Historians & Broadcasters

BackStory Hosts

Collective hosts of BackStory: Ed Ayers (Civil War era), Brian Balogh (20th century), Peter Onuf (founding era), later joined by Joanne Freeman and Nathan Connolly. All professional historians who made American history accessible through topical episodes connecting past to present.

Known For

BackStory podcastAmerican history educationVirginia Humanities

Canon

Courage Is a Learnable Skill

Curious

Environment Shapes Behavior More Than Willpower

Canon

False Information Spreads Faster and Further Than Truth

Canon

The Hedonic Treadmill — Happiness Returns to Baseline

Canon

Meaning Comes from Responsibility, Not Happiness

Canon

Focus Only on What You Can Control

Canon

The True Self vs. False Self — Childhood Adaptations That Persist Into Adulthood

Canon

Episodes

#The Slavery ConstitutionJul 5, 2019 #Conspiracy Theories in American HistoryMar 8, 2019 #The Faces of Racism: A History of Blackface in American CultureFeb 8, 2019 #Women in Politics: A History of Breaking BarriersNov 2, 2018 #Storm Warning: A History of Extreme Weather in AmericaSep 14, 2018 #The American DreamSep 1, 2017 #Land of the Free? A History of American FreedomJun 30, 2017 #Immigration NationFeb 10, 2017 #We the People: A History of the ConstitutionSep 2, 2016 #Trigger Warning: A History of Guns in AmericaJun 17, 2016 #Red in the Stars and Stripes: A History of Socialism in AmericaFeb 19, 2016 #Give Us the Ballot: A History of Voting RightsAug 7, 2015 #Drawing the Color Line: A History of Race in AmericaJun 26, 2015 #Money Talks: A History of American CurrencyJan 9, 2015 #The American Way of DeathOct 31, 2014 #Here to There: A History of Maps in AmericaMar 14, 2014