The Democrat Who Challenged FDR’s Supreme Court Plan

Our American Stories

iHeartPodcasts

Society & Culture, Documentary

4.3 • 737 Ratings

🗓️ 4 August 2025

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced a plan to expand the U.S. Supreme Court and shift its balance in favor of his New Deal legislation. The idea gained support...until a fellow Democrat pushed back. Hatton Sumners, a Texas congressman and New Deal ally, believed that court packing would harm the Constitution more than it would help the country. His decision to oppose FDR came at a political cost, but it helped preserve the structure of the Court. Historian Josiah Daniel shares the story of one man who stood on principle—and why the Court still has nine justices today.

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0:00.0	This is an I-Heart podcast.
0:04.0	I also want to address the Tonys.
0:07.9	On a recent episode of Checking Game with Michelle Williams,
0:11.4	I open up about feeling snubbed by the Tony Awards.
0:14.9	Do I?
0:15.7	I was never mad.
0:17.8	I was disappointed because I had high hopes.
0:21.1	To hear this and more on disappointment and protecting your peace, listen to checking in with
0:26.2	Michelle Williams from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,
0:32.2	or wherever you get your podcasts.
0:35.5	Welcome to Pretty Private with Ebeney, the podcast where silence is broken and
0:40.9	stories are set free. I'm Ebeney and every Tuesday I'll be sharing all new anonymous
0:46.5	stories that would challenge your perceptions and give you new insight on the people around you.
0:52.2	Every Tuesday, make sure you listen to Pretty Private from the
0:55.6	Black Effect Podcast Network. Tune in on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
1:01.7	listen to your favorite shows. Your entire identity has been fabricated. Your beloved brother
1:07.6	goes missing without a trace. You discover the depths of your mother's illness.
1:12.6	I'm Danny Shapiro, and these are just a few of the powerful stories I'll be mining on our upcoming 12th season of Family Secrets.
1:21.1	We continue to be moved and inspired by our guests and their courageously told stories.
1:27.4	Listen to Family Secrets Season 12 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
1:34.5	From tips for healthy living to the latest medical breakthroughs, WebMD's Health Discovered podcast keeps you up to date on today's most important health issues.
1:43.9	Through in-depth conversations with experts from across the health care community,
	...

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