In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, I’m joined by historian Megan Kate Nelson to talk about her new book The Westerners: Mythmaking and Belonging on the American Frontier—and why the frontier myth refuses to die.

We dig into the stories of seven people who lived the West in real time—Indigenous women, Black frontiersmen, Chinese migrants, and white settlers—and how their lives complicate the familiar narrative of pioneers and progress.

Along the way, we explore:

• The origins of the frontier myth and why it still shapes American identity
• Figures like Sacagawea and Jim Beckwourth—and the messy, human realities behind the legends
• Why cities like Denver were central to the making of the West
• How race, gender, and power determined who got written into history—and who didn’t
• What these stories reveal about land, belonging, and conflict in America today

This is a conversation about myth, memory, and the stories we choose to tell—and the ones we’ve ignored for far too long.

If you think you know the West, this episode might change your mind.

What if time travel wasn’t about discovery—but control?

In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, we dive into the 1994 sci-fi action film Timecop—a quintessential 90s blockbuster starring Jean-Claude Van Damme that blends time travel, political corruption, and high-octane action into something far more revealing than it first appears.

Joining me are Reckoning stalwarts and my great friends, historians Robert Greene II and John Wyatt Greenlee. Together, we explore what Timecop tells us about the 1990s—an era shaped by anxieties over government power, deregulation, and the growing sense that the past itself could be weaponized.

We talk about:

• How Timecop reflects 90s fears of political corruption and unchecked authority
• The idea of “policing time” and who gets to control history
• Where Van Damme fits in the action hero pantheon
• Why a film built on spectacle still raises meaningful historical questions

This episode is part of our ongoing Historians At The Movies series, where we use film as a lens to think more deeply about history, culture, and the stories we tell ourselves about both.

🎧 If you enjoy conversations that bring together history, film, and sharp cultural insight, make sure to follow, rate, and review the show on Apple Podcasts—it helps more people find the conversation.

In this episode, I sit down with historian James Longhurst, author of Bike Battles, to break down the 1979 film Breaking Away and what it reveals about cycling and American life. We talk about why this coming-of-age sports movie still resonates, how it captures class and masculinity, and what it says about the 1970s bike boom. Along the way, we dig into the history of bicycling in America, the politics of the road, and how debates over bike infrastructure, cities, and transportation continue today. From Greg LeMond to Lance Armstrong to the rise of e-bikes, this is a conversation about film, history, and who gets to belong on the American road.