Nation Aug 06 How American English evolved from its British roots How did American English become so distinctly American? On her “In Pursuit of Happiness” podcast, Judy Woodruff sat down with linguists Anne Curzan and Valerie Fridland. They look at how Americans from the very beginning reshaped the English language by…
Nation Jul 24 Jason Epperson on the history found at national parks America's national parks preserve not only the nation's most spectacular landscapes, but also some of its most important history. On Judy Woodruff's podcast, "In Pursuit of Happiness," she spoke with Jason Epperson. He is a podcaster and RV traveler who…
Nation Jul 23 How America's national parks shape our identity What makes America’s National Parks so special? In this episode of “In Pursuit of Happiness,” Judy Woodruff talks with longtime RV traveler and public lands podcaster Jason Epperson to explore the remarkable history of the National Park System and the…
Arts Jul 09 What political satire can reveal about the strength of a democracy Satire plays a powerful role in challenging authority, exposing hypocrisy and testing the boundaries of free expression. It's among the forces Judy Woodruff explores in the podcast, “In Pursuit of Happiness.” She sat down with The Onion Network’s Joshua Johnson…
Nation Jul 09 How satire shaped American history From Benjamin Franklin to The Onion, satire has long been a part of how Americans process politics and power. In this episode of “In Pursuit of Happiness,” Judy Woodruff talks to Sophia McClennen of Penn State University and Joshua Johnson…
Nation Jul 02 A look at America's founding from the room where independence was declared In July of 1776, the Second Continental Congress officially voted to sever political ties with Great Britain and declare independence. In this week celebrating 250 years since the founding of the nation, and just ahead of Independence Day, Judy Woodruff…
Arts Jun 24 Walter Isaacson on what he calls 'The Greatest Sentence Ever Written' Ahead of America's 250th anniversary, author Walter Isaacson has turned his attention to a single sentence in the Declaration of Independence. Judy Woodruff spoke with Isaacson about the enduring power of those words and his new book, "The Greatest Sentence…
Nation Apr 15 Why the spirit of volunteering is a defining part of America's identity Before the United States was founded, the idea of volunteering was well underway in the colonies. Now, Americans consistently donate more of their time than citizens of any other country. Judy Woodruff explores how the idea took root and why…
Nation Mar 18 Americans divided on nation's history as 250th anniversary nears Deep divisions over how Americans remember their past are coming into sharper focus as the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Judy Woodruff reports for her series, America at a Crossroads.
Nation Jan 11 Highlights from PBS News Weekend as show goes off the air This Sunday is the final broadcast of PBS News Weekend, at least for the foreseeable future. PBS cancelled the show due to the loss of federal funding for public media. As our team signs off the air, anchor John Yang…