Thomas Jefferson is one of the most complex figures in the whole American Revolution. A child of the enlightenment, it was he who wrote 'we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are born equal'. Yet, throughout his life he possessed over 600 enslaved people and had sexual relations with some, including Sally Hemings. Listen as William and Anita d ... Show More
Yesterday
379. Algerian Revolution: Black Panthers, LSD, & Nina Simone (Ep 5)
How did Algiers become a centre for revolutionaries from around the world in the 1960s? What happened to the “pied noirs” white settlers after Algeria gained independence? Who was Frantz Fanon, and why did he end up in Algeria where he was inspired to write Wretched of The Earth? ... Show More
46m 47s
Jun 2020
The Founding Contradiction
<p>"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." These words, penned by Thomas Jefferson more than 240 years ago, continue to inspire many Americans. And yet they were written by a man who owned hundreds of slaves, and fathered six children ... Show More
45m 33s
Oct 2022
The Truth About Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings
November 5, 1998. Using DNA evidence, the scientific journal Nature publishes findings that put to rest a centuries-old mystery: Was Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman at Monticello, the mother of six of Thomas Jefferson’s children? Until then, the historical consensus had been thi ... Show More
34m 52s
May 2024
The Real Hamilton: Lover, Adulterer, Family Man?
<p>Founding Father, first Secretary of the Treasury and focus of one of the world's first political sex scandals - we couldn't do a series about Alexander Hamilton without touching on his personal life.</p><br><p>Don is joined by Elizabeth Cobbs in this episode to explore the pri ... Show More
37m 35s
Apr 2025
How you can move forward and learn from the past (w/ Clint Smith)
How do you grapple with national history, legacy, and the stories you tell yourself? Clint Smith is the author of the narrative nonfiction, How the Word is Passed, and the poetry collection, Above Ground. Clint joins Chris to talk about the cognitive dissonances that shaped Ameri ... Show More
39m 20s