Julie C. Ott talks about the rise of the stock market and playing the stock market to the center of the American perception of capitalism and the idea of obtaining financial success.

To listen to this presentation, follow the link below, scroll down to "'The Free and Open People's Market': Political Ideology and Retail Brokerage at the New York Stock Exchange, 1913–1933" and click on the title, scroll down to June 2009 and click on the file link "200905.mp3."

David Ward, historian at the National Portrait Gallery, gives an overview of the life of Albert Einstein, in relation to a portrait of the scientist by Max Westfield.

From the Kansas State Historical Society website:

"The United States didn't immediately send soldiers to fight in World War I, but that didn't stop Americans from volunteering. In this episode we hear the story behind a nurse's uniform worn by Ethelyn Myers, whose career took her from small-town Kansas to the battlefields of Europe."

From the Constitution Center website:

"2009 marks the 70th anniversary of one of the most dramatic concerts in American history: world famous African American contralto Marian Anderson's concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. In a conversation moderated by scholar Sheldon Hackney, award-winning historian Raymond Arsenault tells the story of Marian Anderson, one of the most enduring and iconic figures of the civil rights movement. Through immense raw talent and unrelenting determination, Anderson overcame racial prejudice to inspire all Americans and to become one of the greatest singers of her time."

To listen to this lecture, scroll to the August 12th, 2009, program.

From the Library of Congress website:

"Author Ralph Eubanks discusses his personal story that began with his grandparents: James Richardson, a white man from a middle-class family, who defiantly married Edna Howell, a light-skinned black woman in 1914 in Alabama."

Film critic Michael Sragow discusses the work of director Victor Fleming (1889-1949), who directed films across genres, including Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz.

From the Lemelson Center website:

"Andy Bozanic talks about his research, supported by a fellowship from the Lemelson Center, on the history of the acoustic guitar. In this podcast, Bozanic explains how the unique qualities of the acoustic guitar—its portability, affordability, and adaptability to different styles of music—brought it into the mainstream of American music in the 20th century."

Professor Marshall Poe interviews Charles Postel, author of The Populist Vision, which examines the Populist Party, a turn-of-the-19th-to-20th-century party anchored by western farmers.

From the Library of Congress website:

"The origins and legacy of the Federal Writers' Project are the focus of an excerpted film screening and panel discussion."

Susan Brewer, author of Why America Fights: Patriotism and War Propaganda from the Philippines to Iraq, in this interview conducted by professor Marshall Poe, discusses presidential efforts to secure support for wars and citizens' responses.