Roundup

Reduced Shakespeare Company offers U.S. history lesson [audio 23min]

The Reduced Shakespeare Company's take on the American Revolution is funny, irreverent, and above all, fast. Members of the troupe offer an abridged history of America. Guests: Adam Long, Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, all long-time members of the Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Schama's 'Rough Crossings' is revolutionary tale [audio 12min]

One of the myths history books tell is that Africans were incidental to the Revolutionary War. But many, enslaved in the colonies, were offered freedom by the British to fight their American masters. Thousands accepted. What became of these freed men and women? Historian Simon Schama seeks to answer that question with his new book, Rough Crossings: Britain, the Slaves, and the American Revolution. He tells Farai Chideya about the characters he encountered, including one former slave who t

David McCullough revisits '1776' [audio 30min]

Late in 1776, George Washington led a bold attack on the British at Trenton. The victory had an immediate effect on the morale of a newly forged nation. On Independence Day, historian David McCullough talks with Neal Conan about his book, 1776.

Allgor details political role Dolley Madison played in her husband's presidency [video 58min]

In A Perfect Union: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation, Catherine Allgor profiles former First Lady Dolley Madison. Allgor, associate professor of history at the University of California, Riverside, explains how Dolley Madison used Washington's social scene to her political advantage. This event was hosted by the Stephen Decatur House Museum in Washington, D.C.

Appleby looks back over 20yr career [video 3hr]

Historian Joyce Appleby will be our guest for"In Depth" on July 2nd. Professor Appleby, who retired after 20 years of teaching at UCLA in 2001, specializes in British, French and early American history. Her books include Economic Thought and Ideology in Seventeenth Century England (1978), Capitalism and a New Social Order: The Republican Vision of the 1790s (1984), Understanding the United States Constitution, 1787-1987 (1988), Without Resolution: The Jeffersonian Tension

Polk chronicles history of Colonial America [video 87min]

In The Birth of America: From Before Columbus to the Revolution, William Polk explores the history of Colonial America. He describes significant events during this period and the British influence on European, Spanish and Dutch colonies. In addition, Polk explores colonial societies' advancements and their influence on what America is now. A descendent of Pres. Polk, William Polk is the senior director of the W.P. Carey Foundation. He specializes in researching and writing on foreign poli

Burns recounts impact of colonial newspapers on early American culture [video 65min]

In Infamous Scribblers: The Founding Fathers and the Rowdy Beginnings of American Journalism, FOX News anchor Eric Burns explains that, since Boston's Publick Occurrences newspaper of the 1690s, the Founding Fathers continously made headlines and were subject to both character assassinations and outright fabrications. This event was hosted by Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, DC.

Meacham discusses how Founding Fathers shaped America's political ideals around religion [video 64min]

Jon Meacham, managing editor of Newsweek, chronicles the impact of religion on American politics and examines the debate over the separation of church and state, which has continued throughout all of American history. Meacham's latest book is American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation. This discussion took place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was part of a symposium titled"God and the Founding Fathers."

Many Americans refuse to elect President based on candidate's religion [audio 4min]

A poll from the Los Angeles Times and the Bloomberg News Service finds substantial fractions of the U.S. electorate would refuse to vote for a presidential candidate based on that candidate's religious affiliation. Madeleine Brand and Ron Elving report.

Schama reveals slaves' hopes, frustrations during War of American Independence [audio 10min]

Author Simon Schama explores the dilemma for African and African American slaves fighting for America’s independence but not their own in his book Rough Crossings: Britain, the Slaves and the American Revolution.

21c enthusiasts play 19c base ball game [audio 28min]

CBC producer Sam Levene presents this documentary about a league of base ball (that's 2 words) enthusiasts who play the game the way it was first devised in the mid 19th century. Across the U.S. and Canada, teams regularly meet in period costume, and without gloves to play a polite, very gentlemanly (and womanly) version of the game that's become America's favorite sport.

Author reconstructs FDR's 'Defining Moment'a [audio 12min]

Franklin Delano Roosevelt held the office of president during one of the most trying economic times in U.S. history, The Great Depression. In his new biography, The Defining Moment, Jonathan Alter goes behind FDR's handling of the crisis. One new find revealed in Alter's book is a draft of a radio speech Roosevelt planned to give on his first day in office, one that included a bold assertion of authority to draft a private army from members of the American Legion. The draft was discarded,

British SF authors reveal their nation's history [audio 30min]

Author and broadcaster Francis Spufford, charting the history of Britain through its Science Fiction, asks why the utopian visions of British writers succumbed so often to invasion, disaster and collapse. Francis won't quite be arguing that every starship in British SF is a milkfloat in disguise, but the diversity of ideas in British SF means that these novels do give startling alternative snapshots of Britain down the years. Science Fiction has always been a genre of ideas and, so, contrary to

Controversy over Koizumi's shrine visit ripples across Pacific [audio 4min]

A visit by Japan's prime minister to a national shrine is increasing tensions around the Pacific. Scholar Michael Yahuda talks with Susan Stamberg about Junichiro Koizumi's visit to a shrine that honors Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals.

Georgian sports hero became Member of Parliament [audio 15min]

From debtor's prison, John Gulley rose to be a boxing champion, a Derby-winning horse owner, a member of Parliament and something of a hero to our presenter, well-known English TV presenter William G Stewart.sult. Stewart argues that the Georgians were just as likely to sing the praises of men like Tom Cribb, John Gulley and Jem Belcher as they were Nelson, Wellington or William Pitt, and our current obsession with sporting prowess is not really such a modern phenomenon.

Virginia town targets mystery train's secrets [audio 6min]

In 1925, the Church Hill Tunnel caved in while a train was passing through it. At least two workers were killed at the site in southern Virginia, and the locomotive was never recovered. But now there are plans to uncover the site, which has inspired many local legends and mysteries. Preliminary drilling of"spy holes" is expected to begin on July 10. Melissa Block talks with Mark Holmberg, staff writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Holmberg is one of the few living people left who has b

Taking a tour of the MLK Collection at Sotheby's [audio 7min]

Ed Gordon takes a tour of the personal papers and books of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., on display at Sotheby's auction house. The collection, valued at about $30 million, was meant to be auctioned this week. Instead, private donors purchased the collection and will donate it to Morehouse College in Atlanta, the civil rights icon's alma mater.

How Morehouse plans to safeguard MLK's legacy [audio 4min]

Ed Gordon talks with Lawrence Carter, dean of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College, about what the donation of the civil rights icon's personal papers will mean for Morehouse, and how the school plans to safeguard King's legacy.

Specter challenges presidential signing statements [audio 4min]

President Bush has regularly added signing statements to laws passed by the Congress, with some statements noting an unwillingness to enforce the law. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) says the president's actions are a challenge to the Constitution. He wants to be able to sue the president over signings. Ari Shapiro reports.

Science and politics mix in 19c racial classifications [audio 30min]

Science seeks objectivity. So how, in the 19th century, did it come to the consensus that intelligence and character were determined by the shape and size of the skull, and that this explained racial difference? Kenan Malik examines the boundary of science with politics through the history of one of its most controversial subjects.