History Matters
History Matters
Shannon Bontrager
The podcast about history, teaching history, and why it matters. Co-hosted by Steve Blankenship and Shannon Bontrager. Opinions expressed are solely those of the respective co-hosts and do not represent the views of employers or institutions they are associated with in any way. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.
Katyn Massacre
What counts as genocide? How has the discussion of genocide shaped our understanding of the 20th century? Here we discuss the Katyn massacre and its historical ramifications.
Jun 24, 2024
47 min
Publish or Perish?: Academic Publishing for the Beginner
Younger scholars and graduate students interested in publishing their academic work can discover a lot of landmines: editorial gatekeepers, rude feedback, and the imposter syndrome can keep many from submitting honest and interesting work. We walk you through our experiences of publishing in academic presses to suggest publishing your work is an achievable goal. Much of what keeps people out of the publishing space is the mysticism around "getting published." Steve and I try to de-mystify this process and encourage young scholars and grad students to give academic publishing a try.
Mar 8, 2024
40 min
From the Ivory Tower to the High School Classroom
I gave up my tenured full professor job at a two-year institution to teach history at a local High School. I have enjoyed it immensely so far. Do you feel trapped in a dead end academic job? Perhaps teaching High School is a way to reach a new audience and embrace a new community. Join us as we talk about the pros and cons of trading in the Ivory Tower for the High School classroom.
Feb 23, 2024
40 min
The History of Kennedy's Assassination: Why Historians do not want to talk about it.
In this episode, we dissect President John F. Kennedy's assassination and discuss why historians have been reluctant to talk about the event. We discuss the conspiracy behind the President's death, we place his assassination within a global Cold War context, we examine why every American (young and old) should care about this event, and we name names. Join us for a fascinating conversation with Kennedy assassination expert and historian Dr. Steve Blankenship.
Jan 21, 2024
57 min
Why doesn't America have a Labor Party?
Just in time for the UAW strike against Ford, GM, and Stellantis. The UK has a Labor party. Why doesn't the United States? Join History Matters for a discussion that looks at this question as we chart it across American history from Jefferson's Empire of Liberty to the Reagan Revolution.
Sep 15, 2023
43 min
Civil Wars Past and Present: Race, Honor, and Leadership
In this episode we discuss the U.S. Civil War, the mythology of the Lost Cause, and whether a second civil war looms on the American horizon. 
Dec 15, 2022
1 hr 9 min
Is it the End of the World as We Know it?
Clifton, Steve, and I make our predictions on the 2022 midterm elections in Georgia and for the federal midterm elections. Our conversation then turns to vitality of democracy and the potential existential threats to democracy that make this midterm election so important. Is this the end of the world as we know it?  
Sep 29, 2022
28 min
Why We Vote: Midterm 2022 Edition
Steve Blankenship, Clifton Pucket, and Shannon Bontrager discuss the importance of the Mid-term elections and the state of politics in Georgia and the U.S. 
Sep 19, 2022
49 min
The Great Resignation: History Teachers Edition
Why are so many history teachers planning to leave the K-12 system? What are the causes of this academic great resignation? Marcus "Sankofa" Nicks, founder of History Heals Consulting L.L.C, a business devoted to using African American history as a vehicle to aid schools, institutions and businesses in fostering healthy and inclusive environments, joins us to discuss the problems and potential solutions currently facing K-12 history teachers.
Jul 4, 2022
40 min
American Memories of Afghanistan
Ben Stahl was a former student of Steve's who served in Afghanistan. After two tours in Afghanistan, he earned the GI Bill to put himself through college and law school. Now a lawyer, Ben sat down with us in a local pub to talk about his personal memories and the issues that he believes prevents Americans from remembering the American war in Afghanistan. 
Jun 7, 2022
1 hr 1 min
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