New York University professor Michael Gomez teaches a class on the transatlantic slave trade from the 16th century into 19th century. Professor Gomez discusses the countries involved and the methods used in the procurement of slaves, such as raiding and kidnapping. He also discusses the complex history of Africans dealing in the slave trade to pay debts and to punish neighboring factions.

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This is a look at President Eisenhower’s views and actions in the area of civil rights, including the desegregation of the armed forces, his appointments of pro-civil rights Supreme Court justices and the dispatching of the 101st Airborne division to assist in the integration of Little Rock High School in Arkansas.  This discussion was part of a conference titled, “Ike Reconsidered: Lessons from the Eisenhower Legacy for the 21st Century,” co-hosted by Hunter College, City University of New York, the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute & the Eisenhower Foundation.

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Metropolitan State University professor Douglas Rossinow teaches a class on the Iran-Contra affair, which took place in the mid-1980s during the Reagan Administration. The Iran-Contra affair stems from Reagan administration officials funding the Contras - who were fighting against the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua - with money from the sale of arms to Iran. The arms were being sold to Iran in the hope of gaining the release of American hostages held in Lebanon - hence the reason the affair is sometimes called as the “arm-for-hostages” scandal. Metropolitan State University is in St. Paul, Minnesota.

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A look at Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidential leadership, including his policies, political beliefs, speeches, style and legacy.  This discussion was part of a conference titled, “Ike Reconsidered: Lessons from the Eisenhower Legacy for the 21st Century” co-hosted by Hunter College, City University of New York, the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute & the Eisenhower Foundation.

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In this program, Georgetown University professor Michael Kazin teaches a class on 1920s culture and society. He discusses Prohibition and the exploits of the gangster Al Capone, who eventually went to prison on tax evasion charges. Professor Kazin also talks about the motion picture industry and the new production codes that sought to tamp down on sexuality in films. In addition, he addresses the 1925 Scopes Trial, in which a high school teacher faced charges of unlawfully teaching evolution in a state-funded school. Georgetown University is in Washington, DC.

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Henry Wiencek -- author of “An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America” and “Master of the Mountain: Thomas Jefferson and His Slaves” -- compares Washington and Jefferson on the divisive issue of slavery, in their private views, public words and actions. This event took place at the Kansas City Public Library in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Peter Hannaford is the author of "Presidential Retreats: Where the Presidents Went and Why They Went There." He spoke at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library about the getaways that have offered the nation's chief executives solace, recreation and privacy.   

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June 10th marks the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s commencement address at American University, when he called for high-level negotiations with the Soviet Union, a nuclear test ban treaty and an end to the Cold War.  This is a conversation with two veteran journalists, Tom Brokaw and Nick Clooney, on the Kennedy presidency and the significance of his “Peace Speech.”  This program is hosted by American University’s School of Communication and the Newseum, which is featuring two new exhibits on the Kennedy presidency – “Three Shots Were Fired” and "Creating Camelot".

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Presidential historian Richard Norton Smith moderates a panel on the influence of first ladies within the White House and on their fellow Americans. From Martha Washington to Michelle Obama, panelists explore how these women have defined their position and they look at the evolving public perception of their role. This discussion was part of a conference held at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was the fourth in a series of gatherings dedicated to the legacies of America’s first ladies. 

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Two of Betty Ford's four children -- Susan Ford Bales and Steve Ford -- remember her as a wife, mother and first lady. They offer a family perspective on their parents' marriage and their own upbringing as well as the difficulties of their mother's alcohol and prescription drug addictions -- and their pride in how she overcame those addictions and eventually helped others. This conversation was part of a conference held at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was the fourth such gathering focusing on the legacies of America's first ladies. The previous events were in Texas at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, the George Bush Presidential Library and the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

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