Explore the rich and complex history of the United States and beyond. Produced by The New York Historical, host David M. Rubenstein engages the nation’s foremos...
Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools That Built the Civil Rights Movement
Prior to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, oppressive voter registration literacy tests disenfranchised Black voters across the United States. In direct response to these restrictions, community organizers and activists launched an underground Citizenship Schools project that helped tens of thousands of Black citizens not only learn to read and write, but how to navigate Jim Crow literacy tests and demand their right to vote. In this conversation with David M. Rubenstein, Elaine Weiss takes a deep dive into the stories of four organizers at the center of this movement: Septima Clark, Esau Jenkins, Myles Horton, and Bernice Robinson. Recorded on February 27, 2025
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Taking Manhattan: The Extraordinary Events That Created New York and Shaped America
Seeking to wrest control of New Amsterdam from the Dutch in 1664, the English King Charles II and his brother, the Duke of York, appointed Richard Nicolls to lead a flotilla to conquer Manhattan Island. Nicolls, with a blend of might and diplomatic tact, would make the integration of Dutch colonists a vital part of his takeover, birthing what was in many ways the blueprint of the modern city. Russell Shorto joins David M. Rubenstein to discuss New York’s origins and how a period of 17th-century imperial conflict and diplomacy between the British and the Dutch shaped the city we know today. Recorded on February 21, 2025
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A Conversation with James Patterson
James Patterson is one of the most popular storytellers of our time. The creator of some of the most popular characters and series in fiction, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, he has also written on fascinating true stories from the lives of the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods. As a co-author, he has also written bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton. In this conversation with David M. Rubenstein, he speaks about his life and prolific career as an iconic American writer. Recorded on January 25, 2025
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The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt: The Women Who Created a President
President Theodore Roosevelt is often described as an icon of American masculinity. From his military past as a Rough Rider to his history of undertaking dangerous wilderness expeditions, Roosevelt’s image has been associated with rugged bravery and steely determination. Behind this persona, however, were the women—family members, friends, and wives—upon whom he relied and who guided Roosevelt in matters both personal and political. Author Edward O’Keefe joins David M. Rubenstein to trace the lives and influence of these women, who fundamentally shaped Roosevelt’s life and political career. Recorded on December 12, 2024
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President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier
When President James Garfield assumed the office of the presidency in March 1881, he stood at the helm of a deeply polarized and fragmented nation. Known as a reformer as well as a broker of compromise during his time in Congress, Garfield would scarcely have time to implement change as president before being assassinated only four months into his term. In this talk with David M. Rubenstein, biographer C.W. Goodyear discusses the life and legacy of President Garfield, a complex and often contradictory figure who became a martyr for democracy. Recorded on July 29, 2024
Explore the rich and complex history of the United States and beyond. Produced by The New York Historical, host David M. Rubenstein engages the nation’s foremost historians and creative thinkers on a wide range of topics, including presidential biography, the nation’s founding, and the people who have shaped the American story. Learn more at nyhistory.org.
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