In Part Two of our ongoing America 250 conversation, Dr. Matthew Spalding — Vice President for Washington Operations and Dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College’s Washington, D.C., Campus — returns to explore the events and ideas that led directly to 1776.

Spalding also discusses Hillsdale’s involvement with Freedom 250 and the launch of its nationwide Mobile Museum Trucks, a fleet of traveling, interactive museums bringing America’s founding story to communities across the country as part of the Semiquincentennial celebration. Plus, we examine current debates over how American history is presented, including the National Park Service’s removal of a slavery-focused exhibit in Philadelphia and the broader push to restore what the administration calls “truth and sanity” to historical interpretation.

This episode is part of America 250: A Conversation with Hillsdale College’s Washington, D.C., Campus & Graduate School of Government, in partnership with WMAL.

Learn more at DC.Hillsdale.edu.

Where to find more about WMAL's morning show:
Follow Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Audible and Spotify
Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC
Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor
Instagram: WMALDC
Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company

Episode: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 / 8 AM Hour

In Part Two of our ongoing America 250 conversation, Dr. Matthew Spalding &mdash; Vice President for Washington Operations and Dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College&rsquo;s Washington, D.C., Campus &mdash; returns to explore the events and ideas that led directly to 1776.
Spalding also discusses Hillsdale&rsquo;s involvement with Freedom 250 and the launch of its nationwide Mobile Museum Trucks, a fleet of traveling, interactive museums bringing America&rsquo;s founding story to communities across the country as part of the Semiquincentennial celebration. Plus, we examine current debates over how American history is presented, including the National Park Service&rsquo;s removal of a slavery-focused exhibit in Philadelphia and the broader push to restore what the administration calls &ldquo;truth and sanity&rdquo; to historical interpretation.
This episode is part of America 250: A Conversation with Hillsdale College&rsquo;s Washington, D.C., Campus &amp; Graduate School of Government, in partnership with WMAL.
Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://dc.hillsdale.edu/">DC.Hillsdale.edu</a>.
Where to find more about WMAL's morning show:
<ul dir="ltr">
<li>Follow Podcasts on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oconnor-company/id1061727141" data-copy-preserve="1">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/OConnor-Company-Podcast/B08JJNXPHS" data-copy-preserve="1">Audible</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/oconnor-and-company" data-copy-preserve="1">Spotify</a></li>
<li>Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC</li>
<li>Facebook:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/WMALDC/" data-copy-preserve="1">WMALDC</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/larryoconnorradio/" data-copy-preserve="1">Larry O'Connor</a></li>
<li>Instagram:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/wmal_dc/" data-copy-preserve="1">WMALDC</a></li>
<li>Website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/" data-copy-preserve="1">WMAL.com/OConnor-Company</a></li>
</ul>
Episode: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 / 8 AM Hour

Enjoy O'Connor & Company from the nation's capital! Heard weekdays from 5am to 9am on WMAL in Washington, D.C.

Enjoy O'Connor &amp; Company from the nation's capital! Heard weekdays from 5am to 9am on WMAL in Washington, D.C.

O'Connor & Company

"O'Connor & Company" is Washington, D.C.'s popular morning-drive news-talk radio show on WMAL hosted by LARRY O'CONNOR with co-hosts JULIE GUNLOCK, PATRICE ONWUKA and executive producer HEATHER HUNTER. O’Connor and his team cover all of the top national and local news of the day, including interviews with top newsmakers in Washington, D.C. and around the country. The show airs weekdays in the Washington, D.C. area (DC, VA, MD, WV) from 5-9 AM EST on 105.9 FM, online at WMAL.com, on the WMAL App or on your Amazon Alexa. To join the conversation, check us out on Twitter check us out on Twitter @LarryOConnor @JGunlock @PatricePinkFile @HeatherHunterDC @WMALDC

Follow Larry on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/oconnorandcompany

"O'Connor &amp; Company" is Washington, D.C.'s popular morning-drive news-talk radio show on WMAL hosted by LARRY O'CONNOR with co-hosts JULIE GUNLOCK, PATRICE ONWUKA and executive producer HEATHER HUNTER. O’Connor and his team cover all of the top national and local news of the day, including interviews with top newsmakers in Washington, D.C. and around the country. The show airs weekdays in the Washington, D.C. area (DC, VA, MD, WV) from 5-9 AM EST on 105.9 FM, online at <a href="http://www.wmal.com">WMAL.com</a>, on the <a href="https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/">WMAL App</a> or on your Amazon Alexa. To join the conversation, check us out on Twitter check us out on Twitter @LarryOConnor @JGunlock @PatricePinkFile @HeatherHunterDC @WMALDC<a href="https://www.cornerstonefirst.com/"></a>
Follow Larry on Apple Podcasts: <a href="http://apple.co/oconnorandcompany">http://apple.co/oconnorandcompany</a>

Hillsdale’s Dr. Matthew Spalding on America 250 Mobile Museums and Restoring the Truth About American History

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/a7b0bd27-d748-4fbe-ab3b-a6fa0049bcf6/clips/98709873-1741-4c8b-9c5d-b3e0001434ab/transcript