Let The Record Show

ACLU
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  • History
  • Biweekly

Let The Record Show is a U.S. history podcast that looks back on legal precedent to make sense of our ever-evolving future. On every episode we explore the people, places and stories behind major court cases that shape how we live our lives today.

  1. 21h ago

    The Parents Who Defended Religious Liberty in Public Schools

    In the 1950s, New York state officials introduced a prayer into public schools. It was optional, it was short, and it was, as the Supreme Court ruled in 1962, unconstitutional. This week, we’re headed to the suburbs to cover that case, Engel v. Vitale. And there, we’ll meet a group of parents who were determined to teach their children — and, ultimately, the nation — that freedom of religion, and freedom from religion, are fundamental rights. Joining us is Dan Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief.

    The Parents Who Defended Religious Liberty in Public Schools

  2. Oct 21

    The Lawyer Who Changed the Way We Look at Discrimination

    Years before the Supreme Court recognized its first sex discrimination claim, a visionary lawyer named Pauli Murray was building a case that said the 14th Amendment protects against both race and sex discrimination. The case showed how these forms of discrimination work together to protect the same power structure. This week, we’re exploring the first major instance of this argument being used in court, in the 1966 Alabama case White v. Crook. On its surface, it’s a case about who gets to sit on a jury, but as we’ll learn, it’s really about who the Constitution protects. Along the way, we’ll hear from Chase Strangio, co-director of the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Rights Project, and ReNika Moore, the director of the ACLU's Racial Justice Program. Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray’s recitation of "Dark Testament" featured in this episode is courtesy of the Pauli Murray Foundation. Find more information at the Pauli Murray Foundation here. We accessed the "Dark Testament" audio via the “Papers of Pauli Murray”, Harvard Radcliffe Institute's Schlesinger Library.

    The Lawyer Who Changed the Way We Look at Discrimination

  3. Oct 7

    The Case That Gave the Modern Supreme Court Its Power

    Did you know that today’s justice system in the United States originated from a hiring dispute? This week, Matt and Shereen are taking us back to the early 1800s to explore the origins of judicial review — and all the gossip, intrigue, and spilled ink that brought us our modern U.S. courts.  Joining us to make sense of it all is Louise Melling, a deputy legal director at the ACLU and the director of the ACLU’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg Center for Liberty.

    The Case That Gave the Modern Supreme Court Its Power

  4. Sep 23

    What Happens When the President Defies a Judge?

    On March 15, 2025, the Trump administration deported more than 100 people to a notoriously brutal prison in El Salvador — in defiance of a federal judge’s orders. They hadn’t been found guilty of being gang members. They never got their day in court. That blatant disregard for due process should concern us all.  This week, on our premiere episode, Shereen and Matt are exploring J.G.G. v. Trump and the related lawsuits that emerged from that fateful day in March. They’re some of the most important cases making their way through the courts today: referenda on the current state of executive overreach, due process, and judicial review. In this episode we’ll be speaking with the ACLU immigration expert Lee Gelernt to investigate what this case means for our civil liberties and how we can fight back.

    What Happens When the President Defies a Judge?

  5. Sep 22

    Introducing: Let The Record Show

    Marbury v. Madison. Brown v. Board of Education. Obergefell v. Hodges.  These face-offs aren’t just part of legal history, they’re still shaping our lives today. On every episode of “Let The Record Show,” a new podcast from the American Civil Liberties Union, hosts Shereen Marisol Meraji and Matt Beat are taking major U.S. court cases off the shelf to learn about the people and stories behind them — and the precedents they’ve set.    We’ll meet plaintiffs like Wong Kim Ark, who we can thank for birthright citizenship. Lawyers like Pauli Murray, who made it the nation’s business to take both racial and gender equality seriously. And other brave individuals who spoke up for their rights and the rights of their neighbors.    Our first episode drops Wednesday, September 23, and you can join us every other week for a new featured case.

    Introducing: Let The Record Show

  6. 12/15/2025

    On The Docket: A 2026 SCOTUS Briefing

    ‘Tis the season ... to stay ready. A busy Supreme Court term is already underway, with trans rights, redistricting, birthright citizenship, and more on the docket. And this week, Cecillia Wang is back to break it down with Kamau. Join us as we reflect on this year's civil liberties work, celebrate our wins, and prepare for the fight ahead.

    On The Docket: A 2026 SCOTUS Briefing

  7. 11/28/2025

    Where Everybody Knows Your Rights

    This week, we’re showing thanks to everyone who's stepping up for our collective civil liberties, with a People Power potluck! And we’ve got a seat at the table for you. Our guest of honor is Maribel Hernández Rivera, the ACLU’s National Director of Immigrant Community Strategies. And we have three volunteers from the ACLU’s grassroots network People Power stopping by. Kathy joins us just around the 20-minute mark from Minnesota, Sophia around 40 minutes in from Colorado, and Terry at the hour mark from Tennessee. Listen in as they speak with Kamau about why and how they're advocating for immigrants’ rights, and what their hopes are for their communities—and yours—this giving season and beyond. If you’d like to join Kathy, Sophia, Terry, and other People Power volunteers, now’s the perfect time. You can head to aclu.org/campaigns-initiatives/people-power to learn more. And make sure to check out the ACLU's Holiday Conversation Guide, at aclu.org/the-aclus-holiday-conversation-guide. At Liberty is a production of the ACLU. For the ACLU, our senior executive producer is Sam Riddell, our executive producer is Jessica Herman Weitz, and our intern is Madhvi Khianra. W. Kamau Bell and Melissa Hudson Bell, PhD are executive producers for Who Knows Best Productions. At Liberty is produced and edited by Erica Getto and Myrriah Gossett for Good Get. This episode was recorded at Skyline Studios in Oakland, CA.

    Where Everybody Knows Your Rights

  8. 11/14/2025

    From The Joke Files: A Comedy and Censorship Roundtable

    We’re living through a moment where late night jokes are next-day news, and each opening monologue feels like a litmus test for our freedom of expression. But is this dynamic anything new? This week, comedian Dean Obeidallah and writer Kliph Nesteroff join Kamau to reflect on the history—and present state—of censorship in comedy, and what makes this moment more than a callback. This episode was recorded on Monday, November 10, in the lead-up to the New York Arab American Comedy Festival, which Dean co-founded more than two decades ago. Kliph’s insights are drawn from research that he conducted for his book Outrageous: A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars.

    From The Joke Files: A Comedy and Censorship Roundtable
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About

Let The Record Show is a U.S. history podcast that looks back on legal precedent to make sense of our ever-evolving future. On every episode we explore the people, places and stories behind major court cases that shape how we live our lives today.

Information

  • Creator
    ACLU
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    357
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Let The Record Show

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