What if America’s first serial killer wasn’t H.H. Holmes—but someone far more brutal and completely forgotten?In this episode, I unravel the chilling mystery of the Servant Girl Annihilator, a violent and elusive murderer who stalked Aus...

What can one church in Washington, D.C. reveal about American religious life, social justice, and the power of oral history? In this episode, I talk with public historian Shae Corey, the creator and producer of the podcast Holy Local, ...

In 1877, the body of a woman was found near a twisted oak tree in Jefferson, Texas—dressed in fine clothes, shot in the head, and missing a diamond ring. Her name was Bessie Moore, better known as Diamond Bessie. What followed was one of the mo...

Join me this week as I dig into the real story behind Louisiana Voodoo — a spiritual tradition shaped by West African roots, Haitian resistance, and the streets of New Orleans. Discover how the Haitian Revolution sent shockwaves across the Atla...

One of the costliest conflicts launched in opposition of Indigenous Americans, the Modoc War pitted the United States Army against a dwindling band of Modoc. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, Modoc fighters successfully defended their po...

From spinsters to old maids, women who broke conventions to remain single have long been derided as somehow outside of the norm. But history shows this has been happening for generations. What gives?Join me this week as I sit down with a...

Join me this week as I explore the vital but often overlooked role of Black women in the Reconstruction-era South. In the aftermath of the Civil War, Black women were central to rebuilding Black communities and creating the social foundation fo...

Join me as I sit down with Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer William Taubman to explore his latest work, McNamara at War: A New History. Authors Philip and William Taubman take readers behind the scenes of Robert S. McNamara’s career, ...

After the Civil War, education became one of the most powerful tools for newly freed Black Americans and one of the most fiercely contested. Join me as I explore the rise of Black education during Reconstruction, from grassroots schools built b...

How do you replace enslaved labor and rebuild an economy?In the aftermath of the Civil War, the Southern economy didn’t just have to recover; it had to reinvent itself. Join me as I explore how systems like sharecropping and the cotton l...

What can a miniature portrait painter teach us about fame, fortune, and forgotten women of the Gilded Age?In this episode I welcome historian and author Kathleen Langone to explore the fascinating life and career of Amalia Kussner — one ...

Reconstruction is often taught as a Southern story, focused on the political, social, and legal changes that followed the Civil War. But for Mexican Americans living in the American Southwest, this era brought a different set of challenges, bet...

Join me this week as I take a look at the life and legacy of Jay Gould, one of the most talked-about figures of the Gilded Age. From his early years in the tannery business to his rise as a major player in America’s railroad expansion, Gould le...

Charles Sumner was one of the fiercest voices for abolition and racial equality in 19th-century America, but how much do we really know about the man behind the Senate desk? Join me as I sit down with Zaakir Tameez, author of Charles Sumner...

In 1875, the United States passed the Page Act: the first federal law to restrict immigration. The Page Act marked a turning point in American immigration policy, introducing the use of moral and racial criteria to determine who could enter the...

The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union was one of the most powerful reform organizations of the 19th century, but its story goes far beyond banning booze. Sit down with me as I dive into the WTCU's origins, its wide-ranging activism, and the in...

Veteran screenwriter and producer Rob Edwards (The Princess and the Frog, Treasure Planet) joins the show to discuss his newest project: a graphic novel chronicling the extraordinary life of Robert Smalls, a man born into slav...

Sit down with me as I reflect on five years of Civics and Coffee! In this episode I look back on where I started and explain where I would like to go. I also give you an inside look into the rebranding of the show and how I landed on the new na...

What do cocktails, hospitals, and the American railroad system have in common? Ice.This week, I’m joined by Dr. Amy Brady, author of Ice: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks – A Cool History of a Hot Commodity, to explore how som...

For over a century, the Colfax Massacre was inaccurately labeled a “race riot.” But in reality, it stands as one of the deadliest instances of racial and political violence during the Reconstruction Era. Join me this episode as I uncover what h...

Join me this week as I sit down with Dr. Hilary Green to discuss her latest book, Unforgettable Sacrifice: How Black Communities Remembered the Civil War. In our conversation we dive into the importance of preserving historical me...

In this episode I explore the life and legacy of the man who first established "bossism," William Tweed. Learn about Tweed's early life and his increasing influence while serving in local offices and how it all came crashing down. 

Join me this week as I dive into the story of Little Women and its author Louisa May Alcott. Learn all about Alcott's youth and exactly how the story of Little Women got started. 

Joining me this week is scholar and fellow podcaster Dr. Matthew Brogdon. He is a Political Scientist with an expertise in American Constitutionalism. In this episode, we discuss the history of the 13th and 14th Amendments and how they reshaped...

Join me this week as I dive into another listener request and tackle the history of Bourbon. In this episode I cover when Bourbon got its start in the United States, how it differs from Scottish Whiskey, and why it is considered America's drink...