Episode 191: Rewriting the West: Megan Kate Nelson and the Myths We Still Believe

In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, I’m joined by historian Megan Kate Nelson to talk about her new book The Westerners: Mythmaking and Belonging on the American Frontier—and why the frontier myth refuses to die.

We dig into the stories of seven people who lived the West in real time—Indigenous women, Black frontiersmen, Chinese migrants, and white settlers—and how their lives complicate the familiar narrative of pioneers and progress.

Along the way, we explore:

•  The origins of the frontier myth and why it still shapes American identity 
•  Figures like Sacagawea and Jim Beckwourth—and the messy, human realities behind the legends 
•  Why cities like Denver were central to the making of the West 
•  How race, gender, and power determined who got written into history—and who didn’t 
•  What these stories reveal about land, belonging, and conflict in America today 

This is a conversation about myth, memory, and the stories we choose to tell—and the ones we’ve ignored for far too long.

If you think you know the West, this episode might change your mind.