Long Shadow
Long Lead & PRX
Through a series of riveting, complex narratives, LONG SHADOW makes sense of what people know — and what they thought they knew — about the most pivotal moments in U.S. history, including Waco, Columbine, Y2K, 9/11, COVID-19, January 6, and beyond. Hosted by Pulitzer-finalist historian, author, and journalist Garrett Graff, this Peabody-nominated podcast has been called “rigorous, authoritative, and an electrifying listen” by the Financial Times and honored as one of the year's best podcasts by The Atlantic, Audible, Mashable, and The Week. A winner of the Edward R. Murrow Award and the RFK Human Rights Journalism Award, it has also been honored with five Signal Awards, including for Best History, Best Documentary, and Best Activism, Public Service, & Social Impact Podcast.The second season of LONG SHADOW has been added to the history program at the University of Houston and the third season has been integrated into Harvard Law School's curriculum on the Second Amendment.Season 4LONG SHADOW: BREAKING THE INTERNETWhen was the last time you felt good about the internet? Today’s online landscape is a harrowing one. People screaming at each other on social media. Violent videos going viral. Cyberbullying, racism, misogyny. Back in the day, the web gave power to the people, and going online could actually be fun.LONG SHADOW: BREAKING THE INTERNET retraces 30 years of web history — a tangle of GIFs, blogs, apps, and hashtags — to answer the bewildering question many ask when they go online today: “How did we get here?”It’s the story of mankind’s greatest invention, a tool that gave everyone access to all the world’s information and unlocked democracy across the globe. But LONG SHADOW: BREAKING THE INTERNET is also about the biggest crisis facing society today: how the web's unlimited feed of data morphed into a firehose of hoaxes, conspiracy theories, and lies that divided Americans over things we once agreed on, like science, diversity, and even democracy itself.Chronicling innovations, revolutions, cyber attacks, and meltdowns across seven episodes, this limited series podcast untangles the web in a way you’ve never considered before. Featuring memes and moments you know — like when the world became transfixed by the color of a dress — and others you don’t, but should — like how people sent death threats to the woman who posted that meme online — LONG SHADOW: BREAKING THE INTERNET both scales the heights of internet virality and plumbs the depths of social media's depravity.Within weeks of its launch in 2021, LONG SHADOW became a No. 1 history show on Apple Podcasts, and its first season, 9/11’s LINGERING QUESTIONS, won Best History Podcast at the inaugural Signal Awards. Its second season, RISE OF THE AMERICAN FAR RIGHT, was named Best Podcast at the 2024 Edward R. Murrow Awards. IN GUNS WE TRUST, the show’s third season produced in collaboration with The Trace, was nominated for a Peabody Award and awarded the RFK Human Rights Journalism Award for its coverage of America’s gun violence epidemic.LONG SHADOW: BREAKING THE INTERNET premiered June 24, 2025 and will release new episodes the following six Tuesdays, wherever you get your podcasts.LONG SHADOW is produced by the award-winning journalism studio Long Lead and distributed by PRX.For more visit www.longlead.com and www.longshadowpodcast.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 7, 2024 • 49min
The Right to Bear AR-15s
After a devastating, now largely forgotten, mass-shooting prompted lawmakers to take aim at assault weapons in the 1990s, their ban backfired — and caused gun sales to explode.
Apr 23, 2024 • 46min
The Hardliners
Richard Feldman, a former NRA lobbyist from the 1980s, shares insider insights on the NRA's dramatic transformation into a political powerhouse. He discusses the chilling Bernard Goetz subway incident, sparking debates on urban vigilantism and self-defense. Feldman also reflects on how Harlan Carter's leadership redefined the NRA, emphasizing its aggressive advocacy for gun rights. Listeners will hear about the NRA's strategic mobilization tactics and the cultural tensions surrounding gun ownership in America during this pivotal era.
Apr 16, 2024 • 34min
Shall Not Be Infringed
The podcast dives deep into Florida's youth activism for the state's bird, the Florida Scrub Jay, highlighting their legislative battles. It discusses the tug-of-war between environmental concerns and political lobbying, especially influenced by gun legislation. The infamous Tommy gun and its Prohibition-era legacy are examined alongside the evolution of gun laws, spotlighting the NRA's shifting role. Additionally, it tackles the complex dynamics of gun advocacy in light of recent legislative changes, revealing the ongoing struggle between individual rights and regulation.
6 snips
Apr 9, 2024 • 41min
A Uniquely American Problem
Explore the powerful intersection of faith and firearms as a pastor defends the AR-15 as a spiritual symbol. Delve into the chaotic aftermath of the Columbine shooting and how it revolutionized school safety protocols and perceptions of gun violence. Unpack the misconceptions surrounding this tragic event, including the myths of the Trenchcoat Mafia. Reflect on the emotional scars of loss and the complicated dialogue over gun reform in a nation steeped in gun culture.
Apr 2, 2024 • 4min
Trailer: Long Shadow: In Guns We Trust
Dive into America's intricate relationship with guns and the cultural fears that have fueled demand. The discussion unveils how firearms transitioned from rural life staples to symbols of division and violence. Explore the historical roots of gun culture and the implications of the Second Amendment. It also raises essential questions: How did the nation become so polarized over this issue, and is there a path toward a rational conversation about gun regulation?
49 snips
May 24, 2023 • 56min
January 6: Day of the Rope
Emboldened by COVID lockdown protests and fighting Black Lives Matter demonstrators, far-right extremists and white power groups prepare to overthrow the government on Jan. 6… or a later date.
42 snips
May 17, 2023 • 51min
MAGA: American Carnage
After Trump’s election, far-right extremism explodes, and internet racism boils over into the real world. From Charleston to Charlottesville to Christchurch, experts warn of a race war.
4 snips
May 10, 2023 • 44min
The Bundys: A Call to Arms
When the government seizes Cliven Bundy’s cattle over unpaid grazing fees, militias like the Three Percenters and the Oath Keepers—which are later at 1/6—aid a standoff on his ranch.
24 snips
May 3, 2023 • 44min
Info War: From the Fringe to Fox News
Using conspiracy theories and anger to amass enormous audiences in the 1990s, Rush Limbaugh and Bill Cooper pave the way for Fox News to mainstream far-right outrage.
Apr 26, 2023 • 41min
Oklahoma City: Sic Semper Tyrannis
Experts claimed 1995’s Oklahoma City bombing was a lone-wolf event, but Timothy McVeigh’s act of retribution for the Waco siege, shows how domestic extremism has evolved.
