250 to 250:137. Norman Rockwell, Narrated by Kahlil Greene

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Norman Rockwell, Narrated by Kahlil Greene

Kahlil Greene, the “Gen-Z Historian,” is a well-known digital educator, Peabody Award winner, and two-time Emmy nominee with an audience of over 50 million views across TikTok, Instagram, and author of “History Can’t Hide” on Substack. Greene profiles illustrator Norman Rockwell, whose beloved images of everyday American life evolved to confront war, civil rights, and the nation's conscience. 

Norman Rockwell was a famous American artist.

• He painted pictures of everyday life.
• His pictures showed families, friends, and communities.
• In 1943, he painted The Four Freedoms.
• These paintings helped raise money during World War II.
• Later, he painted pictures about civil rights and equality.
• He supported equal rights for all Americans.
• He believed people had the right to know what their government was doing.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 6. What is your child's current legal name, date of birth, and place of birt?
• USCIS 100:06. One is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
• USCIS 100:80. / 128:105. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
• USCIS 100:83. / 128:109. During the Cold War, what was one main concern of the United States?
• Read: Who has freedom of speech?
• Write: People who live in America have freedom of speech.

Family Fun:

• Google Arts and Culture:  Norman Rockwell in the age of the Civil Rights Movement
• Learn from Masters: Norman Rockwell: A collection of 337 paintings (HD)
• National Postal Museum: American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell | Norman Rockwell's Art | Rockwell's Four Freedoms
• New York Times: Updating Norman Rockwell’s ‘Four Freedoms’ for a Modern, Diverse America
• Norman Rockwell Museum: Imagining Freedom (virtual exhibition: cost $5)   | Prints (gallery) | YouTube channel | U.S. Naturalization Ceremony at Norman Rockwell Museum
• Roosevelt House: Reimagining the Four Freedoms
• Shawn Greiner: Norman Rockwell's Political Art
• Smart History: Rosie, the Riveter
• Smithsonian Magazine: A 21st-Century Reimagining of Norman Rockwell’s “Four Freedoms”
• Stories Behind Art: More Than Nostalgia: The Hidden Depths of Norman Rockwell’s Art!
• uscitizenpod: Rockwell's Four Freedoms coloring page

250 to 250:136. Edward R. Murrow, Narrated by Scott MacFarlane

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Edward R. Murrow, Narrated by Scott MacFarlane

Scott MacFarlane is Anchor of Scott MacFarlane Reports and Chief Washington Correspondent for MeidasTouch Network. MacFarlane has earned 20 Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards and the Anna Quindlen Award for excellence in journalism from the Child Welfare League of America. Edward R. Murrow was a radio and television newscaster whose unflinching reports set the standard for American broadcast journalism.

Edward R. Murrow was a famous radio and TV news reporter.

• He started working for CBS in 1935.
• During World War II, he reported from London during German bombing attacks.
• His reports helped Americans understand the war.
• After the war, he created a TV news show called See It Now.
• In 1954, he reported on Senator Joseph McCarthy.
• McCarthy accused many Americans of being communists.
• Murrow criticized McCarthy for using fear against people.
• His reports helped Americans question McCarthy's actions.
• Murrow believed reporters should tell the truth, even about powerful people.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:05. Have you ever been a member of, or connected with, any Communist or totalitarian party anywhere in the world?
• USCIS 100:06. One is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
• USCIS 100:83. / 128:109. During the Cold War, what was one main concern of the United States?
• Read: Name one right in the Bill of Rights. 
• Write: Freedom of speech is a right. 

Family Fun:

• Bill of Rights Institute: Edward R. Murrow: In His Own Words lesson plan
• CBS: Harvest of Shame (Murrow's 1960 documentary abdout the condition of farmeworkera)
• CFR: Edward R. Murrow Press Fellowship
• CNN: Who was Edward R. Murrow?
• News Active 3: Good Night and Good Luck...The Story of Edward R. Murrow (1975)
• Magnolia Pictures: Good Night, and Good Luck: Live From Broadway trailer
• Newseum: 'Edward R. Murrow' Video Lesson
• Parker Beverly: NHD Documentary 2019 - Voice of America: Edward R. Murrow
• Retro Report: The Cold War on TV: Joseph McCarthy vs. Edward R. Murrow | Retro Report
• TED-ed: What is McCarthyism? And how did it happen? - Ellen Schrecker
• Tim Weiskel: Edward R. Murrow playlist
• Today in Civil Liberties History: March 9, 1954: Edward R. Murrow Exposes Sen. Joe McCarthy
• uscitizenpod: Edward R. Murrow coloring page
• VOA Learning English News: Edward R Murrow, 1908-1965: Famous Radio/Television Reporter | video

 

250 to 250:135. I.M. Pei, Narrated by Billie Tsien

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: I.M. Pei, Narrated by Billie Tsien

Billie Tsien is a renowned Chinese-American architect, co-founder of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, National Medal of Arts recipient, and lead designer behind the Obama Presidential Center. Tsien profiles architect I.M. Pei, whose bold geometric designs—from the National Gallery's East Wing to the Louvre pyramid—helped define American modernism.

I. M. Pei was a famous American architect.

• He was born in China and moved to the United States to study architecture.
• He designed modern buildings using simple shapes and lines.
• In 1955, he started his own architecture company.
• He designed homes, office buildings, museums, and government buildings.
• His famous buildings include the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston and Dallas City Hall in Texas.
• He designed the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
• He also designed the famous glass pyramid at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
• His buildings helped change the look of modern cities.
• Pei believed that buildings reflect how people live.
• He said, "Architecture is the very mirror of life."

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 4:01. What is your current physical (home) address?
• USCIS 100:53. / 128:67.  What is one promise (two promises) you make when you become a United States citizen?
• USCIS 128:68.   How can people become United States citizens?
• USCIS 128:118. Name one example of an American innovation.
• Read: What U.S. city has the most people? 
• Write: New York is the U.S. city with the most people. 

Family Fun:

• The 60 Minutes Interview: I.M. Pei
• AIISF Immigrant Voices: I.M. Pei’s Angel Island Beginnings
• Archistudent: I. M. Pei: The Architect Who Changed Modern Architecture Forever
• CNBC: Renowned architect I.M. Pei dies at 102, leaves rich legacy of modern design
• China Daily Global: Remembering I.M. Pei in his New York home
• Christie's: I.M. Pei's Home: Art as a Lived Experience
• Biography: I.M. Pei
• I.M. Pei Foundation: Documentary about I.M. Pei's architecture, philosophy and his impact on the world
• Immigrant Hall of Fame: I.M. Pei
• JM Architecture: The Story of I.M. Pei
• NPA: Who Is I. M. Pei? 10 Things to Know
• NPG: In Memoriam: I.M. Pei
• PBS American Masters: I.M. Pei | full documentary
• Showcase: Immortal Designs of I.M. Pei
• Thomas Jefferson's Monticello: July 4, 2006 at Monticello (Naturalization ceremony) with I.M. Pei
• US Moderninst: I.M. Pei
• uscitizenpod: I.M. Pei coloring page

250 to 250:134. Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette, Narrated by Ben Wikler

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette, Narrated by Ben Wikler

Ben Wikler‬ is an American political organizer and New York Times best-selling author who served as the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin from July 2019 to July 2025. Ben’s latest book This Is The Plan: How to End America's Meltdown and Save Democracy is now available. Wikler profiles Robert "Fighting Bob" La Follette, the Wisconsin reformer who battled corporate power and drove some of the Progressive Movement's greatest victories.

Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette wanted the government to help all Americans.

• He worked to protect workers from powerful businesses.
• He was the governor of Wisconsin and a U.S. senator.
• He supported workers’ rights and women’s right to vote.
• He wanted fair taxes and fair elections.
• He believed the government should be open and honest.
• He promoted the Wisconsin Idea, which brought government leaders, workers, and university experts together to solve problems.
• His ideas helped create new laws, including Social Security and the New Deal.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 4:02. Is your current physical address the same as your current mailing address?
• USCIS 100:20. / 128:23. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?
• USCIS 100:23. / 128:29. Name your U.S. Representative.
• USCIS 100:43. / 128:61. Who is the Governor of your state now?
• Read: How many senators do we have? 
• Write: We have 100 senators.   

Family Fun: 

• Dissent: La Follette’s Wisconsin Idea
• JDog Productions, LLC: "Fighting Bob" LaFollette profile
• LOC: La Follette's autobiography; a personal narrative of political experiences
• Lund Travel Adventures: Robert La Follette National Statuary Collection part 97 of 100
• NGA: Gov. Robert M. La Follette
• PBS Wisconsin Education: Belle Case La Follette: Ballots and Bloomers
• The Progressive: The Birth of the Wisconsin Idea
• US Capitol Historical Society: Lessons From the Gilded Age: What Can Be Applied Today? with Dr. Nancy Unger
• US House: LA FOLLETTE, Robert Marion
• US Senate: Robert La Follette: A Featured Biography
• UW: Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
• uscitizenpod: Robert La Follette coloring page

250 to 250:133. Treaty of Portsmouth, Narrated by John Palfrey

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Treaty of Portsmouth, Narrated by John Palfrey

John Palfrey, recognized as one of the Best Leaders in America by U.S. News & World Report, is an American educator, legal scholar, and author who serves as the president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. He is the great-grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering the Treaty of Portsmouth.

From 1904 to 1905, Russia and Japan fought a war over land in East Asia.

• In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt helped the two countries meet for peace talks.
• Russia and Japan signed the Treaty of Portsmouth to end the war.
• In 1906, Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize.
• He was the first American to win this prize.
• Some people disagreed with the award because Roosevelt had supported a war in the Philippines.
• The Nobel committee gave Roosevelt the Peace Prize because he helped end the war.
  

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:10. Have you EVER received any weapons training, paramilitary training, or other military-type training?
• USCIS 100:41. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government.  What is one power of the federal government?
• USCIS 128:58. Name one power that is only for the federal government.
• Read: What are the colors of the flag?
• Write: The colors of the flag are red, white, and blue.  

Family Fun:

• DNA Info: Natural History Museum Unveils $2.5M Restored Teddy Roosevelt Murals | mural photo
• History: Russo-Japanese War
• LOC: Scenes and Incidents, Russo-Japanese Peace Conference, Portsmouth, N.H.
• MHS: President Theodore Roosevelt and the 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth
• Mr. Beat: (The Philippine-American War) The War Your American History Teachers Probably Didn't Tell You About
• National Postal Museum: Gifts of Friendship (dual issue)
• PBS/Ken Burns: Theodore Roosevelt Wins Nobel Peace Prize | lesson plan
• Portsmouth Peace Treaty: Theodore Roosevelt's Nobel Peace Prize | Memorial Cherry Trees
• State: The Treaty of Portsmouth and the Russo-Japanese War, 1904–1905
• uscitizenpod: Portsmouth Treaty 1 | Portsmouth 2 (with TR) | Portsmouth 3 (mural) coloring pages
• VOA News: Washington's Cherry Trees a Symbol of Harmony Between US, Japan

250 to 250:132. Julia Child, Narrated by Jacques Pépin

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Julia Child, Narrated by Jacques Pépin

Jacques Pépin is a legendary chef, culinary educator, PBS television host, and author whose work revolutionized American home cooking. He is best known for starring with his dear friend and fellow icon, Julia Child, in the Emmy-winning TV series Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home. In 2016 he and his family created the Jacques Pépin Foundation, which is dedicated to improving lives through culinary education. Here, Pépin celebrates Julia Child’s enthusiasm for making fine cuisine accessible to all. ‪

Julia Child loved French food.

• She wanted Americans to learn about French cooking.
• She wrote a cookbook called Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
• At first, a publisher said the book was too difficult.
• The book was published in 1961 and became a bestseller.
• In 1962, Julia Child started a TV show called The French Chef.
• The show was on television for 10 years.
• Julia made cooking and baking fun and exciting.
• She taught millions of people how to cook and try new foods.
• She encouraged people to learn from their mistakes in the kitchen.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:08. Have you ever served in the military or were a member on a paramilitary group?
• USCIS 100:53. / 128:67.  What is one promise (two promises) you make when you become a United States citizen?
• USCIS 128:106. Why did the United States enter World War II?
• Read:  When is Thanksgiving? 
• Write: Thanksgiving is in November.  

Family Fun:

• Bio: Julia Child - Journalist & Chef | Mini Bio
• CIA: Julia Child: Cooking Up Spy Ops for OSS
• GBH: Separating Fact vs. Fiction in the Life of Julia Child
• HBO Max: Julia playlist
• Julia Child: Mastering the Art of French Cooking
• Julia Child Foundation: timeline | Boeuf Bourguignon recipe and much more!
• Julia Child on PBS: full episodes
• Leite's Culinaria: Julia Child’s Easy Scrambled Eggs (Great for Kids)
• Monday Mandala: Kitchen Coloring Pages
• NMAH: Julia Child's Kitchen | Behind-the-Scenes: Twenty Years of Julia Child’s Kitchen
• NWHM: Julia Child and the Chemistry of Cooking
• National Postal Museum: Forever Celebrity Chefs: Julia Child single
• PBS: How Julia Child Empowered Women in the Kitchen and Beyond
• PBS Food: The Best of Julia Child playlist
• Sony Pictures: JULIE & JULIA - Official Trailer
• WGBH: The Julia Child Project: The Cold War, France, and the Politics of Food

250 to 250:131. Stamp Act, Narrated by Joanne Freeman

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Stamp Act, Narrated by Joanne Freeman

Dr. Joanne B. Freeman is an award-winning historian, who studies the politics and culture of America's past to better understand our history.  She is Professor of History and American Studies at Yale University. Freeman recounts how the 1765 Stamp Act sparked colonial protests over "taxation without representation" that helped set the stage for revolution.

In 1765, Britain needed money after the French and Indian War.

Britain passed the Stamp Act.

• The law put a tax on printed materials.
• Many colonists believed the tax was unfair.
• They protested against “taxation without representation.”
• Colonial leaders met in New York to discuss their rights.
• Colonists also boycotted British goods.
• In 1766, Britain ended the Stamp Act.
• The protests helped unite the American colonies.
• This helped lead to the American Revolution.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:03. Do you currently owe any overdue Federal, state, or local taxes in the United States?
• USCIS 100:61. Why did the colonists fight the British?
• USCIS 128:70. What is one way Americans can serve their country?
• USCIS 128:71. Why is it important to pay federal taxes?
• USCIS 128:77. Name one reason why the Americans declared independence from Britain.
• Read:  Why do we pay taxes? 
• Write: We pay taxes for the government.  

Family Fun:

• American Battlefields Trust: Stamp Act of 1765
• Gilder Lehrman: Stamp Act, 1765
• JYF Museum: What was the Stamp Act?
• MHS: Stamp Act (1765)
• Michael Zoeller: British Taxes and American Boycotts
• NPS: Anger and Opposition to the Stamp Act
• National Postal Museum: One Minute Wonders: The Stamp Act | Forever Repeal of the Stamp Act single
• PBS and Ken Burns: The American Revolution | How the Stamp Act Lit the Flame of the American Revolution clip
• PBS Learning Media: The Stamp Act: Part 1 | Part 2 
• uscitizenpod: Bostonians Reading the Stamp Act 1765 | Repeal of the Stamp Act 1766 | No Stamp Act Teapot coloring pages

250 to 250:130. Native American Code Talkers, Narrated by Latham Nez

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Native American Code Talkers, Narrated by Latham Nez

Latham Nez is a contemporary Navajo artist, jewelry creator and cultural advocate from New Mexico best known as the grandson of the late Chester Nez, the last surviving member of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers. Nez remembers the Native American Code Talkers, whose Indigenous languages became unbreakable codes that helped win both World Wars.

Native American code talkers served in both World Wars.

• They used their Native languages to send secret messages.
• The enemy could not understand their messages.
• Code talkers came from many Native American tribes.
• Choctaw code talkers served in World War I.

Navajo and Comanche code talkers served in World War II.

• During World War II, Navajo code talkers served in the Pacific. 
• Chester Nez was one of the first 29 Navajo code talkers.
• Comanche code talkers served in the D-Day invasion (Normandy, France).
• Their work helped win the wars.
• Their languages are important parts of Native American life and culture today.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:25. Have you ever served in the U.S. military?
• USCIS 100:53. / 128:67.  What is one promise (two promises) you make when you become a United States citizen?
• USCIS 100:78 / 128:100. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
• USCIS 100:87. / 128:117. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
• Read: Who lived here first? 
• Write: American Indians lived here first.  

Family Fun:

• American Legion National Headquarters: Chester Nez: The Last of the Original Navajo Codetalkers
• LOC: Navajo Code Talkers: A Guide to First-Person Narratives in the Veterans History Project | Chester Nez
• Lowell Milken Center: Meet the Hero: Chester Nez
• NMAI: Why We Serve: Native American in the US Armed Forces: Code Talkers | Code Talking: Intelligence and Bravery | Native American Code Talkers: A Lasting Legacy | NK360: CodeTalkers
• National WWII Museum: American Indian Code Talkers
• National Veterans Memorial and Museum: National Navajo Code Talkers Day
• Partnership with Native Americans: Navajo Code Talkers Day: The Life and Legacy of Chester Nez
• Smithsonian: The Unbreakable Navajo Code | Breaking Barriers: Navajo Code Talkers
• Stamp Our Story: Navajo Code Talkers
• US Mint: Code Talker Medals (Wikipedia collection)
• uscitizenpod: Comanche | Choctaw | Navajo Code Talker coloring pages

250 to 250:129. Hockessin Colored School 107, Narrated by Senator Chris Coons

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Hockessin Colored School 107, Narrated by Senator Chris Coons

Senator Chris Coons of Delaware is an American lawyer and former Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee, who is recognized for his work in legislature and oversight. Coons tells how Shirley Bulah's walk to a segregated school led to a Delaware ruling that helped pave the way for Brown v. Board of Education. 

Shirley Bulah was a Black student in Delaware.

• She walked to a Black school every day.
• School buses took white children to a white school.
• Shirley’s family wanted her to have equal treatment.
• Lawyer Louis Redding helped the family.
• He fought against separate schools for Black and white children.
• In 1952, a Delaware court ruled in favor of Shirley and other Black students.
• The Delaware case later became part of Brown v. Board of Education.
• In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
• The decision helped open public schools to students of all races.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz: 

• N-400 Part 9:7. Have you EVER ordered, incited, called for, committed, assisted, helped with, or otherwise participated in intentional harm or suffering to any person becaue of their race, religion, national origin, membership in a particular group, or political opinion?
• 100:84 / 128:112.   What did the civil rights movement do?
• Read: Why do people want to be citizens?  
• Write: Washington was the first U.S. president. 

Family Fun:

• 107c: The One-Room School That Helped Change America
• Avalon: Interview with Louis L. Redding
• DPM: New monument commemorates Delaware's role in Brown v. Board of Education
• Delaware Dept of Ed: From RunaRound to Remedy (or Bulah to Brown) (lesson plan)
• Delaware Hisorical Society: Journey to Freedom: The African American Experience in Delaware | Belton and Bulah VS. Gebhart: The Fight to End School Segregation in DE
• NAAHC: Separate Is Not Equal - Brown v. Board of Education: Shirley Bulah
• NPS: Belton (Bulah) v. Gebhart | Oral History Interview with Shirley Bulah Stamps
• National Trust for the Preservation of Historic Place: How Black Women Changed the Face of Education in America
• VOA Learning English: Brown v. Board of Education Helps Launch Civil Rights Movement
• Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice: The Journey: From Shirley Bulah to Ruby Bridges
• uscitizenpod: Shirley Bulah | Public Education coloring pages
• WHYY: Delaware schools that helped end segregation are now part of a national historic park