I mean the attitude, not the hair. Dr. Joanne Freeman is not in the least frizzy-haired. But spend a few minutes on one of her YouTube Channels–A Few Thoughts for Those Who Can’t Sleep; History Matters (and so does Coffee); or my favorite, with Heather Cox Richardson, What the Heck Just Happened–and you’ll see what I mean.
That big laugh. That scoop-you-in enthusiasm. And while she doesn’t own a pet lizard like the famous Magic School Bus teacher, Joanne does have Rosie the Resistance Bird, the parakeet whose occasional shrieks feature prominently on her podcasts.
Professor of U.S. History and American Studies at Yale (and rated as one of “the top young historians” way back in 2005), Joanne is very serious about teaching the facts about our nation’s founding…and even more serious about the power of community.
But almost every pod I’ve seen of her, she’s giggling. Or crowing, “LIVE!” (then laughing at her own glee). If what you need in these days of constant heartache and gut-wrenching worry about our vulnerable fellow Americans, environment, and democracy is a reminder of the “power of We”…Joanne Freeman is your woman.
Aside from her piercing insights on things like the role of white supremacy in our nation’s current shitshow state, and her abiding love for Alexander Hamilton, my favorite thing about Joanne Freeman is her tenderness with her listeners. “A Few Thoughts For Those Who Can’t Sleep” kind of says it all, doesn’t it? (Though her buddy HCR jokes that most folks call it “Freeman After Dark.) She’s there for us–literally.
At the end of each of these late-night (or evening, if you’re on Western time) sessions, Dr. Freeman has a set of rituals guaranteed to warm your heart. With a sense of joyful ceremony, she holds these items up, one at a time:
- a whistle: to remind us to look out for each other, and stand up for each other, like the people in Minneapolis
2. a little tin labelled “Chutzpah”: to remind us to “Be strong and of good courage,” a quote from a onetime professor of hers, which she uses as a mantra
When it comes to Dr. Joanne Freeman, I say: Come for the scholarship. Stay for the…
…Community. Laughter. Truth. Parakeets. Coffee. Friendship. Challenge. Hope.
Chutzpah.