The world is changing, and everywhere young people are leading the charge. From the Parkland students leading a massive gun safety movement, to Mari Copney fighting for clean water for her community, to BLM protests around the country arranged and headed by people under the age of 21.
Yet while many seem inspired by these young history makers, others write them off as irresponsible, immature, or uninformed. They are just kids, after all. Everyone knows that young people stand on the sidelines of history, sheltered and coddled by the adults who really make things happen. Well, that’s the story anyway. And it’s one this podcast sets out to change.
Did you know that Frederick Douglass was only sixteen when he stood toe to toe with his enslaver and fought him into submission? Hollywood may have cast the Salem Witch Trials as a love story between a married man and a winsome young woman, but in truth one of the most consequential social changes in America was led by girls ranging from age 9 to 13. In this podcast, we explore how children initiated and shaped historical events we already know about, and we’ll meet a bunch of children whose place in history has largely gone unnoticed.
We’ll also think about why we think about childhood and its cultures the way we do. Why do we assume that kids are innocent — and which kids don’t enjoy that privilege? Why does gym class even exist? Why are there so many creepy kids in horror movies? Why are we fascinated by child prodigies? Come to The Children’s Table to find out!
images above (left to right): children at Vero Beach, 1930, State Library Archives of Florida; pram with radio, United States, 1921, Nationaal Archief; uniformed letter carrier with child in mailbag, 1900, National Postal Museum.
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