The topic of collective memory is explored across several of the podcast episodes, examining how certain narratives and perspectives become part of a shared cultural consciousness while others are often marginalized or forgotten.

For example, the episode 'Where did all the roaches go?' looks at how the dramatic decline of urban cockroach infestations in America largely faded from public awareness, despite being a significant public health victory. Similarly, the episode 'Everyone wants a piece of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy' discusses how King's message and the nuances of the civil rights movement have been co-opted and simplified by various political groups.

The episode 'Clint Smith - What We Know in the "Marrow of Our Bones"' explores how poetry and historical sites can help people reckon with the embodied history of slavery in America, while 'Mother's Day' raises questions about how certain tragic events, like the 1985 MOVE bombing in Philadelphia, have been marginalized in the historical record.