4min
The Most Sacred Right
David Blight, a Yale historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, is joined by Carol Anderson, a voting rights expert and author of One Person, No Vote. Together, they delve into Frederick Douglass's unwavering fight for suffrage and the sacred right to vote. The conversation highlights the historical challenges, including the impact of Jim Crow laws and voter suppression tactics. They emphasize Douglass's legacy in advocating for equality and reflect on the ongoing struggles for voting rights in America, underscoring the critical need for civic engagement and representation.
