500 episodes listed below
American history with the argument left in.
This Day treats history as a live argument, not a museum label. Its episodes move from Fort Sumter to MLK Day to World War I, tracing how choices, myths, speeches, and public memory keep shaping American politics.
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This Day is an American history show organized around the country’s 250th year and the long chain of moments that made that anniversary possible. It works best when a familiar event starts to look less settled. Fort Sumter becomes more than the first exchange of gunfire; it becomes a test of signaling, slavery, strategy, and political nerve. Lincoln’s second inaugural becomes more than a monument inscription. The show pauses over performance, theology, blame, reconciliation, and the strange fact that a late-night audience could hear Hal Holbrook deliver Lincoln as entertainment. The pace is quick, but the questions are substantial. Jody Avirgan tends to open with narrative energy, small jokes, and the kind of detail that makes the past feel close, from a black car outside the White House to a fort running short on supplies. Nicole Hemmer and Kellie Carter Jackson bring the discussion back to power, race, political culture, and historical consequence. The series is also comfortable showing its work. A passing mention of Abner Doubleday becomes a public correction and a possible future episode on the invention of baseball. That habit matters. It frames history as a practice of revision, evidence, and better questions, not just polished certainty. Recent episodes range from the Confederacy’s attempt to write itself into nationhood to the decades-long fight over Martin Luther King Jr.’s federal holiday. They also follow Woodrow Wilson’s movement from neutrality toward World War I and revisit the contested meaning of King’s assassination. Some Sunday Context episodes broaden the project with archived material, live conversations, and reflections on how to mark America 250 without sanding off conflict. The show can be funny. It is not casual about the stakes. Its strongest episodes keep the contradictions visible: idealism beside violence, commemoration beside political resistance, national myth beside historical correction. The result is a smart, accessible series for listeners who want American history with narrative shape, present-tense relevance, and a willingness to sit inside disagreement.
Made for: For listeners who follow politics, history, civic memory, and the stories behind national anniversaries. It especially suits people who like expert conversation with narrative pacing and a little dry humor.
What sets it apart: The show ties date-driven history to America 250 while treating the past as contested, corrective, and still active. Its mix of narrative setup, analysis, public corrections, and Sunday context episodes gives it more texture than a straight chronology.
To mark our 250th birthday, “This Day” presents "50 Weeks That Shaped America," a series of deep dives into the stories that brought us to this moment. "This Day" takes you beyond the head-spinning headlines of today and into the unexpected historical moments that have shaped American politics and culture. 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…
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A golf game, a White House dinner, and Wilson's America first frame the pressure behind U.S. entry into World War One.
A soft spring rain, a round of golf, a family dinner, and a black car bound for Congress give this single-episode review a clean frame for Woodrow Wilson's move to take the United States into World War One.
A live Brooklyn check-in on America 250, with history's public face and political clutter in view.
Jody Avergan brings Nikki and Kelly into a live On Air Fest conversation in Brooklyn to revisit America 250, the semi-quincentennial, and what it means to do history work in 2026.
A sharp look at how King's assassination became a fight over meaning almost immediately.
This Day returns to April 4, 1968, and treats Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination as something larger than a single moment. It moves from James Earl Ray's chaotic life and political drift to the immediate scramble over blame, the poll result showing many white respondents…
Dramatized deep dives into American history, from the Galveston hurricane to Harper Lee's Mockingbird.
Curious facts, kid-sized and quiz-ready.
Host Jody Avirgan and historians Nicole Hemmer and Kelly Carter Jackson discuss America's 250th birthday in a live conversation from On Air Fest in Brooklyn.
This episode examines the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
This episode analyzes Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address, featuring historical context and a clip of Hal Holbrook's performance, with insights from historians.
This episode examines President George W.
This episode explores the origins and impact of the phrase 'axis of evil' from George W.
Jody Avergan, Nicole Hammer, and Kelly Carter Jackson examine John Paul Jones's April 1778 raid on Whitehaven, the only American attack on British soil during the Revolutionary War.
This Day examines why Benjamin Franklin went to France in late 1776, when the Continental Congress needed French money, arms, uniforms, and naval support for American independence.
This Day revisits April 19, 1775, arguing that Menotomy belongs beside Lexington and Concord in the opening story of the Revolution.
When crews took down St.
This episode introduces an archived discussion about how the Confederacy created its own constitution during the Civil War, following up on a previous series about Fort Sumter and correcting a myth about Abner Doubleday inventing baseball.
This episode examines Abraham Lincoln's critical decision to resupply Fort Sumter in 1861, exploring the political tensions and consequences that led to the Civil War.
This episode explores the first battle of the American Civil War at Fort Sumter in 1861, discussing its historical context, key figures like Lincoln and Davis, and its impact on the conflict.
This episode explores the 40-year struggle to establish Martin Luther King Jr.
This episode explores the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on his killer James Earl Ray's background and radicalization, and how King's legacy became contested immediately after his death.
This Day host Jody Avergan, Nicole Hammer of Vanderbilt, and Kelly Carter Jackson of Wellesley examine Woodrow Wilson’s decision to enter World War I in April 1917.
This episode analyzes Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address, featuring historical context and a discussion with experts including Jamelle Bouie.
This episode features a live conversation from the On Air Fest in Brooklyn, discussing America's semi-quincentennial in 2026 and the work of history, with part of the chat shared publicly and full access for subscribers.