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Artwork for Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast

Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast

Alycia Asai
Civil War
Reconstruction
Gilded Age
Ulysses S. Grant
Rutherford B. Hayes
Andrew Johnson
Women's History
Women's Suffrage
American Revolution
Feminism
Reconstruction Era
Modoc War
Yellow Fever Epidemic Of 1878
Ku Klux Klan
Nez Perce War
Women's Rights
U.S. Government
Memphis, Tennessee
Great Railroad Strike Of 1877
California

Civics & Coffee delivers bite-sized U.S. history with clear, engaging storytelling — all in the time it takes to drink your morning cup of coffee. Host Alycia brings America’s past to life with well-researched episodes that are approachable, human, and impossible to forget.

In 2026, Civics & Coffee dives into the Gilded Age - a transformative era of booming industry, powerful presidents, labor up... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes343Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryGovernment

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Artwork for Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast

Latest Episodes

Join me this week as I conclude my coverage of the Commodore and Railroad King, Cornelius Vanderbilt. Learn how Vanderbilt aided the Union during the Civil War by offering his steamships and how he got into the industry that sear his name into the mi... more

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Sitting down with me this week is Dr. Nancy Bernhard. She is a historian who recently published her first historical novel The Double Standard Sporting House which explores the women of a high class brothel in Gilded Age New York - and one woman in p... more

YouTube

Known as the Commodore and the King of the Rail, Cornelius Vanderbilt is one of the most famous men in American history. Born of meager means, Vanderbilt built several empires, mastering the sea and the rail. Join me as I start exploring the life and... more

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Join me as I sit down with Dr. Robert May to discuss his latest book Debunking the Yule Log Myth: The Disturbing History of a Plantation Legend. In this episode we discuss Dr. May's approach to history, his decision to tackle the Yule Log myth , incl... more

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Recent Guests

Nancy Bernhard
Historian of journalism, author of The Double Standard Sporting House
Self-employed / Author
Episode: Women's Secrets: The Double Standard Sporting House with Dr. Nancy Bernhard
Dr. Robert May
Professor in the History of the American South, Purdue University
Purdue University
Episode: History Detective: Debunking the Yule Log Myth with Dr. Robert May
Dr. Austin McCoy
Assistant Professor of History at West Virginia University
West Virginia University
Episode: Revolutionary Sound: Dr. Austin McCoy on Living in a D.A.I.S.Y. Age
Shannon McKenna Schmidt
Author of You Can't Catch Us; journalist and historian
Author; National Geographic Traveler; history.com
Episode: The Whistle Stop: Shannon McKenna Schmidt on You Can't Catch Us
Elizabeth Block
Art and culture historian, senior editor in the Publications and Editorial Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Episode: The Power of the Dress: Dr. Elizabeth Block on Gilded Age Fashion
Heather Ann Thompson
Historian; Pulitzer Prize and Bancroft Prize-winning author
University affiliations and History Studio; author of Fear and Fury
Episode: Misplaced Rage: Fear and Fury with Heather Ann Thompson
John Garrison Marks
Historian and writer exploring race, slavery, and public memory in U.S. history
Author of Thy Will Be Done
Episode: Complicated Legacies: Thy Will Be Done with John Garrison Marks
Alyson Richman
Painter and author of The Missing Pages, The Lost Wife, The Thread Collector
Episode: Grief, Love, and Connection: The Missing Pages with Alyson Richman
Charles Ferguson
Historian and author, author of Presidential Seclusion
Author, Presidential Seclusion
Episode: History Makers: Presidential Seclusion with Charles Ferguson

Host

Alycia
Host of Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 117 ratings
  • 10/10 pod

    I would give my right kidney to meet Alisha for coffee in real life (in my mind we are best friends). I love starting my morning with her and her little bits of history!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lilly Zinnecker
    United States3 months ago
  • BEST history podcast out there!

    I totally get it if you dreaded going to social studies in high school— maybe it felt boring or you didn’t understand why you had to learn about the past. This podcast will CHANGE your mind about what you think you know about history.

    Alycia is an absolute master storyteller, & she has a special ability to cover difficult topics with enough detail to draw you in, but make you want more. I absolutely LOVE the small bite-sized episodes, as they’re so interesting without being overwhelming. Highl... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Zephoral
    United States5 months ago
  • Fantastic History Podcast!

    Alycia is such an engaging host and clearly passionate about what she talks about. I love how she brings history to life through her conversations. Her guests are always wonderful, and every episode leaves me learning something new!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    HistorywithHolley
    United States7 months ago
  • Dr Anita Chan on her book about predatory Eugenics

    Worst presentation of excellent information ever, I’m sorry to say. 4 stars for importance of work & 1 star for presentation quality. Dr. Chan’s rate of speech is horribly fast! Her over-use of academic or professional jargon, unwaveringly flat tone, and never stopping to take a breath or modulate left me with knots in my stomach. The interviewer asked only very few questions because the avalanche-sized quantity of verbiage that followed each question did not allow 2-way discussion. I didn’t kno... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    alcornell
    United States10 months ago
  • Memphis Massacre

    Another event my history teacher failed to mentioned! Thank you Alycia for the work you do. It’s so important, especially today. As always, this one was again relevant to today!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jen Pennoyer
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Gorgeous production and strong guest choices; episodes feel like a PBS audio feature in miniaturized form.
Guests consistently bring valuable depth, making complex topics accessible and memorable.
Some feedback notes pacing or delivery when a guest speaks very quickly; overall quality remains high.
Listeners praise the host for engaging storytelling and concise, bite-sized history lessons.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

History Detective: Debunking the Yule Log Myth with Dr. Robert May
Q: What is the Yule Log Myth and what prompted you to investigate it?
It's a legend claiming enslaved people had a long Christmas holiday tied to a Yule log that burned for days or weeks; I investigated because I found the evidence for it before the Civil War to be sparse and poorly documented, and I wanted to test whether the story held up under careful scrutiny.
Women's Secrets: The Double Standard Sporting House with Dr. Nancy Bernhard
Q: How did you decide to write a fictional tale about greed, prostitution, and women in Gilded Age New York?
Bernhard describes a personal curiosity sparked by her grandmother's stories and years of research, leading to a historically grounded yet fictional narrative about a madam who uses her position to support a women's clinic, illustrating how poverty and gender norms pushed women into the sex trade and how journalism influenced public perception.
Revolutionary Sound: Dr. Austin McCoy on Living in a D.A.I.S.Y. Age
Q: How did De La Soul approach fame and the music industry in subsequent years?
McCoy discusses the tensions around authenticity, the struggle with marketing expectations, and their decision to kill off the daisy aesthetic on De La Soul Is Dead, signaling a move toward more mature and socially aware themes.
Revolutionary Sound: Dr. Austin McCoy on Living in a D.A.I.S.Y. Age
Q: What makes Three Feet High Rising so influential in rap history?
The host outlines how the album integrated a collage-like sampling approach, whimsical yet meaningful skits, and a bright sonic palette that expanded the possibilities of what rap could be, influencing later artists and the concept album format.
Revolutionary Sound: Dr. Austin McCoy on Living in a D.A.I.S.Y. Age
Q: Who was De La Soul and what inspired your research into the group?
The guest explains how De La Soul originated on Long Island in the mid- to late-1980s, their early sound and image, and how their evolution—from the bright, eclectic Three Feet High and Rising to the darker De La Soul Is Dead—shaped his scholarly interest in hip hop, labor, race, and culture.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast

What is Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Bite-sized history episodes centered on the Gilded Age, labor movements, immigration, and public memory. Listeners can expect accessible storytelling that connects presidential power, industrial titans, worker uprisings, and social reform to today's conversations about democracy and inequality. The show tends to feature historians and authors as guests, with a friendly, interview-driven format that makes complex topics understandable in short listening sessions. A notable strength is how it blends vivid narrative with archival context, often highlighting under-told events like Exoduster migration or the Great Railroad Strike to illuminate broader historical themes.

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Which podcasts are similar to Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast:

1. Ben Franklin's World
2. Conspirituality
3. This Day (An America 250 History Show)
4. The History Chicks : A Women's History Podcast
5. Stuff You Missed in History Class

How many episodes of Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast are there?

Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast launched 6 years ago and published 343 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast?

Recent guests on Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast include:

1. Nancy Bernhard
2. Dr. Robert May
3. Dr. Austin McCoy
4. Shannon McKenna Schmidt
5. Elizabeth Block
6. Heather Ann Thompson
7. John Garrison Marks
8. Alyson Richman

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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