History

Prior to World War I, Nevada’s Douglas County adopted an ordinance that prohibited Native Americans from being in the towns of Minden or Gardnerville after sunset — at the risk of jail time or worse.

Today, Moscow’s brief history as a probable sundown town seems a continent away. The northern Idaho town of 25,000 saw multiple racial justice protests last year. Black Lives Matter signs line the windows of Moscow’s downtown restaurants and cafes. But some people of color still feel uneasy here.

Sundown towns once drove out people of color or prohibited them from living within city limits. This practice started in the late 19th century, but the impact continues today. In Colorado, Chinese immigrants flocked to the state to find gold. They were tolerated in some mining camps and run out of others.

An interview with Blaine Harden, author of Murder at the Mission: A Frontier Killing, its Legacy of Lies, and the Taking of the American West. The book examines the cost of American expansionism, and the problems that arise when history is only told by the victors.

Note: This is an encore edition of our program. The original episode aired in July 2020.Daniel Okrent’s The Guarded Gate tells the chilling story of how…

Note: This is an encore edition of our program. The original episode aired July 2020. Daniel Okrent’s The Guarded Gate tells the chilling story of how…

Note: This is an encore edition of our program. This episode first aired in December 2019.In 1992, the United States stood at the pinnacle of world power…

In 1992, the United States stood at the pinnacle of world power and Americans were confident that a new era of peace and prosperity was at hand. 25 years…

What makes a good subject of a great book, fiction or nonfiction? And are we indeed living in a "golden age of historical fiction," as the New York Times essayist Megan O’Grady penned?

The Idaho Traveler explores the often ignored treasures of small-town Idaho, from historic buildings and sites to the mom-and-pop restaurants that offer the best pie and breakfast in the Gem State.