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Historian reflects on 250 years of American democracy, political crisis and reinvention

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published July 6, 2026 at 10:58 AM CDT

Are we living through an unprecedented time in U.S. history? Historian Heather Cox Richardson thinks so, up to a point.

As we turn the corner on America’s 250th birthday, Here & Now‘s Indira Lakshmanan speaks with Richardson about the current, unparalleled “attempt to dismantle our democracy,” as she sees it, versus the long American tradition of fighting back.

Heather Cox Richardson boasts the largest audience on Substack. (Courtesy of Mimsy Moller)

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Here & Now Newsroom