Want to create an interactive transcript for this episode?
Podcast: The Atlantic Out Loud
Episode: You Had to Be There
Description: The historians who want to know how our ancestors experienced love, anger, fear, and sorrow
By Gal Beckerman
From the January 2026 issue.
Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices