You're listening to an Airwave Media podcast.

Hey everyone. You know, when we started this history podcast back in 2012, it was for several reasons.

But first and foremost, it was because we thought the story of the Civil War and Reconstruction is an important one that deserves to be

told. And at the time, back in 2012, there weren't really any other podcasts that were narrative

histories of the Civil War era and reconstruction years. And so we set out to tell that story. And we've always intended to cover both

the Civil War and Reconstruction, because to us, it's all really one story. And we wanted to tell

that story because, well, it's fascinating and dramatic, and the stakes involved were unbelievably high with both the war and with reconstruction.

But we've always believed it's an important story to tell, not just for its entertainment value.

Although it does have that in spades, I mean, everyone loves a good story,

and this is a great story. But the story of the Civil War and Reconstruction is also an

important one because it's illuminating and educational. Our goal with the podcast from the very beginning has been twofold.

One, we hoped that people would enjoy listening to us, and two, we hoped that listeners

would learn something from it.

And not just learn something about the Civil War era and reconstruction years, but also come to have a

better understanding of the nation, the society that we live in today as Americans.

Well, you've heard the old saying that those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.

Well, there's a lot of truth in that claim, especially when you look

at how a nation, a people, a society, works together for the common good, and how they try to find

solutions to the problems and the challenges they face as they work toward that goal.

And as history podcasters who are telling the story of the Civil War and Reconstruction,

it hasn't escaped our notice, and we hope it hasn't escaped yours,

but it hasn't escaped our notice that many of the issues and challenges and concerns that Americans grappled with

...