Forgotten America

Ep. 073: Homer Hickam: From McDowell County to Rocket Boy

Apr 23, 2024

Homer Hickam is a true West Virginia hero. Raised in Coalwood, a mining town in southern West Virginia, he went on to fight in the Vietnam War, work for NASA, and become a best-selling author. His book, Rocket Boys, was made into the popular movie October Sky. In this episode, he shares with Garrett stories from his...

Ep. 072: Hitchhiker’s Guide to Rural America

Apr 9, 2024

This episode of Forgotten America opens with a brief walk down memory lane. Garrett shares how he first met Dr. Thompson at his Moral Foundations of Capitalism seminar at Clemson University. Dr. Thompson’s lecture was a catalyst moment for Garrett that led him down a career path that brought him home to run the...

Ep. 071: Into the Wild: Life in the Mat-Su Valley of Alaska

Mar 26, 2024

Sarah Montalbano is the Policy Manager for the Alaska Policy Forum and a senior fellow with the Independent Women’s Forum. She was born and raised in Wasilla, AK, and her family has roots in the state from the era before Alaskan statehood. Sarah joins the Forgotten America podcast to share about the culture,...

Ep. 070: Do The Best You Can With What You’ve Got: An Agricultural Ethic for Life

Mar 12, 2024

Jerry Apps is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the author of more than 35 books. He is a storyteller and historian, joining the Forgotten America podcast to share about his life growing up on a dairy farm in rural, central Wisconsin. Born during the Great Depression, his youth inspired much...

Ep. 069: Pulling Appalachia Back from the Precipice

Feb 27, 2024