Hey EarBuds Readers,
Our newsletter delivers 5 podcast episodes around a central theme, and each week is curated by someone new (you can curate a list here). This week, our curator is Spencer Ford, host of a new show called History For The Reckoning. Before we jump in, some notes and links…
-Arielle Nissenblatt, EarBuds Founder
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Podcasts Examining Japanese American Incarceration During World War II
These podcast episodes, along with their descriptions, were curated and written by Spencer Ford.
History For The Reckoning
History For The Reckoning is a podcast in which each season is a deep dive into an uncomfortable piece of history, beginning with a series dedicated to Japanese American incarceration during WWII.
The first episode is a great primer for the entire story, as famed actor George Takei, who was incarcerated along with his family, shares his personal and family experiences, from Pearl Harbor to the Redress Movement.
Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order
Burn Order is a very well-produced, almost cinematic take on the history of Japanese American incarceration.
This episode gets into the injustices and government missteps of the time just before the establishment of the camps, the process known now as Forced Removal, that ended with 127,000+ people incarcerated simply for their ancestry.
Campu
Campu is a podcast put out by Densho (an incredible organization archiving Japanese American history), that covers life in all the concentration camps. It's tightly edited with survivor testimony driving the narrative.
I love this episode that dives into how essential something so mundane as sanitation can be in a makeshift camp thrown up to house thousands of people.
Look To The Mountain
Look to the Mountain is a podcast dedicated to the history of Heart Mountain, the concentration camp located near Cody, Wyoming. They do an excellent job painting a picture of life there, while bringing out the many exciting and controversial events that took place within that barbed wire.
In this episode, they detail (just some of) the many ways in which those incarcerated there made the best of their situation, most notably through art.
Scapegoat Cities
Eric Muller is a scholar of incarceration history who has created a podcast that takes the time to zero in on more specific periods of history.
This episode explores the act of protest during the time of Japanese American incarceration during WWII — namely by refusing to sign up for the draft. This act of courage and defiance would have long-lasting effects for both these young men (as almost all of them were men) and their community.
This Wartime Incarceration of Japanese and Japanese Americans is, in my opinion, the greatest untold civil rights story in American history. But it's not untold for lack of trying! There are some excellent podcasts that help us learn about the history, stories, and experiences of the over 170,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans who were forced from their homes, locked up, and who have sought redress and healing in the decades since.
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Community
💙 In Podcast The Newsletter, Lauren Passell writes… “I love Leslie Thompson’s work on Niche To Meet You (mini documentaries about subcultures and hobbies) but her recent episode is my favorite thing she has ever done.”
📣 Dust and Dispatches is an immersive history podcast that explores yesterday with an eye on today. This season, we tell the stories of real people who started new lives in the American West after the Civil War.
📖 What does it mean to co-create memoirs with your podcast guests? Jessica Lin explores for the EarBuds blog.
♻️ When you see an episode in your favorite podcast’s feed that’s being re-aired or recycled, do you listen? Sure, it depends. But on what? Read the latest from Podcasts We Text About.
Spotlight Podcast
This is the spot where you’d usually see our Spotlight Podcast. Uh oh! We don’t have one this week. Which gives you an opportunity. See below.
Thanks for reading. Let us know if you’ll check out any of the podcasts we shared📧
ICYMI: we have spin off topic newsletters — delivering podcast recommendations on themes such as sports, comedy, true crime, history, and more. Choose a topic and subscribe here.
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Podcast news from Podnews
With all the excitement about video podcasting, you’d be forgiven for thinking that podcast consumption is now video-first. New U.S. data released by Triton Digital says that it isn’t: only 7% of people exclusively watch podcasts; 80% of podcast listeners both watch and listen. The data is part of Triton Digital’s 2025 Podcast Report, which is a free (with registration) download.
The Ambies have announced that Kara Swisher will receive the Governors Award, recognizing meaningful contributions to the growth of podcasting. TPA will also posthumously honor Reggie Ossé with the Impact Award, celebrating his lasting influence on cultural storytelling and the evolution of the medium.
Apple Podcasts has changed its terms of service. Except for adding the word “video” in there, there’s nothing significant in our opinion - we’ve detailed all the changes.
