When a State Refused to Return Escaped Slaves: Ableman V Booth

When a State Refused to Return Escaped Slaves: Ableman V Booth

In 1854, thousands of people stormed a federal jail in Milwaukee to free an escaped slave. What followed became one of the most explosive constitutional battles in American history. This video tells the story of Joshua Glover, Sherman Booth, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and the legal war that brought a state government into direct conflict with the United States Supreme Court years before the Civil War. It begins on the night of March 11, 1854, when abolitionist Sherman Booth rode through Milwaukee shouting “Freemen! To the rescue!” Within hours, a massive crowd broke escaped slave Joshua Glover out of federal custody and helped him escape to Canada. Three days later, Booth himself was arrested. But this was bigger than one rescue. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 forced free states to help capture escaped slaves. Federal commissioners were paid more for rulings against the accused. The accused could not testify in their own defense. A slave owner’s sworn statement alone could be enough to seize someone who may have lived free their entire life. Wisconsin rebelled. Using court records, historical accounts, and constitutional analysis, this episode explores the collision between law, justice, federal power, and slavery in the years leading to the American Civil War. Because the law is not the justice. The law is the arena in which the fight for justice is fought. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com [https://rejil.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The USS Liberty Attack: The Investigation They Wanted Buried

On June 8, 1967, during the Six-Day War, the USS Liberty was attacked in international waters, leaving 34 American sailors dead and 171 wounded. The official explanation was mistaken identity—but for decades, survivors, military leaders, intelligence officials, and investigators have challenged that conclusion. This documentary examines the documented events surrounding the USS Liberty attack, the subsequent Court of Inquiry, and the continuing controversy that remains one of the most disputed incidents in American military history. Featuring survivor testimony, official documents, military records, and statements from senior U.S. government officials, this film explores one of the most controversial and enduring mysteries of the Six-Day War. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com [https://rejil.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Suez Crisis: How America Destroyed the British Empire

Britain and France won the military battle in Egypt in 1956. So why did the Suez Crisis destroy Britain’s status as a global superpower? This video breaks down the hidden story behind the Suez Crisis — from Gamal Abdel Nasser’s electrifying rise in Egypt, to the secret conspiracy between Britain, France, and Israel, to the financial warfare President Dwight D. Eisenhower used to force Britain into retreat without firing a single shot. At the center of it all was the Suez Canal — the artery of empire. British Prime Minister Anthony Eden believed Egypt’s nationalization of the canal threatened Britain’s survival as a world power. But what followed exposed a brutal reality: Britain still had an empire on the map, but its economy depended entirely on American support. Using historical records, declassified documents, US Army War College analysis, and firsthand accounts, this video tells the story of the moment the British Empire realized it was no longer a superpower. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com [https://rejil.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Lie That Started A War: The Gulf Of Tonkin Incident

The Gulf of Tonkin Incident became the justification for the Vietnam War. There was just one problem:The second attack likely never happened. In August 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson told the American people that North Vietnam launched an unprovoked attack against U.S. Navy destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. Days later, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution almost unanimously — giving the White House unlimited authority to escalate the war in Vietnam. But classified documents, phone recordings, NSA reports, and testimony released decades later reveal a very different story. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com [https://rejil.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Martyrs of the Racetrack: The First Memorial Day

Before Memorial Day became a holiday of barbecues and long weekends, one of the first known Memorial Day ceremonies was held by former slaves in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1865, newly freed Black Americans honored fallen Union soldiers who died fighting against slavery by giving them proper burials and holding a massive remembrance ceremony. This is the forgotten story of how Memorial Day began — and the powerful connection between freedom, sacrifice, and remembrance in American history. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com [https://rejil.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]