The Preamble

America at 250: Staying Hopeful, plus Saying No in a World That Demands Yes

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Are we heading toward a second civil war? No, but what might happen could still be unsettling. Sharon has an honest conversation with YouTube civics c...

Welcome to Becoming You with Suzy Welch

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Here on The Preamble, we look for the historical context and the factual clarity behind the headlines because we know that understanding the "why" hel...

Condoleezza Rice on Democracy, Patriotism, and Why She Still Has Hope

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sharon tells us why sugarcoating history doesn’t help any of us. Truly loving your country means acknowledging the not-so-great and even horrible mo...

Learning From Our Differences and the Antidote to Doomscrolling Anxiety

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that only 4% of new marriages in America happen between Democrats and Republicans? Or that three quarters of white Americans don't have a...

The Long History of Demonizing Immigrants: From the Great Depression to Today

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Before ICE raids, there were pamphlets warning Americans about immigrant "peasants" stealing their jobs and "hell ships" dumping people into the Mexic...

Elyse Myers’ New Book and Harriet Tubman’s Faith

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You might know her as the woman who got dragged to a taco bell where her date ordered one hundred tacos and she got stuck paying for them. Elyse Myers...

The State of Black History and Journalism in 2026

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Simply teaching the facts in and out of the classroom has become an act of courage, and sometimes, real risk. Former history teacher Ernest Crim joins...

If Court Orders Don’t Matter, Nothing Does, Banning Books, and How to Find Hope

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Americans are being offered a false choice: safety or rights, as though “law and order” means obedience from citizens and exceptions for the gover...

How ICE Is Mimicking 19th Century Slave Patrols, and What AI Tech Billionaires Really Want

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Gen Z Historian Kahlil Greene explains how today’s ICE enforcement has chilling parallels to the slave patrols of the 19th Century, designed to hunt...

Inside ICE: Recruitment, Congressional Accountability, and Absolute Immunity

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This episode was recorded before Border Patrol agents shot and killed Twin Cities nurse Alex Pretti. What happens when the people enforcing the law...

The War on Drugs, and the Truth Behind the Viral Claims of Fraud at Minnesota Daycares

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The War on Drugs is being used to justify U.S. military actions, including a covert operation in Venezuela, but is that going to have an effect on the...

The Pentagon Papers, Why Nobody Wants Venezuelan Oil, and Answers to Your Questions

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The story you didn’t know: The Pentagon Papers. Politics Professor Casey Burgat tells us about the government lies, coverup, and the reporters who e...

Margaret Taylor, From Army Wife to Reluctant First Lady

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Margaret “Peggy” Taylor was a true pioneer woman, so the White House was never the life she wanted. She spent decades roughing it at remote army p...

Sarah Polk’s Power Behind the Presidency

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah Polk was one of the most politically powerful women of her era. From running her husband’s political operation behind the scenes to mastering ...

America’s Most Overlooked First Lady, Anna Harrison

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

America’s shortest presidency produced one of its most overlooked First Ladies. Anna Harrison didn’t even make it to the White House before Willia...

The Chains We Forge In Life, How Religious Is the US, and Hanukkah at the White House

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A warning to anyone engaged in demeaning rhetoric: How do you want to be remembered after you’re gone? Like Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, i...

How Beavers Built America, The 5 Habits of Hope, And Jackie Kennedy’s Christmas Legacy

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Before railroads, revolutions, or even the idea of America itself, one animal with a grudge against running water built the foundations of our country...

America’s Rising Sun Moment, Why You’re More Powerful Than You Think, And Memorable Moments of White House Holidays

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Even the Founding Fathers had their doubts about the future of the country, but Benjamin Franklin chose to see its promise. We’ll explain how one ch...

The Most Chaotic Election in American History Was Saved by an Irish Immigrant, and a Conversation with Congressman James Clyburn

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Meet the Irish immigrant who used fireplace tongs to fight a member of Congress, was thrown in jail for insulting a president, and ultimately changed ...

Presenting unPAUSED with Dr. Mary Claire Haver

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to unPAUSED, the podcast where bold, unfiltered conversations take place about what it really takes for women to thrive in the second half of ...

How Hard Can It Be, Boys Do It? Plus, Fighting for Equal Rights After the Civil War, and Answers to Your Questions

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s not something you’ll read about in most history books. Sharon tells the remarkable story of Florence Hall and her Women’s Land Army: the wo...

A Stranger Saved My Husband’s Life, Why You Think the Way You Do, and Answers to Your Questions

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A shocking phone call after a routine medical exam. Despite no symptoms, Sharon’s husband had advanced kidney disease and he would die without a tra...

From the Printing Press to AI, Why Fascists Fear Teachers, and Answering Your Questions

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Five centuries ago, Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press shattered the barriers to knowledge. Today, AI is doing the same. Sharon takes you on a jour...

Government Shutdown, White House Renovations, and Stoic Virtues

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the very first episode of The Preamble! Sharon kicks things off with a conversation with New York Times bestselling author Ryan Holiday ...

The Preamble Trailer

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The world feels complicated. The Preamble is where it starts to make sense. Hosted by Sharon McMahon — known for making sense of complex issues — ...

Hannah Van Buren’s Journey from Dutch Heritage to American History

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Though Hannah Van Buren died nearly twenty years before her husband’s presidency, her life reflected the sweeping historical forces of early America...

The Scandalous Second Marriage of Rachel Jackson

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Despite being one of Sharon’s least-favorite Presidents, she explores the lifelong, and at times scandalous, love and devotion between President And...

The Diplomatic Prowess of Louisa Adams

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Stepping into the White House at the close of the Founding Fathers’ era, London-born Louisa Adams became the nation’s first foreign-born First Lad...

Presenting: The C-Word

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With every episode, Lena Dunham and Alissa Bennett take you on a historical deep dive into the life of a woman society dismissed by calling her mad, s...

The Quiet Bravery of Elizabeth Monroe

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sharon delves into the fascinating yet often overlooked life of Elizabeth Monroe. As First Lady, her health struggles and preference for formality set...

Hostess in Chief: Dolley Madison's Impact on American Society

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time to meet the woman who set the gold standard for the role of First Lady. With her natural charm and lively spirit, Dolley Madison hosted co...

Martha Jefferson and the Women of Monticello

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Thomas Jefferson’s wife Martha died nearly twenty years before he took office, yet history still lists her as an official First Lady. Jefferson neve...

Abigail Adams Abroad

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we’d call them the ultimate power couple. Abigail Adams, one of America’s most beloved First Ladies, sets sail across the Atlantic to join ...

Secrets of the Two Theodosias

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sharon takes us into the intertwined lives of the two women who shaped Aaron Burr. Their stories reveal brilliant minds, an unquenchable hunger for kn...

The Life of America’s First Lady Martha Washington

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sharon explores the life of America’s first First Lady, Martha Washington, highlighting the many ways she shaped her family, the presidency, and the...

A Personal History of the 1960s with Doris Kearns Goodwin

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine being a Pulitzer Prize winning presidential historian, knowing you had extraordinarily rare primary source material and Presidential memorabil...

America’s Constitution with Akhil Reed Amar

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a time when division often makes the headlines, what truly binds us together? Sharon sits down with Yale constitutional law professor Akhil Reed Am...

Amending the Constitution with Russ Feingold

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What would it take to update the Constitution and should we try? Sharon is joined by former Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold to explore this question f...

The Supreme Court’s Shadow Docket with Stephen Vladeck

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With approval ratings of The Supreme Court at a historic low, what can Congress and the average American citizen do to hold the court accountable, and...

Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments with Hadley Vlahos

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When we know a loved one is about to die, how can we best hold space for them in the in-between? Sharon is joined by Hadley Vlahos, RN, who has writte...

Poverty In America with Matthew Desmond

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We all know that poverty is an existing problem in the United States, but what does that really mean in a country with so much wealth? Sharon is joine...

Modern Democracy with Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

American democracy is going through a rough patch, and the Constitution, for all its brilliance, has some flaws that limit the power of majorities. So...

The Hate Next Door with Matson and Tawni Browning

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder how a white supremacist becomes an extremist? Sharon has a conversation with Matson and Tawni Browning about their book, The Hate Next Doo...

Book Bans and Free Speech with Suzanne Nossel

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does American society uphold the First Amendment while restricting books and censoring diverse ideas? Sharon talks with Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN...

Growing Up In Public with Devorah Heitner

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

These days, it feels like every fleeting thought, mistake, or awkward phase can be captured and shared online. So how are kids supposed to grow up in ...

How Animal Senses Reveal Hidden Realms with Ed Yong

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

All creatures, humans included, experience just a tiny slice of the full reality around us. Sharon chats with Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times...

The Extraordinary Women Who Helped Win WWII with Lena Andrews

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This Memorial Day we take a moment to remember the 350,000+ American women who served in uniform during the war, in every service branch, in every com...

The Virtues Behind the American Constitution with Jeffrey Rosen

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve heard it before: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But what did the Founders mean by “the pursuit of happiness,” and how do vir...

Parliamentary America with Max Stearns

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever feel like choosing between the "lesser of two evils" in the voting booth? Many Americans don’t feel represented by major candidates and worry a...

Introducing: What We Spend

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine if you could ask someone anything you wanted about their finances. On What We Spend, people from across the country and across the financial s...

Democracy and America with Heather Cox Richardson

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When did the political parties change sides? Is America a democracy, or a constitutional republic? Sharon welcomes back political historian, author, a...

Navigating Media Bias with Vanessa Otero

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can you tell if your news source is reliable? In this episode, Sharon talks with Vanessa Otero, founder of Ad Fontes Media and creator of the Medi...

Master Slave Husband Wife with Ilyon Woo

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You may not be familiar with their names, but William and Ellen Craft were a determined enslaved couple who made their escape through disguise and per...

Punished for Dreaming with Bettina Love

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We hear the word “reform” tossed around a lot when it comes to education, but what does it actually mean? And how does school segregation—both p...

A Biography of George Washington with Alexis Coe

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We have a tendency to regard many of our U.S. Presidents as heroes, illuminating the ways in which they shaped our nation for the good, that we often ...

Welcome to The Moth: The Rest is History

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're excited to bring you a beautiful episode of The Moth, The Rest is History.  In this hour, Henny Lewin, a young Jewish girl, is smuggled out o...

Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight with Julia Sweig

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lady Bird, a whip-smart Southern woman, met Lyndon Johnson in Austin, Texas where he proposed to her at the end of their first date (she said no!). Ev...

Eleanor Roosevelt and WWII

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's the trifecta of listener-favorite subjects: an American First Lady, World War II, and a secret adventure. Shannon McKenna Schmidt joins us to sha...

The Tell with Amy Griffin

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a reason her book was just chosen for Oprah’s book club. Sharon McMahon talks with her friend Amy Griffin—venture capitalist and new aut...

Make Magic with Brad Meltzer

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Want to know the secret to getting more out of life? Sharon McMahon chats with #1 NYT best-selling author Brad Meltzer about his latest book, “Make ...

DEFY with Dr. Sunita Sah

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you stay true to your values when the world pushes you to conform? Sharon McMahon is joined by award-winning Cornell professor Dr. Sunita Sah t...

9066: One Signature Changed It All, Episode 2

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Children and their parents were taken at gunpoint, with barely time to pack. Their prized possessions, including family heirlooms and even pets, had t...

9066: One Signature Changed It All, Episode 1

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When FDR signed executive order 9066, he upended lives and forever altered the course of American history. With the stroke of a pen, more than 120,000...

9066: One Signature Changed It All Trailer

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when fear and prejudice are ignited by the hysteria of war? In 9066, you'll find out. Follow Daniel Inouye, who was only 17 when he disco...

What in the World with Leanne Morgan

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did Leanne Morgan go from a small-town mom to one of the biggest comedians in the country? Sharon McMahon chats with the hilarious Leanne Morgan a...

The Supreme Court’s Worst Decisions with Sarah Isgur

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why has the Supreme Court become such a hot topic of debate? Sharon McMahon is joined by co-host of the Advisory Opinions podcast and former director ...

Supercommunicators with Charles Duhigg

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does someone become a great communicator? Sharon McMahon talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charles Duhigg about his latest book, Super ...

Dear Miss Perkins with Rebecca Brenner Graham

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

She was the first female cabinet secretary, but secretly, out of the spotlight, Frances Perkins also saved countless lives during World War II. Author...

That Librarian with Amanda Jones

06 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did an award-winning librarian become the target of an online hate campaign? Sharon McMahon chats with Amanda Jones about her new book, “That Li...

America First with H.W. Brands

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What role should the US play in international conflicts? Pulitzer prize finalist and historian H.W. Brands joins Sharon McMahon to discuss his latest ...

Den of Spies with Craig Unger

23 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Was there a secret conspiracy between Ronald Reagan’s campaign and Iran to help him win the 1980 election? NYT bestselling author Craig Unger unpack...

Good Reasonable People with Keith Payne

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we tend to feel like ideas coming “our side” are good, and ones coming from the “other side” are bad, even if they are the same exact i...

Vanishing Treasures with Katherine Rundell

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What can we do to help save the most vulnerable animals? Sharon McMahon is joined by #1 NYT Best-Selling author Katherine Rundell to talk about extra...

Good People with Lucia Knell and Gabriel Reilich

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We talk a lot about the bad side of social media, but what about the good stuff? Sharon sits down with Lucia Knell and Gabriel Reilich, the creators o...

Night Flyer with Tiya Miles

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do you choose hope when fear feels overwhelming? In her most recent book, “Night Flyer,” Harvard historian and NYT best-selling author Tiya Mi...

Hope for Cynics with Jamil Zaki

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is cynicism getting in the way of our progress? In “Hope for Cynics”, Stanford psychologist Dr. Jamil Zaki, explores how cynicism is keeping us ho...

On Freedom with Timothy Snyder

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What if Americans are thinking about freedom all wrong? Yale historian and New York Times #1 Best-Selling author Timothy Snyder unpacks this question ...

Fair Voting on the Ballot with Deb Otis

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can we improve U.S. elections to ensure that every vote truly counts? Sharon McMahon talks with Deb Otis from FairVote about solutions like propo...

John Lewis a Life with David Greenberg

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How does one man’s commitment to justice and equality change the course of history? David Greenberg takes us through the remarkable life of John Lew...

Revenge of the Tipping Point with Malcolm Gladwell

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What causes certain ideas to catch fire while others fizzle out? Malcolm Gladwell dives into this mystery, reexamining key themes from his groundbreak...

America’s Deadliest Election with Dana Bash

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How did America’s Deadliest Election change the future of democracy? Sharon McMahon is joined by CNN's Dana Bash to discuss a lesser known chapter o...

The Plan with Kendra Adachi

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant juggle of work and life? Always trying to be more productive with the little time you have? Kendra Adachi says the...

Behind the Scenes of The Small and the Mighty, Episode 3

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In our final behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Small and The Mighty, Sharon McMahon shares explains the last stages of the book writing proc...

Behind the Scenes of The Small and the Mighty, Episode 2

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sharon walks down memory lane, laughing over the dozens of book covers she went through before finally settling on THE ONE. From a woman riding a flyi...

Behind the Scenes of The Small and the Mighty, Episode 1

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Curious about the process of writing a book? Sharon takes us behind the scenes of The Small and the Mighty. From securing an agent to selecting the pe...

Disagreeing Better with Utah Governor Spencer Cox

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Amidst a contentious election season and increased political polarization, how can we disagree better? Sharon McMahon sits down with Utah Governor Spe...

Stalin: Man of Steel, Episode 9

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Joseph Stalin, feared by all, now clings to life, isolated and powerless. As his power-hungry rivals fight for control of the Soviet Union, Stalin’s...

Stalin: Man of Steel, Episode 8

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

World War II is over, and Stalin is ready to pick up where Hitler left off. Driven by paranoia, no one is above suspicion, including the wife of his c...

Stalin: Man of Steel, Episode 7

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A deal with the devil. Hitler and Stalin join forces at the start of World War II. But the ultra paranoid Joseph Stalin strangely had a blind spot whe...

Stalin: Man of Steel, Episode 6

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Joseph Stalin had his young daughter fooled. Svetlana had no idea what he was doing to people outside the palace walls, and to her, he was a doting fa...

Stalin: Man of Steel, Episode 5

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Joseph Stalin finally has the power he’s been working decades to achieve. But as the new leader of the Soviet Union, he thinks everyone around him i...

Stalin: Man of Steel, Episode 4

29 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Joseph Stalin’s bank robbing days have earned him a top spot as a Revolutionary, just as things are falling in place for Russia’s government to be...

Stalin: Man of Steel, Episode 3

22 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A new mission, a new identity. Joseph Stalin, using the name Koba, takes on his latest role in the name of the Revolution: bank robber. He still found...

Stalin: Man of Steel, Episode 2

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Joseph Stalin was born the third, but only surviving son, to his parents Keke and Beso. His mother begged God to let him live, and when he did, she to...

Stalin: Man of Steel, Episode 1

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to our newest docuseries on Joseph Stalin. Over the course of this series you will learn how a little mama's boy called Soso became one of the...

Democracy in Retrograde with Sami Sage and Emily Amick

01 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder how you can get involved in your community but in a way that fits your interests and lifestyle? Authors Sami Sage and Emily Amick have the...

The New Happy with Stephanie Harrison

24 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sharon is joined today by author Stephanie Harrison to discuss her international best selling book, New Happy. In this book, Stephanie explores  why ...

In the Shadow of Liberty with Ana Raquel Minian

17 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You hear on the news about immigration chaos in the United States, but what can be done to address the systemic issues, and the very real concerns of ...

Awakening the Spirit of America with Paul Sparrow

10 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you are interested in the 1930s and 1940s, or have wondered how the rapid growth of authoritarianism in today’s political climate mirrors that of...

Too Close to the Flame with Joe Ingle

03 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When you think of prisoners on Death Row, what imagery comes to mind? Author of Too Close to the Flame, Joe Ingle, joins Sharon McMahon to talk about ...