Podcast appearances and mentions of jon grinspan

When it comes to deeply polarized politics in America, we've been here before. In this two-part event from our Ideas We Should Steal Festival 2024, Larry chats with MSNBC's Ali Velshi and author Jon Grinspan, who wrote "Age of Acrimony." Velshi and Grinspan explain that the solutions to our acrimonious future can be found in our past.

Politico Magazine recently published an article titled "Everyone in Congress Is Obsessed with This Book About the Post-Civil War Era." We talk with the book's author, Jon Grinspan, on today's episode.

Smithsonian Associate Jon Grinspan, Wide Awakes The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series Welcome to another compelling episode of the Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates interview series on radio and podcast. Today, we delve into a riveting chapter of American history with Smithsonian historian Jon Grinspan, as we explore the story of the Wide Awakes—an extraordinary political movement that shaped the trajectory of our nation in the tumultuous years leading up to the Civil War.  Smithsonian Associate Jon Grinspan, a returning guest, and Curator of Political History, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution will be appearting at Smithslonian Associates coming up.  Please check out our show notes today for more information about Jon Grinspan's upcoming Smithsonian Assocaites presentation, titled, “The Wide Awakes: The Forgotten Force the Spurred the Civil War.” and available at Apple Books.  But we have Smithsonian Associate Jon Grinspan today, to tell us more about his new book, ‘Wide Awake,” and his presentation at Smithsonian Associates. At the dawn of the 1860 presidential campaign, a small group of fervent young Northerners emerged to protect anti-slavery speakers from violent attacks. These individuals, calling themselves the Wide Awakes, quickly grew into a massive movement, attracting hundreds of thousands of young men and women from diverse backgrounds. They marched through cities with torch-lit processions, their uniforms and disciplined formations creating a striking visual spectacle that captured the nation's attention. But the impact of the Wide Awakes extended far beyond their impressive marches. They became a powerful symbol of the fight for majority rule, the defense of free speech, and the relentless push against the institution of slavery. Their efforts played a critical role in the election of Abraham Lincoln and set the stage for the seismic shifts that would soon engulf the nation in civil war. In today's episode, Smithsonian Associate Jon Grinspan takes us on a journey through his latest book, "Wide Awake," providing a nuanced examination of this influential movement. We will uncover how the Wide Awakes' visual strategies, organizational prowess, and unwavering commitment to their cause galvanized public opinion and reshaped the political landscape. We'll also explore the dual perceptions of the Wide Awakes as both a beacon of hope for a rising majority and a potential paramilitary threat to the South. Join us as we delve into the rich history of the Wide Awakes, drawing parallels to contemporary political movements and understanding the enduring legacy of their activism. This is an episode you won't want to miss—one that sheds light on the power of protest, the complexities of democracy, and the indomitable spirit of those who dare to stand up for justice. Thank you for tuning in to the Not Old Better Show. Let's dive into this fascinating discussion with Smithsonian Associate Jon Grinspan. My thanks to Smithsonian Associate Jon Grinspan, a returning guest, and Curator of Political History, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution will be appearting at Smithslonian Associates coming up.  Please check out our show notes today for more information about Jon Grinspan's upcoming Smithsonian Assocaites presentation, titled, “The Wide Awakes: The Forgotten Force the Spurred the Civil War.”   My thanks to the Smithsonian team for all they do to support the show.  My thanks always to Executive Producer Sam Heninger for all his work on the show and my thanks to you our wonderful audience here on radio and podcast.  Be well, be safe and Let's Talk About Better™ The Not Old Better on radio and podcast.  Thanks, everybody, and we'll see you next week. For more information about Smithsonian Associates, please click here:  https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/wide-awakes

Jon Grinspan has done something remarkable: in his new book, Wide Awake, he tells a thoroughly researched and brilliantly crafted story that may change your understanding of the origins of the American Civil War. In this episode, Jon joins us for a conversation about the Wide Awakes, the anti-slavery youth movement that played an instrumental role in electing Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and took part in some of the first acts of violence between pro and anti-slavery Americans in 1861. Jon also discusses the ways that the past and present interact in powerful ways, and how politics can evolve, step-by-step, into violence.   To quote Jon's recent article in The Smithsonian: “The most consequential political organization in American history….began when a few working-class kids designed a costume, which grew into a movement and ultimately an army. And it ended with a civil war.”   Dr. Jon Grinspan is a curator of political and military history at the National Museum of American History. His book Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force that Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War is out May 14, 2024 from Bloomsbury Press. Click here to order your copy!   You can hear Jon's previous appearance on The Road to Now in episode #220 Processing the Past w/ John Grinspan.   This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.

Think America is headed for another civil war? You might not after this episode. The war, and Abraham Lincoln's election, owe a lot to a paramilitary youth movement called the Wide Awakes. It fired up the struggling Republican Party, long before it became “anti-woke”, uniting all kinds of Americans against the corrupt, pro-slavery Democratic Party. Supporters ranged from future Klansmen to free Blacks, all fighting for the same cause. Smithsonian curator Jon Grinspan tells the story in his new book, “Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force that Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War”. It's astonishing how much Americans don't know about our history, but this will change your perspective on where the country is headed. Buy the book at my Amazon Store: click here --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nightlightjoshua/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nightlightjoshua/support

Think America is headed for another civil war? You might not after this episode. The war, and Abraham Lincoln's election, owe a lot to a paramilitary youth movement called the Wide Awakes. It fired up the struggling Republican Party, long before it became “anti-woke”, uniting all kinds of Americans against the corrupt, pro-slavery Democratic Party. Supporters ranged from future Klansmen to free Blacks, all fighting for the same cause. Smithsonian curator Jon Grinspan tells the story in his new book, “Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force that Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War”. It's astonishing how much Americans don't know about our history, but this will change your perspective on where the country is headed. Buy the book at my Amazon Store: ⁠click here --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nightlightjoshua/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nightlightjoshua/support

Jon Grinspan talks about his book, Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy 1865-1915

At the start of the 1860 presidential campaign, a handful of fired-up young Northerners appeared as bodyguards to defend anti-slavery stump speakers from frequent attacks. The group called themselves the Wide Awakes. Soon, hundreds of thousands of young white and black men, and a number of women, were organizing boisterous, uniformed, torch-bearing brigades of their own. These Wide Awakes—mostly working-class Americans in their twenties—became one of the largest, most spectacular, and most influential political movements in our history. To some, it demonstrated the power of a rising majority to push back against slavery. To others, it looked like a paramilitary force training to invade the South.Today's guest, Jon Grinspan (author of “Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force That Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War”) examines how exactly our nation crossed the threshold from a political campaign into a war. We look at the precarious relationship between violent rhetoric and violent actions.

For the first and possibly only time ever, three historians pick their All-Star Congress: one person from each state. While silly and esoteric, this project offers some intriguing questions. Do you celebrate someone who is ruthless but significant? Or someone who "did the right thing"? Do the officeholders of today stack up against the legendary greats of the past? Join us as we break the laws of time and space to put together a motley crew of congresspeople and senators-- with Tom Balcerski (Eastern Connecticut) and Jon Grinspan (The Smithsonian).

The polarization that exists in U.S. politics has some voters questioning the integrity of our two-party system—whose interests are the politicians really representing? Ballot initiative organizers claim that they are building new coalitions that transcend party lines, and unite voters on their values, not their partisan affiliations. In doing so, they echo progressive reformers of the past, who created big changes and prompted observers to call their work part of an “invisible third party of reform.” Ballot initiatives that are largely popular with everyday citizens, like Medicaid expansion and voting rights restoration, but that are seen by politicians as too progressive for bipartisan support, are finally reaching voters at the ballot box.  In this episode,  we examine how the current era of political reformers ushers in alternatives to stalled legislation by going beyond party lines and bringing the issues straight to voters, and asking the question, what do ballot initiatives say about the kind of political system we want in the U.S.?Learn more about the podcast at thepeopledecide.show and follow us on Twitter @PeopleDecidePod.ResourcesFlorida Rights Restoration CoalitionReclaim IdahoLet My People Vote: The Battle to Restore the Civil Rights of Returning Citizens by Desmond MeadeThe Age of Acrimony: How Americans  Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915  by Jon Grinspan

Rebroadcast: Historian Jon Grinspan says Americans in the past fought to fix democracy. But what does that mean for Americans today? "Many of our problems have, if not identical moments in the past, parallels and similar tendencies in our democracy across time.” Jon Grinspan and Jack Beatty joined Meghna Chakrabarti.

Guest, Dr JON GRINSPAN, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution Jon Grinspan is the curator in the Division of Political and Military History at the National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution. Jon Grinspan's new book, THE AGE OF ACRIMONY: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915, argues that the democracy we inherited from the 20th century was really an outlier, created to fix our politics the last time they broke. In the late 1800s Americans feared that the republic was dying, torn apart by vibrant but violent partisan political campaigns. This era was only ended by a revolution in political restraint around 1900. Over time we came to consider that civility normal, and view our current divisions as unprecedented, but really we have deep history of struggling to calm an ugly system. Grinspan studies the deep history of American democracy, especially the wild partisan campaigns of the 1800s. At the same time, Jon collects objects from current protests, conventions, elections and riots for the Smithsonian, to try to preserve our own heated moment for generations to come. Together, it involves a bit of time-traveling, explaining the past to the present and the present to the future. His first book, THE VIRGIN VOTE: How Young Americans Made Democracy Social, Politics Personal and Voting Popular in the Nineteenth Century, uncovered the forgotten history of the youth vote, to show that young men and women were once the most engaged, and sought after, demographic in American politics. MESSAGE FROM UNITED STATES SENATOR MICHAEL D. BROWN Author Jon Grinspan will speak with Marília and I about political acrimony in America. What does yesterday tell us about today? Is the 2021 insurrection somehow connected to the past? We'll talk about this and what our future may be going forward. Jan. 6th was not the first attack on the U.S. Capitol, but will it be the last? What, exactly, is history teaching us in this moment in time? Tune in for this important interview. You can be part of the conversation by calling into the *LIVE* show with your comments and questions.

"100 billion people have lived on planet earth since our species evolved, and for all our archives, all our libraries, and all our museums, we have only the tiniest little sliver of any record of who these people were and what their lives were like," says Jon Grinspan in his conversation with Robert Amsterdam. "So the challenge of history is to live in the present, and try to connect with these human beings who came before us, try to understand what their meaning was." And it is with this tremendous care and attention to detail that brings all the characters to life in Grinspan's excellent new book, "The Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915," which examines one of the most turbulent, polarized period of America's political history. In their podcast discussion about the book, Grinspan and Amsterdam explore the striking similarities between the late 19th century and more contemporary events in the United States since Donald Trump's takeover of the Republican party, the 2021 insurrection, and the seemingly intractable partisan tribalism prevalent in politics today. Though many people have described the past five years as "unprecedented" in US history, that's actually not true, argues Grinspan. There is a deeper history of democracy in America that has been much more contested, he writes, focusing on the characters of radical congressman William “Pig Iron” Kelley and his progressive daughter, Florence Kelley. Looking at this family over the course of a critical half-century, one can see numerous lessons of what it cost the country to exit a period of tremendous dysfunction into a period of relative stability.

Jon Grinspan is a curator of political history at the Smithsonian Museum of American History and a frequent contributor to The New York Times. In this episode, Jon explains how his work with historical objects has informed his understanding of the past, the reasons he thinks that American politics in recent years is less of an aberration than many of us would like to believe, and his thoughts on the many ways Americans might look back on the January 6th insurrection in the future. Jon also shares the process he and his colleagues at The Smithsonian follow in selecting objects from today that will be preserved for future generations. Dr. Jon Grinspan's newest book is The Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915 (Bloomsbury, 2021). For more on his work, visit his bio page at the Smithsonian or link directly to one of the articles listed below. Jon Grinspan & Peter Manseau, “It's 2086. This is What American History Could Look Like.” The New York Times, Jan. 6, 2022. Jon Grinspan, “What We Did the Last Time We Broke America,” The New York Times, Oct. 29, 2021. Jon Grinspan, “How to Steal An Election,” The New York Times, Oct. 24, 2020. For Bob and Ben's conversation in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021 attack on the capitol, check out RTN #187 The Insurrection Episode. This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.

Historian Jon Grinspan says Americans in the past fought to fix democracy. But what does that mean for Americans today? "Many of our problems have, if not identical moments in the past, parallels and similar tendencies in our democracy across time.” Jon Grinspan and Jack Beatty join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Michael Barone, senior political analyst at the Washington examiner, is one of the most important political writers and thinkers of his time. He helped found the Almanac of American Politics in the early 70s and was the lead author for decades. He worked in politics himself, before transitioning to a role as a journalist, author, and pundit - always being an incisive and influential analyst of American politics at each stop along the way. In this conversation, we talk his roots in post-war Detroit, his time working for Democratic candidates and as a Democratic pollster, founding the Almanac, moving from left-of-center to right-of-center, and he gives his thoughts on some of the most pressing issues facing the political system and country today.IN THIS EPISODE…Michael's memories of growing up in post-war Detroit…The first election Michael remembers in detail…The up-and-coming politician Michael worked for at an important time…Michael talks his movement from liberal to conservative…Michael shares his memories of being on the scene during the momentous 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention…The off-hand comment that led to Michael's involvement in forming and writing the Almanac of American Politics…Michael talks the nuts and bolts that have gone into writing the Almanac for 40 years…Michael spends several years working with legendary Democratic pollster Peter Hart…The time when Senator Joe Biden took issue with something Michael wrote in the Almanac…Michael remembers the impact of Senator Pat Moynihan…Some of Michael's favorite political convention memories…Michael's involvement in the infamous 1980 convention fights between the forces of Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy…How Michael makes the jump from political consultant to an opinion writer and journalist…The 3 books that shaped Michael's political thinking…Michael's thoughts on today's political writing…Michael talks the unusual place that California holds in today's politics…Michael's take on the current state of both political parties…Michael compares today's political scene to the politics of the 1880s…Michael's current view on what demographics tell us about politics…The issue of the last decade on which Michael wishes he'd have been much more active…AND…the 1967 Detroit riots, 8 Mile Road, the UAW, US-16, the arsenal of democracy, Dan Balz, Big 3 Auto Companies, baloney and malarkey, David Broder, James Buchanan, George W. Bush, Pat Caddell, Jimmy Carter, Jerome Cavanaugh, Bill Clinton, Geoffrey Cowan, Mario Cuomo, Richard D. Daley, Duke University, Dwight Eisenhower, flotsam and jetsam, Gerald Ford, John Kenneth Galbraith, Newt Gingrich, Meg Greenfield, Martha Griffiths, Jon Grinspan, John Gunther, Lou Harris, Hubert Humphrey, Al Hunt, Jim Hunt, Harold Ickes, Jesse Jackson, John Judis, Jack Kemp, John Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, V.O. Key, Lyndon Johnson, John Lindsay, Samuel Lubell, Madison Square Garden, Walter Mondale, The Moynihan Report, Wade McCree, George McGovern, Ralph Nader, Newton's Second Law of Motion, Richard Nixon, Kirk O'Donnell, Tip O'Neill, Charles Oakman, Barack Obama, obvious impractical proposals, Nancy Pelosi, podium passes, prayers of political scientists, Franklin Pierce, David Price, Oliver Quayle, Nancy Reagan, Ronald Reagan, recessed steering columns, Nelson Rockefeller, George Romney, Tim Russert, E.E. Schattschneider, Mark Shields, superdelegates, supply side economics, John Paul Stevens, Ted Stevens Airport, Ruy Teixeria, Bob Torricelli, Donald Trump, Grant Ujifusa, Carl Wagner, George Wallace, Woodrow Wilson, Worland Wyoming, Sam Yorty, Coleman Young, & more!

After the Civil War, citizenship increased, and yet voter turnout decreased. Why? Jon Grinspan joins the show to discuss his latest book The Age of Acrimony: How American Fought to Fix Their Democracy. As a curator at the National Museum of American History (Smithsonian), Jon is uniquely placed to discuss the historical parallels to American politics today.Essential Reading:Jon Grinspan, The Age of Acrimony: How American Fought to Fix Their Democracy (2021).Additional Reading:Richard Franklin Bensel, The American Ballot Box in the Mid-Nineteenth Century (2004).Rebecca Edwards, Angels in the Machinery: Gender in American Party Politics from the Civil War to the Progressive Era (1997).Joanne Freeman, The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War (2018).Mark Lawrence Kornbluh, Why American Stopped Voting: The Decline of Participatory Democracy and the Emergence of Modern American Politics (2000).Michael E. McGerr, The Decline of Popular Politics, The American North 1865-1928 (1986).Mark Wahlgren Summers, Party Games: Getting, Keeping, and Using Power in Gilded Age Politics (2004). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sam and Emma are back from the July 4th holiday with Smithsonian curator Jon Grinspan, author of his latest book The Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915 on the last time partisanship was the primary driver in American democracy. Grinspan, inspired by the precedence for our modern political era that he found in the Gilded Age, looks into how the post-Reconstruction era saw a crisis of democracy in the shadow of boosted political partisanship and party identification. He walks through the mass public participation in the wake of the Civil War, with politics acting as a central sphere of public life that saw campaign marches and public elections, involving – on the social level – even those without suffrage. Emma, Sam, and Jon next explore how the contentious 1977 election of Rutherford B. Hayes saw voters start to turn their back on Reconstruction policies as voter disenfranchisement starts to spring up in the South, and elites in the North rebrand politics as a private, subtle matter in order to discourage the working class, including freed Black folks and immigrants, from political involvement. They round out the interview by reflecting on the lessons for the modern era, remembering that these crises of democracy - even when clouded by partisanship, political violence, and distrust - have been worked out of before. Emma and Sam finish off the first half by discussing two big upcoming stories, including the impact of this holiday weekend on COVID rates, and the continuing Republican fight against a comprehensive infrastructure package before they chat about Donny Deutch's nightmare situation of Americans dreaming less of labor and focusing more on the quality of their lives. And in the Fun Half: Nomiki Konst joins Sam and Emma as they keep holiday workers at the Haslet, TX Walmart in their mind after their consumer's rousing performance on the 3rd, and then they enjoy Fox's Clay Travis point out how their viewers' outrage is reflective of the horrible state of politics in our country that makes us so willing to get outraged by outrageous culture war. Oochie Wally calls in to tackle last week's Crypto Fascist and racists' incessant pathologizing of any Black demographical statistic that they could use to mislead the public. Eli in the Netherlands gets the crew into a discussion of institutional schooling and alternatives, before they watch Trump finally extend a hand to the “good hardworking people” that don't pay taxes on the company car (his CFO). Then, Joanna from Queens discusses how AOC has become Tim Pool's ultimate cock block, and Noah from the Crowder Mug Club speaks on his intimate relationship with Stephen's true self and why following science is basically stupid, plus, your calls and IMs! Become a member at JoinTheMajorityReport.com Join the Majority Report Discord! http://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ (Merch issues and concerns can be addressed here: majorityreportstore@mirrorimage.com) You can now watch the livestream on Twitch Check out today's sponsor: Harry's owns a German factory that's been honing razor blades for 100 years – they source their steel from Sweden and own the entire manufacturing process, allowing them to keep prices low. New U.S. customers can redeem a Harry's trial set at Harrys.com/MAJORITYREPORT. 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There is little doubt that the 2020 election captured the attention of the world. Justin and Lance are joined by Jon Grinspan, Curator of Political History at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, to discuss what the gilded years of 1865 - 1915 can teach us about modern politics. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, jon grinspan, america, history, election, president, money, politics, voting, polarization, bipartisanship, violence, protest, race, division, Acrimony

We cover the Bidens trip to Europe, share a conversation with historian Jon Grinspan about his new book, and reflect on our own relationships with our fathers.Thank you for being a part of our community! We couldn't do what we do without you. To become a financial supporter of the show, please visit our Patreon page, purchase a copy of our book, I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening), or share the word about our work in your own circles. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for our real time reactions to breaking news, GIF news threads, and personal content. To purchase Pantsuit Politics merchandise, check out our TeePublic store and our branded tumblers available in partnership with Stealth Steel Designs. To read along with us, join our Extra Credit Book Club subscription. You can find information and links for all our sponsors on our website.Please visit our website for full show notes and episode resources. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How To Break A Democracy - Jon Grinspan The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Art of Living Interview Series Welcome to The Not Old Better Show.  I'm Paul Vogelzang.  As part of our Smithsonian Associates Art of Living interview series, our guest today is Jon Grinspan.   Jon Grinspan is Curator Division of Political and Military History at the Smithsonian, in the National Museum of American History, and will be presenting at the Smithsonian Associates program May 25, 2021, and the title of Jon Grinspan's  Zoom presentation is How to Break a Democracy: Lessons from an Age of Acrimony. Americans may claim we are more divided than we've been since the Civil War but forget that the lifetime after that conflict saw the loudest, roughest political campaigns in our history. Presidential elections from the 1860s through the early 1900s produced the highest turnouts, the closest margins, and the most political violence: The period was marked by three presidential assassinations, two presidents who won the White House while losing the popular vote, and one impeachment. Widespread political participation and frustration went hand in hand until the reforms of the early 20th century traded that participation for civility. Join me and Jon Grinspan today as we discuss his new book, The Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915, one of “the loudest, closest, most violent elections in US history.” (Hint: we're not talking about our most recent US election, either!), and what Jon Grinspan learned in his research that might give our audience reassurance that we, as a country, will move beyond this current political dysfunction.  A great subject for today. Please join me in welcoming to The Not Old Better Show via internet phone, author, historian, curator, and Smithsonian Associate Jon Grinspan. My thanks to Jon Grinspan, who will be presenting at the Smithsonian Associates program May 25, 2021, and the title of Jon Grinspan's  Zoom presentation is How to Break a Democracy: Lessons from an Age of Acrimony.  More details in today's show notes.  Also, my thanks to the Smithsonian Associates team for all they do to support the show.  My special thanks to you, my wonderful Not Old Better Show audience.  Please be safe, practice smart social distancing, get the vaccine, and Talk About Better. The Not Old Better Show. Thanks, everybody. For more details and ticket information, please click HERE>   https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/251013

Photo: A Wide Awakes parade in Lower Manhattan, one of a series of political rallies held in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cleveland, and Boston during the first week of October 1860.Lincoln's Republican Party cultivated the Wide Awakes movement primarily to oppose the spread of slavery. The historian Jon Grinspan writes that the group's progressive themes, especially appealing among youth, were expressed by iconography of an open eye and "talk of throwing off past stupor."The New John Batchelor ShowCBS Audio Network@BatchelorshowWokeness Incorporated: Lessons Learned so far. @ThadMcCotter @TheAmGreatnesshttps://amgreatness.com/2021/04/09/end-woke-corporate-extortion/

Get the featured cocktail recipes: Red Lion At the intersection of society, politics and booze is where you find Jon. As the Curator of Political History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and author of “The Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy 1865 – 1915” and “The Virgin Vote: How Young Americans Made Democracy Social, Politics Personal, and Voting Popular in the Nineteenth Century,” he is the ideal Designated Drinker. #CocktailingAloneTogether and looking to take a trip through American history? Then head over to our library of libations, to find the perfect recipe to booze like our past Presidents. Don't forget to subscribe, download and review to share your thoughts about the show!The Designated Drinker Show is produced by Missing Link—a podcast media company that is dedicated to connecting people to intelligent, engaging and informative content. ********************************************************* Also in the Missing Link line-up of podcasts, is Rodger That—a podcast dedicated to guiding you through the haze of dementia led by skilled caregivers, Bobbi and Mike Carducci. Now, if you are looking for a whole new way to enjoy the theatre, check out Between Acts—an immersive audio theatre podcast experience. Each episode takes you on a spellbinding journey through the works of newfound playwrights—from dramas to comedies and everything in between.

We discuss the Wide Awakes - their origins as an Abolitionist movement supporting Lincoln’s 1860 election campaign, and their revival in 2020 as a cape-clad artist network that believes in “joy as resistance “. See links below. Ruth Barnes, Joanne B. Eicher, Dress and Gender: Making and Meaning (first published in 1992): https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/dress-and-gender-9780854968657/ Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk, V&A, London (to 25 October 2020): https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/kimono-kyoto-to-catwalk Jessica Mitford, Hons and Rebels (first published in 1960): https://www.weidenfeldandnicolson.co.uk/titles/jessica-mitford/hons-and-rebels/9781474605373/ Nancy Mitford, Love in a Cold Climate (first published in 1949): https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/282/2828/love-in-a-cold-climate/9780241974698.html Gerda Taro: https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/objects/militiawoman-training-on-the-beach-near-barcelona and https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/gerda-taro?all/all/all/all/0 Jon Grinspan, ‘”Young Men for War”: The Wide Awakes and Lincoln’s 1860 Presidential Campaign’, Journal of American History, 96 (Sept. 2009): http://archive.oah.org/special-issues/lincoln/contents/grinspan.html ‘Connecticut Wide-Awakes’, Connecticut Historical Society (6 January 2011): https://chs.org/2011/01/connecticut-wide-awakes/ 2020 Wideawakes: https://wideawakes.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/wideawakes/ and https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wide-awakes/the-wide-awakes For Freedoms: https://forfreedoms.org/ Hank Willis Thomas: https://www.instagram.com/hankwillisthomas/ and https://www.hankwillisthomas.com/ Wildcat Ebony Brown: https://www.instagram.com/wildcatebonybrown/ Anya Ayoung Chee: https://www.anyaayoungchee.com/ and https://www.togetherwi.org/ Eric Gottesman: https://ericgottesman.net/ Coby Kennedy: https://www.cobykennedystudio.com/ Kambui Olujimi: https://kambuiolujimi.com/ Jose Parla: https://www.instagram.com/joseparla/ Matt Dellinger, ‘A Civil War Political Movement Reawakens — Complete With Capes’, New York Times (15 September 2020): https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/15/style/wide-awakes-civil-war-activists.html Rebecca Jamieson, ‘Without Joy, Nothing is Sustainable: The Artist First-Responders Waking Up Democracy with Play, Billboards, and Capes’, Pioneer Works (10 February 2020): https://pioneerworks.org/broadcast/for-freedoms-jamieson/ Jammal Lemy, ‘Wide Awakes’, Dazed (15 September 2020): https://www.dazeddigital.com/read-up-act-up-autumn-2020/article/50410/1/read-up-act-up-autumn-2020-wide-awakes-guest-edit Rujeko Hockley, ‘Joy as Resistance: Artist collective the Wide Awakes takes NYC this weekend. Why we’re marching’, New York Vulture (2 October 2020): https://www.vulture.com/2020/10/wide-awakes-march-nyc.html Brooke Bobb, ‘The Wide Awakes Are the Civil War–Era Activist Group Making a Comeback in Bold, Joyful Style’, Vogue (2 October 2020): https://www.vogue.com/article/wide-awakes-capes

Air Date: 8/07/2018 Today we take a look at a few of the reasons the Democrats went from controlling both houses of Congress and the presidency 10 years ago to being completely out of power today and then lay out a series of steps the left can take to return to power Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Episode Sponsors:  Better Help  |  Amazon USA  | Amazon CA  |  Amazon UK  Support Best of the Left on Patreon!   SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Thomas Frank explains how the Democrats lost so much in such a short time - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 7-5-18 Just eight years ago Democrats held not only the presidency but both houses of Congress. How did they lose so much in such a short time? Thomas Frank explains the disaster, and how, for millions of people, the recession of 2008 has never ended.  Ch. 2: The Democratic Autopsy Report (w:Jeff Cohen) - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 06-25-18 Progressive organizations got to together to analyze how the Trump was able to beat Hillary Clinton in 2016 to make sure it never happens again! Ch. 3: THE MIDTERMS MINUTE (Primaries) - Support Progressives in Alaska and Wyoming on 8.21 - Best of the Left Activism Ed Ayers speaks to Smithsonian political curator Jon Grinspan about how young people went from fierce partisans to independent voters by the end of the 19th century. Ch. 4: Youth declaring their independence - Backstory - Air Date: 04-13-18 Sean McElwee, co-founder of Abolish ICE and one of many players involved in the recent flurry of progressive activity explains the strategy to move the Overton Window to the left. Ch. 5: How Fringe Ideas Become Policy - On the Media - Air Date 6-21-18 Even though the New Deal Style policies of Bernie Sanders are derailed by the corporate media, Republicans and the Morbidly Rich, these so-called "radical far left policies" are actually favored by the majority of Americans. Ch. 6: The Radical Left Wing Policies Most Americans Want Right Now - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 03-08-18 Writer Eliane Glaser calls for the left to return to politics and reclaim the power of ideology, authority and the state - as a way to unify a working class splintered into identity groups in the absence of mainstream organizing. Ch. 7: Eliane Glaser on why the left must return to politics and power - This is Hell - Air Date 5-8-18   VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Progressivism = Scientific Method + Common Decency - Tom from Toronto Ch. 9: Understanding neuro-political elasticity - Dee Dee from Philly Ch. 10: Progressivism takes the need for working together into account - Nick from California Ch. 11: Fighting capitalism while falling prey to it - Angela from Sacramento, CA   Ch. 12: Final comments on progressivism, borders, collectivism and capitalism   THE MIDTERMS MINUTE: Check on candidates endorsed by Justice Democrats | Brand New Congress | DSA | Latino Victory | Our Revolution Phone bank with Justice Democrats “Justice Dialer”  & Brand New Congress GOTV Dialer Check your state registration deadlines and voter ID laws with rockthevote.org For an easy way to donate to candidates, check out DownTicket.comon your mobile browser. “15 Ways to Help a Campaign Win Their Election” (Political Charge) August 21st Primaries: ALASKA(Reg. Deadlines: Primary: July 22nd / General: Oct. 7th) Early voting happening now! Find locations  Governor - Mark Begich and Dana Call U.S. House At Large - Dimitri Shein(Dem) vs. Alyse Galvin(Ind) WYOMING(Reg. Deadlines: Primary: Aug. 6th or day-of in-person / General: Oct. 22nd) Governor: Mary Throne  vs. Ken Casper vs. Rex Wilde U.S. House At Large - Greg Hunter vs. Travis Helm Heads up for Nov. 6th! U.S. Senate - Gary Trauner (uncontested in primary) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman    MUSIC: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Rapids - Grey River (Blue Dot Sessions) Derailed - The Depot (Blue Dot Sessions) Tar and Spackle - Plaster (Blue Dot Sessions) Glass Runner - Marble Run (Blue Dot Sessions) Thannoid - Bodytonic (Blue Dot Sessions) Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher| Spotify| Alexa Devices| +more Check out the BotL iOS/AndroidApp in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on iTunesand Stitcher!

Ted Allen’s family tree is so rich with culinary history that his Food Network stardom might be genetic. From baristas, to royal dinner guests, to a celebrity diet icon, Ted’s family tree shows that one of the best ways to look at history is food. We’ll tell these stories and introduce Ted to a mystery relative. CREDITS Twice Removed is produced by Meg Driscoll, Ngofeen Mputubwele, Matthew Nelson, Audrey Quinn, and Kimmie Regler. Our senior producer is Eric Mennel. Editing by Jorge Just, Alex Blumberg and Caitlin Kenney. Original music and mixing by Haley Shaw. Research and genealogy help from J. Mark Lowe, Angela Walton-Raji, Erica Howton and the folks at Geni. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Extra thanks to Brittany Luse, Jon Grinspan, Cherie Bush and Lee Mazur. Alex Prud’homme’s new book about Julia Child is “The French Chef In America: Julia Child’s Second Act.” And thanks to Lauri Ditunno at Cake Alchemy for making our sugarworks swan. You can see the pictures of the swan and a graphic of the family tree on our website, Gimletmedia.com/TwiceRemoved. We’re on Twitter, @TwiceRemoved and Facebook @twiceremovedshow. Twice Removed is a production of Gimlet Media. I’m AJ Jacobs. Thanks for listening. Our Sponsors Audible - Start your free 30-day trial by going to Audible.com/twiceremoved Blue Apron - Get your first three Blue Apron meals delivered for free by going to blueapron.com/twice Squarespace - Go to squarespace.com and use the offer code "TWICE REMOVED" at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase

“Nobody can soldier without coffee,” a Union calvary man wrote in 1865. Hidden Kitchens looks at three American wars through the lens of coffee: the Civil War, Vietnam and Afghanistan. And an interview with Anastacia Marx de Salcedo author of “Combat Ready Kitchen: How the U.S. Military Shapes the Way You Eat.” The Civil War:  War, freedom, slavery, secession, union – these are some of the big themes you might expect to find in the diaries of Civil War soldiers. At least, that’s what Jon Grinspan, a curator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, assumed when he began digging through war journals in the nation’s Civil War archives. “I went looking for the big stories,” Grinspan says. “And all they kept talking about was the coffee they had for breakfast, or the coffee they wanted to have for breakfast.” The Vietnam War:  Coffee may have powered the Union army during the Civil War, but during the Vietnam War, it fueled the GI anti-war movement. In the late 1960s and early ‘70s, as soldiers returning from Vietnam began to question the U.S. role in the war, GI coffeehouses sprung up in military towns outside bases across the country. They became a vital gathering place. Oleo Strut, Fort Hood, TX, Shelter Half, Tacoma, Washington, the Green Machine outside Camp Pendleton, San Diego; Mad Anthony Wayne’s, Waynesville, Mo., outside Fort Leonard, to name a few. As the anti-war movement heated up, these coffeehouses became places where GIs could get legal counseling on issues like going AWOL and obtaining conscientious objector status, and learn about ways to protest the war. Afghanistan: “ The military runs on coffee,” says Harrison Suarez, co-founder of Compass Coffee in Washington DC. “The Marines especially. It’s this ritual.” Suarez and Michael Haft, who started Compass together, first became friends in the Marines over coffee learning how to navigate with a map and compass. As the war in Afghanistan intensified, both Suarez and Haft deployed there with the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. One of their missions was to help develop the local police force and army. The two men tried to bond with their new Afghan partners over coffee, but the Afghans weren’t having it. The Afghan culture is much more about tea. Regardless of what was in the cups, the experience of gathering together over a hot drink and “taking time to develop a rapport with your partners that you are fighting alongside holds the same.” This story is part of the Hidden Kitchens series “Kimchi Diplomacy: War and Peace and Food.”

We're in the middle of a presidential campaign here in the U.S., and once again commentators, politicians, and reporters are bemoaning the apathy and disengagement of young Americans, but there was a time in American history when young people were the most passionate participants in American democracy. No, it wasn't the 1960s. It was the 1860s. My guest today on the podcast has just published a book about nineteenth century politics, and the energy that young voters brought to the process, and how young people, particularly men in the nineteenth century, looked to politics for a sense of manhood and adult identity during a time of economic and social upheaval. His name is Jon Grinspan, and his book is The Virgin Vote: How Young Americans Made Democracy Social, Politics Personal, and Voting Popular in the Nineteenth Century. On today's episode Jon and I discuss why politics was an essential part of male identity in the nineteenth century, and how a man's first vote was an important rite of passage into manhood during this time. We also get into the atmosphere of campaigns in the nineteenth century America. If you think this current election cycle is unprecedented in its violence, nastiness, and general circus-like environment, wait until you hear about the booze laden, torch lit, midnight campaign barbecues, and the shankings and brawls that happened at the polls during the nineteenth Century, some pretty crazy stuff. After the show make sure you check out the show notes at AOM.IS/VirginVote, where you'll find links to resources, things we mentioned, so you can delve deeper into this topic.

Today's guest is Jon Grinspan. He is a curator and Jefferson Fellow at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. He is also a frequent contributor for the New York Times, focusing on history and youth issues. His article, D.I.Y. Education Before YouTube, was the inspiration for this podcast episode, describing the self-directed learning of 19th century youths and posing the question, “Is this old-fashioned culture of self-improvement making a comeback?” Learn more about his thoughts around this question as we dig a little deeper into some of the stories he shared in his article. Jon has a PhD in History from the University of Virginia, and will be publishing his first book - on young people's forgotten role in American democracy - next spring, titled The Virgin Vote.