In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss “The 1776 Report” issued by the outgoing Trump administration.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• A day before President Trump left office, his administration issued “The 1776 Report” on American history, which President Biden promptly repudiated upon taking office. Natalia referred to her piece at NBC Think on the report and to her book, Classroom Wars: Language, Sex, and the Making of Contemporary Political Culture; Niki referred to her column at CNN and to Kevin Kruse’s column at MSNBC. Neil recommended Rebecca Onion’s analysis at Slate.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended Sarah Carr’s Boston Globe article, “For Schoolchildren Struggling to Read, Covid-19 Has Been a Wrecking Ball.”
• Neil discussed Richard Goldstein’s New York Times obituary, “Hank Aaron, Home Run King Who Defied Racism, Dies at 86.”
• Niki shared Jim Tankersley and Michael D. Shear’s New York Times article, “Biden Seeks to Define His Presidency by an Early Emphasis on Equity.”

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss President-Elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• On January 20, President-Elect Joe Biden will be inaugurated to the office of the President. Niki referred to the book Before the Oath. Neil and Natalia referred to Rebecca Onion’s Slate piece on transitions.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Biden’s appointment of Alondra Nelson to Deputy Director of Science and Society.
• Neil recommended Becky Cooper’s book, We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and a Half-Century of Silence.
• Niki commented on Paul Musgrave’s Washington Post piece, “Trump’s Presidential Library Will Be a Shrine to His Ego.”

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• On January 6, armed rioters interrupted the joint session of Congress convened to certify the vote count of the Electoral College. Natalia referred to this Axios article rounding up conservative media response to the insurrection. Niki mentioned David Blight’s book, Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory. Neil discussed Eric Foner’s piece in The Nation and Karen L. Cox’s New York Times piece, both about the Civil War antecedents for the armed insurrection. Natalia drew on this Washington Post article about Ashli Babbitt, and Niki referenced her own writing on this topic at Vox and at CNN. Natalia also commented on Caitlin Flanagan’s Atlantic article. And Neil mentioned his piece for The Week about the Congressional Republicans’ inaction regarding the president. Historian Megan Kate Nelson is assembling essays about the Capitol riot by historians here.

• Here are a list of Twitter handles of disinformation experts:
  • Hannah Allam (@HannahAllam)
  • Cristina López G. (@crislopezg)
  • Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew)
  • Tess Owen (@misstessowen)
  • Jane Lytvynenko (@JaneLytv)
  • Joan Donovan (@BostonJoan)
  • Brandy Zadrozny (@BrandyZadrozny)

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed a funny social media gaffe at a popular home decor Instagram account.
• Neil recommended the new Netflix documentary series, Challenger: The Final Flight.
• Niki discussed the Netflix comedy series Derry Girls, and Patrick Radden Keefe’s book Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland.

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the attempt by Republicans to undermine the final certification of President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• On January 6, Congress will meet in a joint session to formally count the votes of the Electoral College. Natalia referred to Trevor Potter’s Washington Post piece underlining that this meeting should be purely ceremonial, not an opportunity for a referendum on the settled election. Niki elaborated on the useful historical context of John F. Kennedy’s election in 1960. Natalia and Niki drew on this Mother Jones article about the Compromise of 1877.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended Ruth Ben-Ghiat’s NBC THINK piece, “Trump’s Call to Georgia Election Officials Highlights White House Bunker Mentality.”
• Neil discussed the new podcast, Smokescreen: Fake Priest.
• Niki recommended Tressie McMillan Cottom’s Medium article, “The Black Ton: From Bridgerton to Love & Hip Hop.”