Talking History with Big Coop: Recent Episodes
Cassady Cooper
Hi gang, my name is Cassady Cooper. A Louisiana native, a lifelong storyteller, and a recent graduate of Tulane University, United States History and local history is my thing. I have a background in developing historic and immersive tours for local organizations such as the Historic New Orleans Collection and Prospect New Orleans, currently I am exploring history with high school students here in Southeast Louisiana. This podcast will cover events great and small, episodes will feature myself and random guests who don’t have anything better to do as we work to make history fun for everyone!
The Cold War wasn’t just fought in speeches and arms races—it was fought in jungles, deserts, and alleyways, in places most Americans couldn’t find on a map. And it was rarely fought directly. These were proxy wars—covert coups, foreign revolutions, and power plays between superpowers. Join us as we go on a journey into the hot heart of a cold war!
Suburbs, rock n roll, and the "good old days," but also redlining, segregation and the "woman's place." Get ready for a rollicking ride through America in the 1950s, cool tunes and cold wars.
In this episode, Cassady Cooper takes listeners on a walking tour of Greenwich Village, highlighting its rich history as a center of protest, artistic expression, and radical thought. From the iconic Washington Square Park to the legacy of folk musicians and political activists, the conversation explores how this vibrant neighborhood has been a haven for those challenging societal norms and advocating for change. The episode emphasizes the importance of place in understanding history and the ongoing spirit of rebellion that permeates the area.
https://www.nps.gov/places/greenwich-village-historic-district.htm
"History's just around the corner."
Keywords: Keywords
Greenwich Village, history, protest, artistic expression, bohemian, radicalism, Washington Square Park, cultural heritage, social movements, folk music
By 1953, the U.S. and Soviet Union had gone from allies to enemies… and the Cold War had its first battlefield in Korea. From Berlin to Hollywood to the 38th parallel, this is how it all began
The Cold War Begins (1945–1953)
The story of how WWII allies became Cold War enemies in less than a decade.
A short comparative episode tying U.S. “law and order” measures to:
- India’s use of sedition and protest laws
- France’s police surveillance post-yellow vests
Repressive tools often rise in democratic and authoritarian regimes alike — especially when power is threatened. America’s trajectory isn’t isolated; it fits a wider pattern of “order politics.”
New mini-episode:
🛑 National Guard in the streets
🧊 ICE with expanded powers
⚖️ “Law and order” from both Left and Right
We’ve heard this before...
And we’re breaking it down — with historical parallels and sociological tools.
America's fun times come to an end. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 heralds the beginnings of an economic depression that would change the way Americans perceive their government's role in their lives.
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A quick dive into issues of race and racism portrayed in Lorraine Hansberry's award-winning play, "A Raisin in the Sun."
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A quick peek at the evolution of modern American culture thanks to the Great Migration and the other explosion of creativity known as the Harlem Renaissance.
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What put the "roar" in the "Roaring 20s"? This week you'll find out. Take a dive into the grand experiment of Prohibition and its disastrous outcomes.
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AND we're back! Sorry, had to take a short hiatus due to COVID, festivals and the end of the school year. We are going to finish up the Roaring 20s in the next few episodes. Buckle your seatbelts and get ready for the ride!!!
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This week we look at the presidencies of Harding and Coolidge. One presidency marred by scandal, the other tainted by the first. The economic policies that promoted the "Roaring" part of the Roaring Twenties and set the stage for the Great Depression are initiated by these two men.
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A brief sojourn back to the Gilded Age as we look at the coalescing of farmers into political groups known as granges and uniting with the Democratic Party under William Jennings Bryan for the election of 1896 on a ticket supporting "bimetallism."
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The final of four special episodes about the First World War and the final episode of our first season! Make sure to check out the website for some great images about the war. In this episode we look at how the failure to forgive plants the seeds for the second world war.
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Part three of four episodes on WWI: America primes it’s military for war and begins the arduous task of moving troops and weaponry across the pond. The penultimate episode of Season 1.
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Part two of four episodes on WWI: A series of events pushes Woodrow Wilson from his isolationist stance to fighting a war for democracy against the Central Powers.
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Here's a midweek special-the first of a four part series on WWI! In this episode I will look at the spark that sets off the Great War: the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and the Sandwich Theory.
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The longest one yet!!! Following the success of the United State's "Splendid Little War" against the failing Spanish Empire, our Progressive (and expansionist) presidents approach their foreign policies in varied ways. Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson oversee the years of American Empire and the road to World War I.
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The buildup is over and the “Splendid Little War” episode is here and the Imperial transformation of the United States begins.
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A brief backstory on the man who made the modern presidency and heralded the American Century.
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This episode lays the groundwork for the "Splendid Little War," also known as the Spanish American War of 1898.
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A short look at the life of one of the Robber Barons. Still getting the hang of the is format. I will be posting one of my class lectures soon and trying to create more of that "vibe" for subsequent episodes...
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Today's episode is a general overview of the Gilded Age and introduces some factors in the changing face of American society in the Nineteenth Century: Industrialization, Immigration, and Urbanization. The rise of Big Business and the Captains of Industry/Robber Barons elicits a response from the new wage laboring class of American's in the form of labor organization and we will introduce the beginnings of this friction today.
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Once upon a yesteryear I had the distinction of being one of the first bicycle tour guides in the fair city of New Orleans. This episode is a version of my intro for visitors to the most European and most African of American cities. It is also a reminder of how history is influenced by the present moment. I gave this tour for 10 years and this is my original synopsis of the city's early history. On another day I will drop the version I was delivering towards the end of that period and it is very intriguing to note the changes of interpretation and delivery over the years.
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