Tennessee Finally Teaches Evolution (1967‪)‬ This Day in Esoteric Political History

It’s May 19th. This day in 1967, the Tennessee state legislature finally repealed the Butler Act, the law that had been on the books since the 1920s banning the teaching of evolution in public schools.

Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why the law was finally repealed, and how many of the myths about the law’s passing — and the famous “Scopes monkey trial” — continue to this day.

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And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia.

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Our team: Jacob Feldman, Researcher/Producer; Brittani Brown, Producer; Khawla Nakua, Transcripts; music by Teen Daze and Blue Dot Sessions; Julie Shapiro and Audrey Mardavich, Executive Producers at Radiotopia