Love Unsung History? Leave a Review!

Vaneesa Cook

Vaneesa Cook Profile Photo

I have a PhD in US history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and I have been creating indexes and editing as a freelancer since 2017.

My own writing has appeared in journals and magazines such as Religion & American Culture, The Oxford University Press Encyclopedia, Aeon, Raritan, Sojourners, The Washington Post, No Depression, The LA Review of Books, and Dissent.

I have also published two nonfiction books: Spiritual Socialists (2019) and Empire & Liberty: The Tied Histories of Two American Landmarks (2026).

The Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building
225
June 15, 2026

The Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building

The Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building loom large in the American imagination, symbolizing the conflicting ideas of liberty and empire; their meanings and characters have shifted over time as the American ethos has shifted. Joining me in this episode is writer, historian, and freelance editor, Dr. Vaneesa Cook, author of Empire and Liberty: The Tied Histories of Two American Landmarks. Our theme song is “Frogs Legs Rag,” composed by James Scott and performed by Kevin MacLeod, ...
Guest: Vaneesa Cook
Listen to the Episode