How to Be American
Limited Series • 2 Seasons
The stories that are not in your standard history book.
How to Be American examines the history you thought you know and shares the stories of the immigrants, migrants, and refugees who’ve helped shape the story of America.
S1 Ep1
Join our host Brendan Murphy as he explores how two women, one during 20s and one just a few years ago, navigated the American immigration system and all its pitfalls.
S1 Ep2
Ever wonder how pizza became New York City’s quintessential street food? Get ready to find out as we unveil pizza’s very own immigration story.
S1 Ep3
In this episode we explored how immigrant women fought to gain the right to vote and are still fighting to get seats at the table.
S1 Ep4
Hundreds of sewing machines rattle and hiss—explore the industrial soundscape that shaped the American identities of young factory workers in 1911 with composer Julia Wolfe.
S1 Ep5
Explore the idea of the “immigrant monolith” and uncover the diversity that exists within two distinct immigrant communities on the Lower East Side.
S1 Ep6
Learn about the history of comic books! Explore the origin story of the medium and how superheroes can teach us about American society. We speak with historian Jonathan Gray and freelance writer Alex Simmons.
S2 Ep1
Host Amanda Adler-Brennan talks with baseball historians and stickball players about the significance for city kids in being able to turn city streets and the sides of buildings into their very own “field of dreams”.
S2 Ep2
Imagine that someone came to your house 150 years from now: what would they find? In this episode, we talk to our resident expert of Tenement Curiosities about some of the strangest objects found in 97 and 103 Orchard Street.
S2 Ep3
On our first ever podcast limited-series — How to Be American — the Tenement Museum explores how the notion of “being American” has evolved, in leaps and bounds and glacially-slow shifts, over the course of our nation’s history. We’ll dig deep into the past to learn about the struggles, triumphs and oft-colliding cultures of immigrants to New York City’s fabled Lower East Side, and chat with preeminent historians, chefs and more to help connect the dots to the present day.
For some of us, asking how we fit in to America is part of a daily struggle to survive. For others, it’s a nearly non-existent question. But no matter whether your family has lived in America for six generations or six weeks, How to Be American will make you reconsider what it means to be American.
Brendan Murphy
Season 1
Amanda Adler-Brennan
Season 2
Questions? Let us know at [email protected].