Episodes
Saturday Matinee: American Scandal
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we recount the crimes of Georgia Tann- the operator of the Tennessee Children's Home Society in Memphis who used the organization as a cover for child trafficking. Link to American Scandal : https...
The Mysterious Death of King Ludwig II
June 13, 1886. after being declared medically insane and forcefully deposed, the eccentric king of Bavaria, Ludwig II, drowns in a lake under mysterious circumstances. This episode originally aired in 2023.
Retreat from Cold Harbor
June 12, 1864. Union soldiers retreat in the dead of night to bring the Battle of Cold Harbor to a conclusion, ending one of the bloodiest encounters of the American Civil War.
Vietnam’s “Burning Monk” Protest
June 11, 1963. Protesting the lack of religious freedom in South Vietnam, Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc sets himself on fire in a busy Saigon intersection. This episode originally aired in 2024.
Benjamin Franklin’s Kite Experiment
June 10, 1752 . Benjamin Franklin flies a kite during a thunderstorm to demonstrate a connection between lightning and electricity.
Secretariat Wins the Triple Crown
June 9, 1973. Secretariat makes horse racing history by winning the Belmont Stakes by an unprecedented 31 lengths and capturing the Triple Crown.
Saturday Matinee: D-Day: The Tide Turns
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we acknowledge the 81st anniversary of D-Day with a story of the espionage that kept the entire operation secret, kept Hitler fooled, and kept the Allies' hope alive. Link to D-Day: The Tide Turns...
The First Concrete is Poured at the Hoover Dam
June 6, 1933. The first bucketful of concrete is poured in the construction of The Hoover Dam. This episode originally aired in 2024.
The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
June 5, 1968. Senator Robert F Kennedy is assassinated a few months into his controversial bid for president, changing the course of American politics forever.
The Hot-Air Balloon’s First Flight
June 4, 1783. The Montgolfier Brothers hold the first public demonstration of their new invention: the hot-air balloon.
The Extinction of the Great Auk
June 3, 1844. After becoming collector’s items for being a rare species, the last pair of great auks is killed by fishermen.
The Killing of Benno Ohnesorg
June 2, 1967. Benno Ohnesorg, a West German student, is killed by a police officer while attending a protest in West Berlin.
Saturday Matinee: Dressed
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we unspool the history of childrenswear in the 16th-19th centuries to learn how safety features first started to be developed in toddler clothing. Link to Dressed : https://dressedhistory.com/ Sup...
Joan of Arc is Burned at the Stake
May 30, 1431. In the Hundred Years’ War, 19-year-old military leader Joan of Arc is burned at the stake following a trial by an English-backed tribunal in Rouen, France. This episode originally aired in 2022.
The Arrest of an Art Forger
May 29, 1945. Dutch authorities arrest art dealer Han Van Meegeren for selling priceless paintings to the Nazis, not knowing that his collection is actually made up of sophisticated forgeries.
The Birth of the Miracle Quintuplets
May 28, 1934. The Dionne quintuplets are born. The identical sisters are the first quintuplets to survive infancy, but the girls will face a childhood of exploitation as a tourist attraction. This episode originally aired in ...
The Assassination of the Butcher of Prague
May 27, 1942. Two Czechoslovakian operatives assassinate Reinhard Heydrich, a principal architect of the Holocaust.
The First-Ever Dow Jones Industrial Average
May 26, 1896. In the aftermath of a financial crisis, the Wall Street Journal begins printing the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the nation’s oldest market index still in use today. This episode originally aired in 2022.
Saturday Matinee: People Hidden in History
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we hear one woman's story about her experience as a WWII Navy WAVES- Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services. Link to People Hidden in History : https://peoplehiddeninhistory.com/ Support ...
The Death of Bonnie and Clyde
May 23, 1934. The notorious American outlaws, Bonnie and Clyde, are killed in a police shoot-out in Louisiana. This episode originally aired in 2022.
The Final Conviction in Birmingham’s Baptist Church Bombing
May 22, 2002. A jury in Birmingham, Alabama convicts former Ku Klux Klan member Bobby Frank Cherry of bombing the 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963, resolving one of the most shocking cases of the civil rights era. This epis...
The Murder of Bobby Franks
May 21, 1924. In an effort to commit what they consider to be the “perfect crime,” Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb murder 14-year-old Bobby Franks. This episode originally aired in 2024.
The Meter Convention
May 20, 1875. The Meter Convention is signed by 17 nations, establishing a system for standardizing measurements worldwide.
England Becomes a Republic
May 19, 1649. After the English Civil War, an Act of Parliament makes England a Republic.