Memorial Day: Patriotism, Power, and Whose Story Counts - The First Memorial Day Was Created by Freed Black Americans in Charleston in 1865

Episode 1 • March 19, 2026 • 00:10:36
Memorial Day: Patriotism, Power, and Whose Story Counts - The First Memorial Day Was Created by Freed Black Americans in Charleston in 1865
Holiday History
Memorial Day: Patriotism, Power, and Whose Story Counts - The First Memorial Day Was Created by Freed Black Americans in Charleston in 1865

Mar 19 2026 | 00:10:36

/

Show Notes

Discover how freed Black Americans created the first Memorial Day in Charleston in 1865—a forgotten history that reveals patriotism's true meaning. Explore how this powerful origin story was erased, and examine how Memorial Day's meaning has been shaped by competing narratives about race, power, and whose sacrifices we choose to remember.

Other Episodes

Episode

November 20, 2025 • 00:08:04
Episode Cover

Christmas History Ep. 1: When December 25 Became Christmas

Imagine a world where celebrating your birthday was considered sinful. Early Christians refused to celebrate Jesus's birth for over 300 years, believing only pagans...

Listen

Episode 1

January 22, 2026 • 00:09:13
Episode Cover

Presidential Power Ep. 1: The Fear of Creating a King

They had just escaped one king—the last thing America's founders wanted was to create another. In the sweltering summer of 1787, men gathered in...

Listen

Episode

November 20, 2025 • 00:07:54
Episode Cover

Thanksgiving Origins Ep. 1: People of the Dawn

Forget everything you thought you knew about pre-colonial America. When the Pilgrims arrived in 1620, they didn't find wilderness—they discovered a thriving civilization of...

Listen