On April 30, 1789, George Washington delivered the first inaugural address. As leader of a fragile new government, he wanted to convey his determination to make the American experiment a success. The speech wasn’t mandated, but it became a tradition for every incoming president to use the inaugural address to set the tone for their term. On Monday, the nation will hear the 60th inaugural address — President-elect Donald Trump’s second. Barbara Perry is the co-director of the Presidential Oral History Program at the University of Virginia‘s Miller Center. She joins Soledad O’Brien to highlight important moments in inaugural history and explain how some previous speeches could be a guide for the newly elected president.
President-elect Donald Trump plans to sign a slate of executive orders on his first day back in the office. On immigration, he promised to execute the “largest mass deportation in American history.” With an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S., the cost of a one-time mass deportation operation could be over $300 billion. This wouldn’t be the first mass deportation in the country. In the 1930s, more than one million people of Mexican descent were removed in what were called “repatriation drives.” Correspondent Dina Demetrius travels to a Detroit neighborhood called Mexicantown to see what history tells us about the economic toll of deportations in America.
This week Matter of Fact examines why mass deportations in history took a toll the nation’s economy, including the job market and Americans’ wages. Plus, how a president’s inaugural address sets the tone for their term. And, California residents struggle to find affordable homeowners’ insurance amid the threat of wildfires.
On July 16, 1945, America’s first nuclear weapons test took place at the Alamogordo Bombing Range in New Mexico. About 35 miles away from the site, residents in the town of Tularosa not only felt the reverberations of the blast but would deal with the health impacts of living downwind of a nuclear explosion for decades to come. Many community members suffered varying levels of radiation exposure, now linked to certain kinds of cancer. Nearly 80 years later, they are still fighting for health care assistance and seeking accountability from the government. Special correspondent Joie Chen traveled to southern New Mexico to hear their story.
This week Matter of Fact travels to Southern New Mexico to hear from residents living with the impacts of America’s first nuclear weapons test. Plus, university programs address a shortage of rural veterinarians. And, how an all-female army battalion delivered millions of pieces of mail to American soldiers during WWII.
This week Matter of Fact travels to Michigan where small businesses owners are finding solutions to lower health care costs. Plus, an expert on presidential transitions breaks down the process. And, we travel to James Madison’s Montpelier estate to learn how archaeologists are digging to uncover the history of the people buried there.
This week Matter of Fact celebrates the holidays. An award-winning chef “decolonizes food” with a menu inspired by his indigenous roots. Plus, the story of America’s first two Black generals is now being told in full. And, a Library of Congress exhibit focuses on what we have in common.
Fawn Weaver loves to tell fascinating stories. The first time we met her, she was researching the history of Nathan “Nearest” Green – the former slave who taught Jack Daniel how to distill whiskey. That interest turned into the creation of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, which she co-founded in 2017. Now, Weaver is the first African American woman to head a major spirits brand, and Uncle Nearest is a billion-dollar business. Soledad O’Brien traveled to Shelbyville, Tennessee to talk to Weaver about the company’s mission to restore a legacy and increase diversity in the spirits industry.