Deep Dives and Backstories Episodes

UNPACKING PAULI MURRAY PART 1

Unpacking Pauli Murray Part 1

Published January 25, 2023

Go back in time to Pauli Murray's early years to learn about some of the formative events that shaped their career as a Black, queer, legal and civil rights pioneer. You will also hear Pauli Murray in their own words from an interview recorded on February 13, 1976, with Genna Rae McNeil, assistant professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, for the Southern Oral History Program.

Click the button below to listen with the transcript.

 

UNPACKING PAULI MURRAY PART 2

Unpacking Pauli Murray Part 2

Published February 27, 2023

"I speak for my race and my people - The human race and just people." 

Continue the journey back in time to Pauli Murray's later years to learn how Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray has left a lasting legacy that we are all benefiting from today.

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A SOLDIER'S SECRET

From Farmer to Soldier

Published March 28, 2023

On April 12, 1861, Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, igniting a Civil War that would divide the nation for four long years. Recruiting posters enticed young men to join their friends and family in the military. But let's meet a soldier who had a secret; a secret that went all the way to their grave… until 100 years later, that is.

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CIVIL WAR REENACTRESS

Civil War Reenactress

Published April 26, 2023

In this episode, you will meet JR Hardman, a documentary filmmaker, educator, and Civil War reenactor, and hear about her first feature-length documentary film currently in production, Reenactress. The film tells the story of the women in the American Civil War reenactment community who portray soldiers, commemorating the women who fought in the Civil War disguised as men.

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KAPAEMAHU UNERASED

Kapaemahu UnErased

Published May 19, 2023

Aloha! In this episode, you will hear the story of the Healer Stones of Kapaemahu, learn about their erasure in the age of American imperialism, as well as current efforts to restore the monument to the healer stones - and the story of the mahu - to their rightful place in Hawaiian history. What happened to the healer stones? How are they memorialized today? And what can YOU do to keep their history alive?

Click the button below to listen with the transcript.

 

COMMEMORATING PRIDE

Published June 22, 2023

In this episode, you will learn the history behind the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, which we replicate, in various ways, during PRIDE Month. And have you ever wondered why we use the word PRIDE to celebrate LGBTQ joy in the first place? Listen in as we explore and celebrate the past, present, and future of PRIDE.

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MONUMENTAL MISINFORMATION

Published September 7, 2023

We live in a nation that commemorates historical events with monuments and markers, yet so many of the monuments we visit are ripe with erasure. How can we correct this problem? We took a road trip to explore some historical monuments that actually embody a much larger, complex story. 

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WHAT'S IN A SCHOOL NAME?

Published Septembre 25, 2023

Did you know that there are actually a number of schools in the U.S. named in honor of LGBTQ individuals – some knowingly and some unintentionally? This episode is an exploration of school names that uncover some LGBTQ history hiding in plain sight! 

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WILLIAM DORSEY SWANN

William Dorsey Swann podcast

Published October 31, 2023

We have learned, throughout the course of history, that it is often incidental acts - by everyday people - that prove to be historic, consequential actions. In this episode, Kathleen will introduce you to someone whose story needs to be told, deserves to be told, and for a variety of reasons - especially today.

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REVELATION ABOUT THE REVOLUTION

Published November 27, 2023

In this episode, you will meet a little-known and underappreciated figure connected to the Revolutionary War.  In addition to his backstory, you will also hear commentary from the author and illustrator of a graphic novel that invites young adults (or adults of any age) to dive into this Revelation about the Revolution! 

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IF YOU NOSE, YOU NOSE!

Published December 14, 2023

In this episode, you will hear a surprising backstory to a well-known holiday classic. You will also hear commentary from a few members of our team who gathered online for a screening of this holiday special - and then hit "record" to capture some unscripted discussion about the queerness in this classic story!

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THE FLUID FRONTIER

The Fluid Frontier

 Published January 30, 2024

When you hear - or read - “Westward expansion,” what comes to mind? What do you associate with “The Wild West?” In this episode, you will meet two fascinating people who expand our understanding of the possible motivations people may have had to venture into the Wild West.

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JAMES BALDWIN EMBODIES AMERICA

Published February 27, 2024

In this episode, you will meet someone whose influence and impact on the story of America is monumental. He famously said, "I love America more than any other country in the world, and exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually." Keep that in mind as you listen.

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FIRST FAMILIES

The White House illuminated with rainbow lights

Published March 27, 2024

In our attempt to find a common language that is conceptual and applicable across the historical narrative, before the well-recognized acronym of today's world, we are using the word 'queer' for the residents in the White House whose lives began - and ended - before the 21st Century.

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DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL

Published April 12, 2024

For this Deep Dive and Backstory episode, we had the opportunity to speak with the Honorable Patrick Murphy, who has served our nation - and American democracy - in many capacities, including being the driving force to repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in 2011. 

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DR. MARGARET "MOM" CHUNG

Published May 27, 2024

In this episode, you will meet an extraordinary person whose life and career bridged diverse worlds—East and West, traditional and modern, queer and straight—and built a legacy that deserves its rightful place in the story of the United States of America. 

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DRAG CULTURE

Drag Culture: An Art Form Shaping US History

Published June 25, 2024

This episode explores a topic that is both timeless and timely: Drag. We sat down with Glitter and Concrete: A Cultural History of Drag in New York City author and historian Elyssa Maxx Goodman to learn more about the history of drag and its enduring impact.

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JUNE 2024 BONUS EPISODE

Published June 22, 2023

In this episode, you will learn the history behind the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, which we replicate in various ways during PRIDE Month. Listen in as we explore and celebrate the past, present, and future of PRIDE through an international lens.

Click the button below to listen with the transcript.

SITCOMS & LGBTQ HISTORY

Published September 4, 2024

In this episode, you will hear from Matt Baume, author of Hi Honey, I'm Homo! Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture. You will also hear clips from some of the shows that made us laugh while introducing LGBTQ topics that are still relevant today.

Click the button below to listen with the transcript.

 

 

OCTOBER EPISODE

Published October 29, 2024

This episode is a deep dive into a monumental Supreme Court case that opened the door for marriage equality. You will learn the backstory about how and why this case traveled from Texas to the highest court in the nation, hear quotes from a few of the Justices, and more!  

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NOVEMBER EPISODE

Dropping on November 15th