'Garden State Roots' is the podcast that wants to put an end to New Jersey being the butt of the joke for evermore. After 250 years of revolutionary history, it's time to give props to NJ's contribution to the modern culture of America, if not the world. From music to film, sports to tech, food to politics, host Justin Williams and guests explore the unique historical moments and inspirational people that has made the 'Garden State' so fertile to change down the years.
Sports are so crucial to American life but did you know that New Jersey played a foundational role in shaping so many of them? Host Justin Williams is joined by NJ.com sports writer Steve Politi and sports historian Sue Macy to explore how New Jersey was the catalyst for the first ever football and baseball games in the United States, the first pro basketball match and the first soccer association anywhere outside of Great Britain. It turns out, there are few places in the world that have played such a formative role in the sports we now know and love. And what about New Jersey's GOAT athletes? Where else boasts a heavyweight boxer who fought real grizzlies as part of his career? Only in the Garden State ...
Check out all of the extra stories and NJRevolution history in the 'Garden State Roots' show notes: https://www.revnj.org/s/How-NJ-Shaped-Sports-Show-Notesdocx.pdf (https://www.revnj.org/s/How-NJ-Shaped-Sports-Show-Notesdocx.pdf)
'Garden State Roots' is the podcast that wants to put an end to New Jersey being the butt of the joke for evermore. After 250 years of revolutionary history. it's time to give props to NJ's contribution to the modern culture of America, if not the world. From music to film, sports to tech and food to politics, host Justin Williams and guests explore the unique historical moments and inspirational people that has made the Garden State so fertile to change down the years.
2 Jun 2026
How New Jersey created Hollywood
The movie business is so often associated with the West Coast of the United States and Hollywood, but what if its true origins could be traced all the way back to the East Coast and New Jersey? Catch up with host Justin Williams, Adam Nelson - professor at the New Jersey Film Academy and the publisher of Socko! Magazine - and Angela Matusik - editor-in-chief of Socko! and founder of the Maplewood Film Society - as they spool through 250 years of NJ movie history and the founding of a billion-dollar industry in the Garden State.
Check out all of the extra stories and NJRevolution history in the 'Garden State Roots' show notes: https://www.revnj.org/s/Episode-7-How-New-Jersey-Built-Hollywood-Show-Notes.pdf (https://www.revnj.org/s/Episode-7-How-New-Jersey-Built-Hollywood-Show-Notes.pdf)
'Garden State Roots' is the podcast that wants to put an end to New Jersey being the butt of the joke for evermore. After 250 years of revolutionary history. it's time to give props to NJ's contribution to the modern culture of America, if not the world. From music to film, sports to tech and food to politics, host Justin Williams and guests explore the unique historical moments and inspirational people that has made the Garden State so fertile to change down the years.
11 May 2026
How New Jersey transformed hip hop
The birth of hip hop is so often thought of as a New York-only story but, ever since its creation, New Jersey has played an instrumental, if underreported, role in transforming two turntables and a microphone in to global music. 'Garden State Roots' host Justin Williams is joined by Master Gee, founding member of the Sugar Hill Gang, and Jay Quan - Minister of Information for Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5 as well as the official historian for the Hip-Hop Museum in D.C. - to break down NJ's hip hop credentials.
Check out all of the extra stories and NJRevolution history in the 'Garden State Roots' show notes: https://www.revnj.org/s/6-How-New-Jersey-Transformed-Hip-Hop.pdf (https://www.revnj.org/s/6-How-New-Jersey-Transformed-Hip-Hop.pdf)
'Garden State Roots' is the podcast that wants to put an end to New Jersey being the butt of the joke for evermore. After 250 years of revolutionary history. it's time to give props to NJ's contribution to the modern culture of America, if not the world. From music to film, sports to tech and food to politics, host Justin Williams and guests explore the unique historical moments and inspirational people that has made the Garden State so fertile to change down the years.
20 Apr 2026
How New Jersey has been a battleground
Did you know there were more revolutionary battles in New Jersey than any other colony? More than 200 that helped to birth our nation. In this episode, host Justin Williams explores over two centuries of New Jersey being a battleground for revolutionary ideas: from Nazism to Communism, and women's suffrage to civil rights. Joining Justin is Jacob A. Zumoff, Associate Professor of History at New Jersey City University and author of the books, 'The Red Thread', 'The Passaic Textile Strike and The Communist International' and 'US Communism', Maxine N. Lurie, Professor Emerita of History at Seton Hall University, and Arlene Stein, distinguished professor of sociology at Rutgers University.
Check out all of the extra stories and NJRevolution history in the 'Garden State Roots' show notes: https://www.revnj.org/s/Garden-State-Roots-Episode-5-Battleground-Show-Notes.pdf (https://www.revnj.org/s/Garden-State-Roots-Episode-5-Battleground-Show-Notes.pdf)
'Garden State Roots' is the podcast that wants to put an end to New Jersey being the butt of the joke for evermore. After 250 years of revolutionary history, it's time to give props to NJ's contribution to the modern culture of America, if not the world. From music to film, sports to tech and food to politics, host Justin Williams and guests explore the unique historical moments and inspirational people that has made the Garden State so fertile to change down the years.
30 Mar 2026
How New Jersey got the world talking
'Garden State Roots' host Justin Williams welcomes Rayvon Fouché, Professor of Communication Studies at Northwestern University and author of 'Black Inventors in the Age of Segregation' along with Jon Gertner, journalist and author of 'The Idea Factory', to explore how New Jersey technology and communication inventions helped to get the world talking.
Check out all the extra stories and NJRevolution history in the 'Garden State Roots' show notes:https://www.revnj.org/s/How-New-Jersey-Got-the-World-Talking-Show-Notes-c7mt.pdf (https://www.revnj.org/s/How-New-Jersey-Got-the-World-Talking-Show-Notes-c7mt.pdf)
'Garden State Roots' is the podcast that wants to put an end to New Jersey being the butt of the joke for evermore. After 250 years of revolutionary history, it's time to give props to NJ's contribution to the modern culture of America, if not the world. From music to film, sports to tech and food to politics, host Justin Williams and guests explore the unique historical moments and inspirational people that has made the Garden State so fertile to change down the years.
9 Mar 2026
How New Jersey built suburbia
Host Justin Williams is joined by Gabrielle Esperdy, a New Jersey Institute of Technology dean, Trinity Norwood - citizen of the Nanticoke Lenape nations and indigenous community advocate, and Walter Greason DeWitt Wallace endowed chair of history at Macalester college and author of 'Suburban Erasure' - to explore how New Jersey helped to create the blueprint of America's suburbs.
Check out all of the extra stories and NJRevolution history in the 'Garden State Roots' show notes: https://www.revnj.org/s/Ep-3-How-New-Jersey-Built-Suburbia-Show-Notes.pdf (https://www.revnj.org/s/Ep-3-How-New-Jersey-Built-Suburbia-Show-Notes.pdf)
'Garden State Roots' is the podcast that wants to put an end to New Jersey being the butt of the joke for evermore. After 250 years of revolutionary history, it's time to give props to NJ's contribution to the modern culture of America, if not the world. From music to film, sports to tech, and food to politics, host Justin Williams and guests explore the unique historical moments and inspirational people that has made the Garden State so fertile to change down the years.
17 Feb 2026
How New Jersey fed your family
Host Justin Williams is joined by Marissa Rothkopf Bates - food writer for New Jersey Monthly, the New York Times and Newsweek - and Andy Urban - Rutgers University professor and author of 'The History of Seabrook Farm' - to unpack New Jersey's history of feeding the American family.
Check out all of the extra stories and NJRevolution history in the 'Garden State Roots' show notes: https://www.revnj.org/s/Ep-2-Food-Show-Notes.pdf (https://www.revnj.org/s/Ep-2-Food-Show-Notes.pdf)
'Garden State Roots' is the podcast that wants to put an end to New Jersy being the butt of the joke for evermore. After 250 years of revolutionary history, it's time to give props to NJ's contribution to the modern culture of America, if not the world. From music to film, sports to tech and food to politics, host Justin Williams and guests explore the unique historical moments and inspirational people that has made the Garden State so fertile to change down the years.
26 Jan 2026
How New Jersey revolutionized tourism
Host Justin Williams explores how New Jersey revolutionized tourism with guests Bryant Simon, professor of history at Temple University, and author of 'Boardwalk of Dreams, Atlantic City and the fate of Urban America' and Hope Gaines, member of Cape May Center for Community Arts History Committee and co-author of Black Voices of Cape May.
Check out all the extra stories and NJRevolution history in the 'Garden State Roots' show notes: https://www.revnj.org/s/Ep-1-Tourism-Show-Notesdocx.pdf (https://www.revnj.org/s/Ep-1-Tourism-Show-Notesdocx.pdf)
"Garden State Roots" is the podcast that wants to put an end to New Jersey being the butt of the joke for evermore. After 250 years of revolutionary history, it's time to give props to NJ's contribution to the modern culture of America, if not the world. From music to film, sports to tech and food to politics, host Justin Williams and guests explore the unique historical moments and inspirational people that has made the Garden State so fertile to change down the years.
14 Jan 2026
Garden State Roots - Trailer
Host Justin Williams is joined by New Jersey governor Phil Murphy and author and Rutgers University professor Dr. Kristin O'Brassill-Kulfan to explore the importance of history in 2026 and to preview the upcoming 'Garden State Roots' podcast series.
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