How America was built on slavery: Those roots can still be felt today
American capitalism was built on the backs of slaves and the slave economy — and not just in the South. Some of these practices are still with us.
Historian Calvin Schermerhorn explains how slavery built America without returning virtually any of the gains to the enslaved people — or their descendants. He also describes how racial inequality is part of our national DNA and why it persists.
Schermerhorn is a professor of history in ASU’s School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies, and the author of four books on the history of slavery in the U.S., including “Unrequited Toil: A History of United States Slavery.
Photo: A family of enslaved black Americans in a field in Georgia, circa 1850. Source: New York Historical Society/Wikimedia Commons
Episode 9
Episode 9
Time for caring: At home — and on the frontlines
In this time of coronavirus crisis, how do we best care for others and ourselves? And how do nurses in particular manage amid this pandemic?
Episode 8
Episode 8
The Black Death: Pondering a past plague during today’s pandemic
Editor's note: This is the first program in a series addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Episode 7
Episode 7
Aliens: A world beyond
The notion of aliens from other planets often conjures images of flying saucers and little green men. But could they really exist?
Episode 6
Episode 6
Future visions, past reflections
How do we think about the future in precarious, uncertain times?
Episode 5
Episode 5
All about dogs
Dog owners are wild about their dogs. It's hard to overstate the power and poignancy of this human-canine bond.
Episode 4
Episode 4
Alzheimer’s disease: Holding on to humanity
The journey of Alzheimer’s disease is unpredictable, baffling, a loss for the sufferer and painful for the family — yet can offer unexpected gifts.
Episode 3
Episode 3
Hot and habitable: Creating sustainable cities
In this episode, host Mary-Charlotte Domandi speaks with three sustainability experts who explore the challenges Phoenix and other “extreme” cities
Episode 2
Episode 2
Yes, we monitor what goes down the drain
Rolf Halden studies the impact of dangerous chemicals on human health.
Episode 1
Episode 1
Alexander Hamilton: A Maker of America
This is the story of Alexander Hamilton: the man, the nation builder, the dueler and the now-legendary musical.