Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street

Democracy can be messy. Americans share many common values and ideals, but views on how that works out in the democratic process and in public policy can vary widely. In this episode, you'll hear stor...

18 Okt 202331min

Coming soon! What does "democracy" mean to you? As Election Day 2023 nears and the 2024 presidential campaign is already a daily news story, it is important to reflect on the ties that bind us togethe...

4 Okt 20232min

Is rural America endangered, thriving, or just scraping by? The answer depends on who you ask and where you ask. As we finish our mini-series on change in rural communities, we're exploring the challe...

20 Sep 202332min

Rural America has always been more nuanced and diverse than you often see in popular depictions. People have always experienced rural America in different ways -- for better or worse -- and their expe...

6 Sep 202332min

Listen in as rural Americans talk about the work -- creative, unique, and sometimes exhausting -- they do. It's a revealing look at how work helps form the backbone of American society, no matter wher...

23 Aug 202329min

Welcome back to the Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street podcast! The stereotypical view of rural America is that life is quiet, people all think the same, there's not much fun stuff to do, and ther...

15 Aug 20232min

Our waterways are one of our most precious shared resources. But in some places, we risk losing them to pollution, climate change, or overuse. In this episode, we hear from folks around the country ta...

13 Nov 202024min

We sometimes take for granted that we humans have figured out how to swim and dive, and travel across great bodies of water on boats. But it is really quite amazing when you think about it. In this ep...

30 Okt 202024min