logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2021
44m 28s

Levittown: Where the Good Life Begins

NPR
About this episode
In this episode from WNYC's La Brega, Alana Casanova-Burgess traces back the story of the boom and bust of the Puerto Rican Levittown. For many Americans, Levittown is the prototypical suburb, founded on the idea of bringing Americans into a middle-class lifestyle after WWII. But while the NY Levittown was becoming a symbol of American prosperity, there was a parallel story of Levittown in Puerto Rico during a time of great change on the island. Casanova-Burgess (herself the granddaughter of an early PR Levittown resident) explores what the presence of a Levittown in Puerto Rico tells us about the promises of the American Dream. It's a story that reflects and reveals how la brega has defined so many aspects of life in Puerto Rico.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Yesterday
How two swing states changed American voting
Today on the show, the balance of Congressional power is up for grabs in this midterm election. It could be determined by a small number of voters in a few battleground states. Blueprints from the past could be the guide for big wins. The GOP has embraced a block-the-vote strateg ... Show More
50m 11s
Sep 10
How baseball got its beat
Major League Baseball’s postseason is just a few weeks away, and here on Throughline we know the power of a good walk-up song. But how did baseball become such a musical sport? And where did the idea for walk up-music come from? Guests:John Thorn, author and Official Baseball His ... Show More
32m 3s
Sep 8
Is it time for a Luddite Renaissance?
Calling someone a "Luddite" is usually an insult – shorthand for someone who is behind the times. But the real Luddites weren't just afraid of change; they were a labor movement fighting to save their jobs from being replaced by machines. Today, with the rise of AI, many feel the ... Show More
16m 46s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2021
La Brega in Levittown
On the show this week, we’re bringing you an episode of a new podcast called, La Brega. And to tell us all about the series is Alana Casanova-Burgess. Casanova-Burgess traces back the story of the boom and bust of Levittown, a massive suburb that was founded on the idea of bringi ... Show More
51m 58s
Feb 2022
Episode 2: Coming to America
How did Chabad-Lubavitchers and Caribbeans end up buying homes and settling in Crown Heights? Collier Meyerson goes back to the first half of the 20th century to understand how these two groups, from such different places, changed New York City, how New York City changed them, an ... Show More
41m 44s
Oct 2024
A One Man (Abridged) History of the Big Apple
On this episode of Our American Stories, if you’re curious enough, the familiar can become fascinating. Bill Bryk briefly recounts how New York City became the city it is today, as well as his love for its past. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support ... Show More
9m 59s
Feb 2021
An Anthology of Puerto Rico
Maria and Julio welcome Alana Casanova-Burgess, reporter and producer for WNYC's "On The Media", and Cristina del Mar Quiles, reporter for the Center for Investigative Journalism (Centro de Periodismo Investigativo) to talk about Puerto Rico and "La Brega," a new seven-part bilin ... Show More
40m 48s
Jan 2022
The Yassification Crisis
The ladies break down the concept of gentrification, its historical legacy that explains the housing crisis today, and share your own stories about having lived through it. Digressions include Julia's candle obsessions, the redemption of West Elm Caleb, and whether or not horseba ... Show More
1h 32m
Feb 2022
Introducing: Love Thy Neighbor
Thirty years ago, in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights, a car accident set off four days of unrest. Two people died. Dozens were injured. Hundreds were arrested. In this Pineapple Street Studios series, journalist Collier Meyerson explores what came to be known as the “C ... Show More
3m 22s
Dec 2021
Bonus Episode: The blessing and curse of the '90s Latin Pop Explosion
Our play cousins at NPR's It's Been a Minute podcast reexamine the so-called "Latin explosion" of the late '90s: What it was supposed to be for audiences across the U.S., and what it actually came to represent. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of p ... Show More
34m 36s
Jul 2018
The Statue of Liberty
The life of an American icon from her birth at a French dinner table to her place in the hearts of people all over the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 
1h 52m
Aug 2022
Puerto Rico
When Anthony Bourdain heads to Puerto Rico to check out the reality behind the piña coladas and fancy resorts, he finds natural splendor, delicious food and warm people - all against the background of a seemingly insurmountable economic crisis. Original Airdate: Season 10, 2017. ... Show More
47m 9s
May 2023
Welcome to Dreamtown: The Story of Adelanto
What happens when a city on the verge of collapse tries to reinvent itself? How much will it cost? Who will pay the price? Reporter David Weinberg spent years following one California Mojave desert town’s transformation from a city of prisons to a city of pot. And it worked... Un ... Show More
3 m