US History Repeated

The Mount Rushmore Monument

In this podcast, we will be discussing the Mount Rushmore project. We have a recorded interview between our resident history expert, Jeananne Xenakis and our guest Matt Sweigart, An Interpretive Ranger at Mount Rushmore.
Completed in 1941 under the direction of Gutzon Borglum and his son Lincoln, the sculpture's roughly 60-ft.-high granite faces depict U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The site also features a museum with interactive exhibits.
You will be interested to know that the way Mount Rushmore was completed, was not the way the project was initially imagined. There were discussions of other historical figures being carved prior to the 4 presidents you see today. 
I know you are thinking, "Now who could it be!?" …but you’ll have to listen to the rest of the podcast.
 
There is always more to learn!
-Jimmy & Jean

Jazz Music

 
I have been looking forward to this one because I love music. I love all kinds of music, and today we are going to talk about Jazz. Jazz is one of the earliest forms of pop music in The United States and Jazz is a distinctively American style of music originating in the early decades of the 20th century. Its roots include Afro-American folk music traditions, such as spirituals, work songs, and blues.
Jazz music is much more lively and upbeat than blues music. Jazz is often associated with swinging and swaying movements, lively atmospheres and improv. Lots of modern musicians will say they are greatly influenced by Jazz. Some of the great Jazz musicians include Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Bessie Smith, Fletcher Henderson, and Billie Holiday. 
In fact, Performers like Elvis Pressley, Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, The Grateful Dead, and Aerosmith all talk about their Jazz influences. Music styles like Rock, R&B, Hip-hop, Latin, and others that produce a swaying rhythm have been influenced by Jazz. 
In today’s podcast we have a very special guest, the very accomplished Loren Schoenberg. He is the Founding Director at The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, a published author, and teaches Jazz History at The Julliard School in NYC.
 
Always more to learn. Talk to you soon. 

The Harlem Renaissance

This episode covers the Harlem Renaissance. 
Harlem was once inhabited by Native Americans and was mainly farmland. Over time it evolved to what we know today. 
I do not want to spoil all of the terrific information that Jeananne goes into, but to whet your appetite, you can look forward to learning about Strivers Row, The Apollo Theater, Langston Hughes, Aaron Douglas, WEB Dubois, Alain Locke, and Marcus Garvey to name just a few headliners in this podcast. 
 
There is always more to learn, talk to you all soon!
-Jimmy & Jean

The Roaring 1920’s

In this podcast we cover "The Roaring Twenties" and to be clear, we mean the 1920-1929 time period. 
We have done individual podcasts on some of the bigger items like The 19th Amendment, Prohibition, The Automobile, and soon enough our coverage on The Harlem Renaissance and Jazz Music, just to give a spoiler or two on upcoming podcasts!
 
In this episode we get into fashion and the rising hemlines, entertainment in the twenties - movies are about to get audio to go with the video! We get into 20's slang. the burial of the 'unknown soldier', Ponzi schemes, and the Scopes trial, and that is not all. I do not want to steal all of Jean's thunder in the podcast.
 
There is always more to learn, talk to you all soon!
-Jimmy & Jean

The Life and Presidency of Calvin Coolidge

Our coverage of our 30th President, Calvin Coolidge begins with Warren G. Harding's death. 
Calvin Coolidge is known for cleaning up the mess left behind by his predecessor President Harding. He is also famous for being a man of few words earning him the nickname Silent Cal.
We welcome our guest Julie Bartlett Nelson from the Calvin Coolidge Museum and Library. We recorded the conversation between her and Jeananne.
After finishing Harding's term, Coolidge was elected to another term of president. He ran under the slogan "Keep Cool with Coolidge". As president, Coolidge was for small government. He also wanted to keep the country somewhat isolated and did not want to join the League of Nations that formed after World War I. He was for tax cuts, lower government spending, and less aid to struggling farmers.
Coolidge opted not to run for president again in 1928. Although he likely would have won, he felt he had been president long enough.
Tell a friend about US History Repeated with Jimmy & Jean!
 

The Life and Presidency of Warren G. Harding

The life and Presidency of Warren G Harding
When Warren G. Harding was running for President his campaign slogan was a “return to normalcy”. 
While Harding was one of the most popular presidents, he is widely considered one of the worst. We go into some debate on that at the end of the podcast, but will say for now, that perhaps he was more misunderstood.
 
World War One is over and now we need to go back to life. There was this need to go back to normal. To go back to the way things were before the whole world had seemed to stand on its head.
Lines on maps are being redrawn, countries are gone, new countries in their place. The Spanish Flu is winding down, and this is where we pick up.
We are joined by Sherry Hall, the site manager of the Harding Presidential sites in Marion, Ohio. We appreciated her contributions throughout the conversation with Jeananne. 
www.hardingpresidentialsites.org
There is always more to learn!
 
Jimmy & Jean

The First World War: Part 2

Welcome to our coverage of World War One. (The Great War, WW1, WWI)
This is the 62nd podcast with Jimmy & Jean!
We have returning for a second rodeo, Lora Vogt, Curator of Education and Interpretation at the World War One Museum and Memorial. 
In this episode we discuss the Armistice, and the treaties that ended the Great War. We delve into the global changes as lines are redrawn across Europe and impacted areas around the world.
Notes and source links mentioned in both parts of the podcast:
Secret Coded Words List
Seating Chart from Paris Peace Conference
Animation video of global changes as a result of WW1
Before and After Maps 
See you on the other side, 
Jimmy and Jean

The First World War: Part 1

Welcome to our coverage of World War One. (The Great War, WW1, WWI)
This is also the 61st podcast with Jimmy & Jean!
30 countries in 6 continents were involved in the conflict.
We broke this into two parts. 
We have a special guest podcaster, Lora Vogt, Curator of Education and Interpretation at the World War One Museum and Memorial. 
On one side of the war you have the Central Powers:German Empire, Austrian Hungarian Empire, The Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria.
The Allies or Entente Powers was coalition of countries led by France, Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and the United States when we enter in 1917.
We discuss the beginnings of the war, US Neutrality, and how the United States enters the war. 
It was more than Arch Duke Ferdinand getting assassinated, as you will see. Lots of reasons, but that was the spark that lit the powder keg for sure!
The Lusitania, and the Zimmerman Note are what eventually ends US neutrality. Find out why!
Notes and source links mentioned in the podcast:
Secret Coded Words List
Seating Chart from Paris Peace Conference
Animation video of global changes as a result of WW1
Before and After Maps 
See you on the other side, 
Jimmy and Jean