Today’s episode features interviews with two of my favorite local journalists – Rick Paulas and Sam LeFebvre. In the first segment, I chat with Rick Paulas, who has written about East Bay-related topics for outlets such as the New York Times, Vice, and many others. He’s been based in Oakland for the past few years, … Continued
Today’s episode is all about waterfront history. The first segment covers the only Black whaling Captain in California history: William Shorey. The media called him “Black Ahab” and his adventures made him an Oakland hero. He was one of the most powerful men of color in California—but there’s a complicated side to his story that’s … Continued
Today’s episode features two segments about the history of West Oakland. The first segment explores how Oakland’s Black population nearly quintupled during the 1940s when tens of thousands of African Americans fled the Jim Crow-era South to work in East Bay shipyards like Moore Dry Dock Company. The backlash to this boom laid the foundation … Continued
Segment 1: Although Oakland has one of the highest concentrations of lesbians in the country, the history—and impact—of this community is relatively unknown. Lenn Keller is trying to change that with the upcoming launch of the Bay Area Lesbian Archives, a wide-ranging collection of photographs, activist materials, meeting notes, videos and more. In this episode, … Continued
The first segment of this episode explores the history of Emeryville’s legendary mudflat sculptures: For decades, millions of drivers passing through Emeryville saw an ever-changing array of giant statues along the bayshore. In addition to the towering wooden vikings, dragons and other whimsical creatures, activists used driftwood and trash to build monumental projects responding to … Continued
The history of radical direct action can provides the roots, and real hope, for the present—and the future. L.A. Kauffman talks about her new book. PLUS: Lisa Geduldig throws a benefit for undocumented children, with comedians. With host Kris Welch.
Open any world history book and you’ll read that the Neolithic Revolution was the key turning point in human history, when hunter gatherers gave up roaming in small egalitarian tribes and settled down to farm. Out of that, civilization was born, with all the benefits and ills connected to it: the rise of cities, the … Continued
Capitalism is an ambitious and accessible six-part documentary series that looks at both the history of ideas and the social forces that have shaped the capitalist world. Blending interviews with some of the world’s great historians, economists, anthropologists, and social critics (view the complete list of participants), with on-the-ground footage shot in twenty-two countries, Capitalism … Continued
Investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill, co-founder of the Intercept and author of The Assassination Complex: Inside the Government’s Secret Drone Warfare Program. And Normal Solomon, delegate for Bernie Sanders, on Sanders campaign strategy going forward after his win in the West Virginia Primary. About the book: Major revelations about the US government’s drone program—bestselling author Jeremy … Continued
Robert O. Paxton, Professor Emeritus of History at Columbia University and author of The Anatomy of Fascism. About The Anatomy of Fascism: What is fascism? Many authors have proposed definitions, but most fail to move beyond the abstract. The esteemed historian Robert O. Paxton answers this question for the first time by focusing on the … Continued
