Throughline podcast

Throughline

·

  NPR  

Throughline is a time machine. Each episode, we travel beyond the headlines to answer the question, "How did we get here?" We use sound and stories to bring history to life and put you into the middle of it. From ancient civilizations to forgotten figures, we take you directly to the moments that shaped our world. Throughline is hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalists Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei.Subscribe to Throughline+. You'll be supporting the history-reframing, perspective-shifting, time-warping stories you can't get enough of - and you'll unlock access bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org/throughline

Throughline is a time machine. Each episode, we travel beyond the headlines to answer the question, "How did we get here?" We use sound and stories to bring history to life and put you into the middle of it. From ancient civilizations to forgotten figures, we take you directly to the moments that shaped our world. Throughline is hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalists Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei.Subscribe to Throughline+. You'll be supporting the history-reframing, perspective-shifting, time-warping stories you can't get enough of - and you'll unlock access bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org/throughline

 

#415

What the banana tells us about US history

What do bananas have to do with American history? On this week’s episode, how the sweet fr... more

21 hrs Ago

14 MINS

14:35

21 hrs Ago


#414

How Saudi Arabia shaped Silicon Valley

Elon Musk. Donald Trump. Bill Gates. Sam Altman. Larry Ellison. Alex Karp.  Jared Kushner.... more

26 Mar 2026

49 MINS

49:39

26 Mar 2026


#413

The Ojibwe Nation

In the face of United States westward expansion in the 19th century, Native people fought ... more

24 Mar 2026

16 MINS

16:46

24 Mar 2026


#412

Why is Cuba in crisis?

Cuba is on the brink of collapse – a scenario that 13 U.S. presidents have tried to engine... more

19 Mar 2026

48 MINS

48:13

19 Mar 2026


#411

The confederates who left the USA

After the Civil War, while America was rebuilding itself, some Southerners made a differen... more

17 Mar 2026

17 MINS

17:05

17 Mar 2026


#410

3 key moments that led to the U.S.-Iran war

Military confrontations, early-morning attacks, and digital warfare: the story of Iran and... more

12 Mar 2026

48 MINS

48:06

12 Mar 2026


#409

Everyone should have a voice

The story of Frederick Douglass’s fight for universal suffrage from the Civil War to the r... more

10 Mar 2026

22 MINS

22:09

10 Mar 2026


#408

Iran and the Jewish people: An alliance before war

Israel and Iran have been in almost constant conflict for nearly 50 years. Media tends to ... more

05 Mar 2026

51 MINS

51:32

05 Mar 2026


#407

We the People, Redefined

When the 14th amendment was ratified after the Civil War, it redefined what it meant to be... more

03 Mar 2026

18 MINS

18:59

03 Mar 2026


#406

Why Super PACs have more power than ever in elections

What’s one thing people across the U.S. can agree on? Hint – it’s about money. Voters from... more

26 Feb 2026

50 MINS

50:11

26 Feb 2026


#405

How the Civil War changed how we vote

When President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in the middle of the C... more

24 Feb 2026

16 MINS

16:23

24 Feb 2026


#404

Who profits from migrant detention?

The U.S. immigration detention system is spread out across federal facilities, private pri... more

19 Feb 2026

50 MINS

50:08

19 Feb 2026


#403

The lasting legacy of the slave patrols

To this day, America continues to grapple with the legacy of slavery. On this week’s episo... more

17 Feb 2026

16 MINS

16:40

17 Feb 2026


#402

How Bad Bunny took Puerto Rican independence mainstream

How Bad Bunny became the global voice of a generation in crisis — and what it means when r... more

12 Feb 2026

48 MINS

48:50

12 Feb 2026


#401

The right to free speech

Freedom of the press. The right to assembly. And the right to free speech. The first amend... more

10 Feb 2026

21 MINS

21:19

10 Feb 2026