If you’re a lover of history, you know as well as I do that there is only so much that can be squeezed into a single lesson. Most of the nuances and small details that bring a better understanding of the past are too easily skipped over in a classroom setting where you usually only have around 90 minutes every other day to learn all that you need to about the past, how it affects the present day and why you should care.

Luckily, in this era of the internet, the world’s wealth of knowledge is available with a quick search and there are thousands of people who want to share this knowledge in entertaining and engaging ways.

One such way is through podcasts. A convenient way to take in new information, whether it be your main focus or something playing in the background.

So, if you’re a fan of podcasts and History then Make History Dope Again is for you!

Make History Dope Again is a historical discussion podcast hosted by North High history teachers Ethan Cornett and Andrew McCoskey along with good friend and fellow history teacher at Southeast High Jonathon Buster.

Pictured above is Jonathon Buster. Photo courtesy of Andrew McCoskey.

What started out simply as a way to get through grad school in the summer of 2019 turned into something that the trio grew passionate about. A way to delve deeper into the areas of history that you won’t learn about in your ordinary classroom and a space to examine them.

Now there are episode released every two weeks, covering a wide range of topics (mainly from American history), from George Washington’s Indian policy to the Wild West Shows of the Gilded Age, to contemporary topics such as the controversial Native American mascots. There is even stylish merch available for enthusiasts.

Their inspiration for each topic comes from what they learn in their graduate classes or what they read in their free time, but they will also search for lesser known topics to discuss.

Episodes fall into one of three categories.

1.Quicktakes which are short little episodes around 30 minutes that examine a concise topic.

2.Fireside Chats: An informal conversation or interview with fellow educators, history nerds and experts.

3.Spotlights: This where they really dive in deep on a specific topic like “History of Native American Mascots” or the “Black American Experiences during the Revolution”. These episodes are longer and often have multiple parts.

“We try to let the history take us where it takes us, We really like examining the common story of American History from a different angle or perspective, like looking at the role of Religion in the 1960 presidential Election or the relationship of various presidents with the media,” McCoskey explained as to how they choose which topic to cover next.

As with any project the trio have goals they’d like to accomplish with the podcast.

“To educate and empower! We don’t profit from financially from this project, so we hope looking at lesser known topics, modelling civil discussion and examining the stories of marginalized people throughout history inspire people to start their own conversations about the past. We are big believers in democracy and are convinced that understanding and discussing the past is essential part of passing the mantle of civility to the next generation of Americans,” McCoskey said.

“At this point it is a platform to share what we feel are important aspects of history that everyone should know. It would be great to capitalize on our core listeners and build more of a community around the podcast,” Cornett shared.

With history being the foundation of the podcast and their jobs, the two are bound to affect each other in some way.

“My job gives me a lot of inspiration to what topics in history matter, how students typically learn and respond to history. I believe my students are a glimpse into the community at large, and how they interact with history,” Cornett said.

Make History Dope Again is definitely worth a shot listening to, it’s full of banter as well as educational, a great combo for a nice time.

Their current series is Presidents Vs. the Press – Looking at the relationship of American Presidents with the American Media. Episodes drop every two weeks with George Washington Vs. the Media out right now!

Just search Make History Dope Again anywhere you get your podcasts or by using this link: https://anchor.fm/makehistorydopeagain