A Historian POV – An Interview with Chris Mowery

In the latest episode of Breaking Nation, Scott sits down with Chris Mowery, the creator and host of the hit YouTube channel Vlogging Through History, where more than half a million fans tune in to explore the forgotten corners of the past. From his home state of Ohio to the battlefields of France, Mowery has turned his lifelong fascination with history into a thriving online community.

Mowery traces his passion back to 1985, when news broke that Bob Ballard had discovered the wreck of the Titanic. That single event sparked what he calls his “obsessive nature” for history – a curiosity that led him from the shelves of the William McKinley Memorial Library to the Civil War epics of his youth like North and South and Ken Burns’ legendary PBS series.

Raised by grandparents who encouraged his love of books, Mowery went on to study history in college, but life took an unexpected turn – first into ministry, then into public speaking with Rachel’s Challenge. It wasn’t until COVID shut down travel that Vlogging Through History took off. What began as reaction videos quickly grew into a thoughtful, story-driven channel dedicated to making history personal and relatable.

Today, Mowery juggles multiple projects – from Stories of the Civil War and Stories of the Great War to his forthcoming book Trumbull County Boys. He’s especially drawn to the untold, human-scale stories – like the soldier whose battlefield ID tag led him to a forgotten wood in France. “I can’t connect with a general giving orders,” he says, “but I can connect with a guy fighting for the person next to him.”

Breaking Nation: A Civil War Podcast explores the American Civil War, its turning points, and our national memory. Discover full episodes, transcripts, and resources at www.breakingnation.com — your destination for in-depth Civil War podcast content and fresh perspectives on America’s past. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.