Summary: EP. 1: William McKinley v. the World (Part 1). We’re back and ready to get presidential in 2020. We kickoff Season 5 with a two-part episode on our 25th President, William McKinley from Canton, OH. Part One examines McKinley’s childhood in NE Ohio, Civil War service (he was the final Civil War vet to be POTUS), rise in Ohio and national politics and his election to the White House in 1896 against the Democrat challenger, William Jennings Bryan. We are joined in Part One by Robert Merry, author of the book President McKinley: Architect of the American Century (Simon&Schuster, 2017). Buy that book! It’s fantastic. Here’s a link: https://www.amazon.com/President-McKinley-Architect-American-Century/dp/1451625448 Robert will let us know just how President McKinley became the architect of the American Century with his understated style of leadership and why that has lead to his distinguished career to be too often forgotten in American history. Alex also speaks with University of Akron history professor Kevin Kern about McKinley’s career and life in Ohio and in Congress in the 19th century. We meet with Amber Farris, the museum director at the McKinley Birthplace Museum in Niles, OH about the Will McKinley’s early years in the Youngstown area, his Civil War years and his move to Canton, OH. Visit that great museum online (for now) at https://mckinleybirthplacemuseum.org. It’s great to be back for our 5th season which will focus on Ohio and the Presidency. Don’t forget to listen to the exciting conclusion of Episode One in Part 2 of “William McKinley v. the World” which is always out now! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram (@ohiovtheworldpodcast) and Twitter (@ohiovtheworld). You can reach us at ohiovtheworld@gmail.com as well.
