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Consolation Prize

R2 Studios

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Consolation Prize is a podcast about the United States in the world through the eyes of its consuls. The responsibility for the United States’ reputation in other parts of the world often fell squarely on the shoulders of consuls and they were the first ones called in when Americans got themselves in trouble or were mistreated while they were abroad. How they interpreted their duties sometimes got them involved in all kinds of complicated circumstances. And often, their actions on a personal level had ramifications far up the chain, even making a difference in national politics or international relations. Please join us as we travel the globe with nineteenth-century consuls!

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Top 10 Consolation Prize Episodes

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12/22/21 • 14 min

In this bonus holiday episode, a re-release from 2020, we explore the consular life of Joel Roberts Poinsett, everyone’s favorite holiday historical figure. Before he went to Mexico, where he “discovered” the flower that now bears his name, Poinsett went all over the world, including to South American as a consul. While he was there, he got involved in quite a lot of activities that didn’t really fit the consular program.
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12/22/21 • 14 min

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05/11/21 • 37 min

We've been to Mexico a few times this season, but we promised in the first episode that we'd return one last time, to talk about the relationship between Black Americans and the consuls in Mexico. So that's where we're closing out Season 1. In this episode, we're taking the perspective of the Black Americans who had to deal with consuls in the midst of incredibly difficult circumstances. We'll tell the story of Lucien Matthews, a free Black man who did business in Mexico before the Civil War, and the story of William Ellis, whose colonization scheme for Black Americans in the 1890s went horribly wrong. In each case, these Black Americans were sometimes unrecognizable to the American consuls--but that wasn't entirely a bad thing. Show notes: https://consolationprize.rrchnm.org/2021/05/05/episode-12-unrecognizable-citizens/
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05/11/21 • 37 min

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01/14/22 • 53 min

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In this special bonus episode, we talk with a scholar who studies the history of the US consular service. We answer your questions like, What is a consul? What do they do? What makes them so interesting? Why should we care about consuls?

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01/14/22 • 53 min

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Consolation Prize

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02/15/22 • 35 min

In this episode of Consolation Prize, we are exploring a consul’s involvement in a coup and a revolution. When the United States decided to construct a canal in Panama, the president of Nicaragua José Zelaya became upset. He believed the canal would be in his nation. Once it was clear it would not be, Zelaya began to turn his country away from the US. In response, the United States engineered a rebellion against Zelaya, and a president more favorable to American aims was installed. Not all Nicaraguans were happy with the new US-backed government and some rebelled. President Adolfo Díaz called on the United States to protect his government. Consul James Weldon Johnson, better known today for his work with the NAACP and as a songwriter, delayed this counter-rebellion long enough for more than 2,000 US Marines to land. But afterwards, Johnson began to reconsider his role in American nation-building in Latin America. This episode was produced by Jeanette Patrick and Abby Mullen. Show notes, including full transcript, available at consolationprize.rrchnm.org. Become a member of R2 Studios and support audio like this. Learn more at r2studios.org.
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02/15/22 • 35 min

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Episode 8: Eden to Ashes

Consolation Prize

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02/16/21 • 37 min

In this episode, we venture into the tragic story of the 1902 volcanic eruption of Mount Pelée on the island of Martinique. Consul, Thomas Prentis and his family were among the 30,000 victims of this natural disaster. We will discuss the eruption itself, and the diplomatic consequences for Martinique. Show notes are at https://consolationprize.rrchnm.org/2021/02/11/episode-8-eden-to-ashes/.
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02/16/21 • 37 min

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01/26/21 • 35 min

We go to Jerusalem to find out more about Selah Merrill, the longest-serving consul there before 1948. Despite his desire to be in Jerusalem, Merrill didn't like the city or the people he encountered. He positively hated Jews; he disdained the American tourists; and he picked fights with the American colonists. So why did he stay?
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01/26/21 • 35 min

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04/06/21 • 32 min

In this bonus episode, we learn about the much more recent history of women in the consular service, as Abby interviews Maura Harty, a career Foreign Service officer who concluded her career at the State Department in the role of Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs. Shownotes at consolationprize.rrchnm.org.
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04/06/21 • 32 min

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11/24/20 • 32 min

In this episode, we learn about Richard Waters. Waters served as the first consul from the United States to Zanzibar because the burgeoning trade of Salem merchants required some official oversight, but in order to be successful, he had to learn to navigate the world of Indian Ocean trade.
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11/24/20 • 32 min

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03/09/21 • 40 min

James Leander Cathcart and Richard O'Brien were uniquely suited to their jobs, from one point of view: they had spent a lot of time in the region they were consuls to--as captives of the ruler during the previous decade. Their struggles to do their jobs in the Barbary states was complicated by their inability to get along with each other, and in the end they couldn't accomplish the mission they'd been charged with: to make peace without payment with the Barbary states. Shownotes are at consolationprize.rrchnm.org.
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03/09/21 • 40 min

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12/15/20 • 29 min

Within a year of the end of the American Revolution, the United States sent a ship to China, where the government hoped Americans could start a robust (and lucrative) trade. Samuel Shaw was the supercargo on that first voyage of the Empress of China. On his next voyage to Canton, he went as the U.S. consul, charged with helping the United States gain a foothold in the China trade. On behalf of the United States, he had to make a good impression---all the while knowing that the United States might not make such a good trading partner. From the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University, Consolation Prize is a podcast about the history of the United States in the world through the eyes of its consuls.
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12/15/20 • 29 min

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FAQ

How many episodes does Consolation Prize have?

Consolation Prize currently has 36 episodes available.

What topics does Consolation Prize cover?

The podcast is about History, Podcasts and Government.

What is the most popular episode on Consolation Prize?

The episode title 'Yeah, That Poinsett (re-release)' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Consolation Prize?

The average episode length on Consolation Prize is 30 minutes.

How often are episodes of Consolation Prize released?

Episodes of Consolation Prize are typically released every 20 days, 22 hours.

When was the first episode of Consolation Prize?

The first episode of Consolation Prize was released on Aug 6, 2020.

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