Today America celebrates the forty-three men who have thus far assumed the nation's highest office - but Presidents’ Day was first established in 1885 to celebrate the birthday of only one: George Washington. Turns out, he would have disapproved of all that fanfare.
On today’s show, from mountainside monuments to commemorative sandwiches, we'll explore the sometimes bewildering ways America remembers its dead presidents.
Also a look at some of the contenders for the Grammy awards airing tonight.
Listen to the full show:
Dead Presidents
In his new book Dead Presidents, author and NHPR Weekend Edition host Brady Carlson is an exuberant guide to presidential wishes, myths and monuments -- both official and forgotten -- and what dead presidents reveal about ourselves, our history, and how we imagine our past and future.
Brady will be at several events around New England to promote the book.
February 16th - 7:00pm
Water Street Bookstore - Exeter, NH | Book signing
February 17th - 7:00pm
Harvard Book Store - Cambridge, MA | Book signing
February 18th - 7:00pm
Barnes & Noble Fox Run Crossing - Newington, NH | Book signing
Click this link for information on other appearances in February.
Dancing in the Dark
The late President Richard Nixon will forever be linked to his role in the Watergate scandal, but that is not the only part of his presidency that will end up in the history books. This next piece comes to us from Backstory with the American History Guys - hosts Brian Ballow, Ed Airs, and Peter Onuff looked into the exceptional events that led to President Nixon's historic state visit to China in 1972.
You can listen to this segment again at PRX.org.
Grammy Roundup
Tim Riley, is the author of Lennon: Man, Myth, and Music, and is professor of Journalism at Emerson College.
For a full listing of the nominees, follow this link. 58th Annual Grammy Awards Nominees