Episodes
Monday Nov 21, 2022
[Thanksgiving Episode] This Land is Their Land by Dr. David J. Silverman
Monday Nov 21, 2022
Monday Nov 21, 2022
For most of us – Thanksgiving is a time of reflection, communion and appreciation – shared around a table groaning under the weight of rich foods with family and friends. Central to the holiday is a story dating back to the 1620s – when our European forbearers gathered with native peoples and peacefully celebrated a harvest. Or, at least, that’s what legend, myth and selective memory would lead us to believe.
Today’s guest, Dr. David J. Silverman, has authored a powerful new history of Thanksgiving which explores the story from all angles – and makes the case that the way we remember and consider Thanksgiving requires thoughtful reconsideration as we endeavor to tell the full story of American history.
Hey, Nick here – and as we approach Thanksgiving – I want to say thank you to all of our listeners – you have made this podcast a huge success and have grown us to become one of the most listened to history and preservation podcasts in the nation – no small feat for a podcast produced on a shoestring. Speaking of that shoestring, and thanks, would you consider making a quick donation today to help us bring more content like this to you in the year ahead? Every bit helps and we greatly appreciate whatever you can provide! Now, let’s head back to the 1620s to get the full story of Thanksgiving.
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Art Heals: The Jingle Dress Project with Eugene Tapahe
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Monday Mar 29, 2021
The Jingle Dress project originated from a dream to unite the beauty of the land and the healing power of the jingle dance during these uncertain times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The origin of the jingle dance to the Ojibwe people happened during the influenza pandemic of 1918-19. It came as a dream to a father whose daughter was sick with the virus. His dream revealed the new dress and dance that had the power to heal. When the dresses were made, they were given to four women to perform the dance. When the little girl heard the sound of the jingles, she became stronger. By the end of the night she was dancing too.
Today’s guest, Eugene Tapahe, also has a dream to take this healing power to the land, to travel and capture a series of images that will document spiritual places where ancestors once walked. The goal is to unite and give hope to the world through art, dance and culture to help us all to heal together. Learn more about the project and support it at: https://tapahe.com/jingle-dress-project.html
Monday Oct 12, 2020
Monday Oct 12, 2020
As a child growing up in Western New York, with Mohawk cousins, the history and world of native American culture always fascinated me. The story of the native peoples of America speak through many voices – music, art, culture – but all too often are missing from the landscape of museums and historic sites.
Today’s guest, G. Peter Jemison, is a renaissance figure in native culture, art, and heritage and also serves as the Historic Site Manager of Ganondagan State Historic Site, the location of a 17th-century Seneca town in Victor, NY.
On today’s PreserveCast, we will explore the rich history of the Iroquois and learn how their heritage continues in the present.
Monday May 04, 2020
Monday May 04, 2020
Today’s guest is a first for PreserveCast.
Aimee Jorjani was appointed by the President of the United States to be the first full-time chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation – the federal agency tasked with coordinating preservation policy across the government.
From the halls of Congress to the pueblos of the southwest – Chariman Jorjani is doing her bit to promote preservation and we’ll learn what she’s planning next on this week’s PreserveCast.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Aimee Jorjani earned Senate confirmation in June 2019 as the first full-time chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP).
Ms. Jorjani has nearly 20 years of experience in the fields of government and cultural resources from a variety of perspectives including both executive and legislative branches, as well as the non-profit sector. Her career began on Capitol Hill in 1999 working as a legislative aide to Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). In 2002, she moved to the US Department of the Interior (DOI) and held several positions, including serving as the Deputy Secretary’s Special Assistant for Historic Preservation.
A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ms. Jorjani graduated from Northern Michigan University with a major in political science and minor in public relations and later earned a Masters in Historic Preservation from Goucher College.
Monday Dec 11, 2017
PreserveCast Ep. 49: The Anarchist's Podcast on Historic House Museums
Monday Dec 11, 2017
Monday Dec 11, 2017
It may not come as a surprise that some historians and museum professionals are not always quick to adapt to change, but that’s only some of us. There are others out there, like today’s guest Frank Vagnone, who not only are capable of adapting, but thrive on inverting the status quo of museums and public history. Frank and I spoke about the book he co-authored, The Anarchist’s Guide to Historic House Museums, his position as the President and CEO of Old Salem, and examples of good ways for house museums to defy expectations. There's anarchy in the USA, the U.K., and beyond on this week's PreserveCast.
Listen here: https://www.preservecast.org/2017/12/11/frank-vagnone-the-anarchists-podcast-on-historic-house-museums/
Editor's note: The music in the segment came from a 1994 recording of a Virginia Pow Wow, and included a traditional Eastern Woodlands and Iroqouis song/dance called Gadasjot.
Monday Nov 20, 2017
PreserveCast Ep. 46: True Treats Candy and the Age-Old Sweet Tooth
Monday Nov 20, 2017
Monday Nov 20, 2017
It doesn't matter if it's your molar, your canine, or what, everybody has some kind of sweet tooth. Something that you may not be thinking about is how that sweet tooth has played a role in history. Susan Benjamin is the founder of True Treats Candy in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and author of the book Sweet as Sin: The Unwrapped Story of How Candy Became America’s Favorite Pleasure. Susan has appeared on platforms from NPR to NBC, and she joined us on PreserveCast to share the rich history of candy in American culture, from pre-Colombian Native Americans to the working poor of the Industrial Revolution. Go ahead and spoil your dinner with this week’s PreserveCast.
Listen here: https://www.preservecast.org/2017/11/20/susan-benjamin-true-treats-candy-and-the-age-old-sweet-tooth/
Editor's note: Many thanks to the Storm Boyz Lenne Lenape Drum, whose music was used in the today's segment of "Preservation Explanation."
Monday Nov 06, 2017
Monday Nov 06, 2017
As historic preservationists, we often can fall into only thinking about history through the framework of buildings and sites, or even get caught up on buildings from just one era. That is not the case for our guest today, Dr. Bill Schindler. Bill is one of the world’s leading experimental archaeologists and an expert on primitive technologies and historic foodways. Join us as Bill explains how food has driven technological development throughout human history, how we are uniquely positioned in that history, and why we may want to look at ancient foodways to inform how we eat in the future. Hopefully we won’t make you too hungry, on this episode of PreserveCast.
Listen here: https://www.preservecast.org/2017/11/06/dr-bill-schindler-primitive-technology-and-the-food-of-the-future/
Monday May 22, 2017
Monday May 22, 2017
When you think of archaeology, you may not think of new artifacts being found all the time here in Maryland. But according to our guest, Director of Archaeology for Anne Arundel County Stephanie Sperling, there may be things worth digging up in your backyard! Stick around as we learn about a day in the life of a Maryland archaeologist. We're covering everything from Stephanie's favorite finds like a 10,000 year old Native American site and a forgotten 20th century baseball field, to the technology used in the field today and why an archaeologist won't go anywhere without her trowel. Get the dirt out of your ears for this episode of PerserveCast!
Listen here: https://www.preservecast.org/2017/05/22/stephanie-sperling-a-day-in-the-life-of-an-archaeologist/