Now & Then

The Now & Then history podcast examines how the past informs what we do in the present. Historians and friends Joanne Freeman and Heather Cox Richardson host it. Together they work on discovering clues on how the US is now and how it got there.

Now & Then cohost Richardson is a history professor at Boston University. She's also a bestselling author. And she writes a nightly newsletter called Letters from an American. It examines current affairs in the context of American historical events. Freeman teaches history at Yale University. She's also an award-winning author and Alexander Hamilton expert. The two hosts work together to make a compelling podcast.

Each episode lasts under an hour and features interviews with historians and politicians. African American studies professor Carol Anderson joins for a discussion on the origins of the Second Amendment. Richardson even interviews President Joe Biden to talk about the war in Ukraine. Other Now & Then topics are eclectic. They include the power of young voters throughout history and opinion polling.

When discussing the COVID-19 crisis, Freeman and Richardson look back to 1918 to review the infamous flu pandemic. They spend time investigating democracy, reviewing war reparations, and the principles behind fascism. Contentious topics are also on the agenda. An episode to highlight is "Encore: Abortion: Whose Choice?" During this episode, they examine the subject of abortion throughout history.

Now & Then shows how the past is a powerful force in today's world. It's a podcast that's at once about history and the present moment.