Episodes

September 1, 1972. Bobby Fischer becomes the first American to win the World Chess Championship, ending 24 years of Soviet dominance. This episode originally aired in 2023.

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we head to the garden to dig into the surprising history of one of the most fascinating vegetables: asparagus. Link to The History of Fresh Produce : https://historyoffreshproduce.substack.com/ Su...

August 29, 1533. Atahuallpa, the 13th emperor of the Incas, dies by strangulation at the hands of Francisco Pizarro’s Spanish conquistadors.

August 28, 1955. 14-year-old Emmett Till is murdered in Mississippi, bringing nationwide attention to the racial violence and injustice prevalent in the American South. This episode originally aired in 2023.

August 27, 1979. At the height of the Irish Troubles, the Irish Republican Army assassinates a member of the British royal family. This episode originally aired in 2024.

August 26, 1883. A volcano explodes on the island of Krakatoa, sparking one of the deadliest natural disasters in history.

August 25, 1944. After four years of Nazi occupation, Paris is finally liberated by an Allied force of British, French and American troops. This episode originally aired in 2022.

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we are dazzled by magician and skeptic "The Amazing Randi" whose mission was to expose charlatans and champion the truth. Link to Trapped History : https://trappedhistory.com/ Support the show! Jo...

August 22, 1770. Explorer James Cook lays claim to New South Wales, Australia by raising the British flag on Possession Island. This episode originally aired in 2024.

August 21, 1911. Italian handyman Vincenzo Peruggia steals the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. This episode originally aired in 2023.

August 20, 1989. Lyle and Erik Menendez shoot and kill their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion, sparking a decades-long nationwide debate about what justice looks like.

August 19, 1839. The French government announces that Louis Daguerre's photographic process is a gift “free to the world.”

August 18, 1920. The 19th Amendment is ratified by the United States Congress, granting women the right to vote. This episode originally aired in 2022.

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we visit a humble farm in the east of Cuba to witness the early years of Fidel Castro, to see how this man would one day become the country's most revolutionary dictator. Link to Real Dictators: h...

August 15, 1939. After its production was plagued by controversy and accidents, ambitious MGM film The Wizard of Oz premieres in Los Angeles.

August 14, 1994. Carlos the Jackal, the world’s most wanted terrorist, is captured in Sudan. This episode originally aired in 2023.

August 13, 1906. A shooting in Brownsville, Texas, leads to the largest dismissal in the history of the United States Army. This episode originally aired in 2024.

August 12, 1865. British surgeon and scientist Joseph Lister performs the first antiseptic surgery.

August 11, 1950. The alleged traitor Ethel Rosenberg is arrested on allegations of spying for the Soviet Union. This episode originally aired in 2022.

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we follow teenage millionaire Howard Hughes as he heads west with dreams of conquering Hollywood by revolutionizing the film industry. Link to Business Movers: https://wondery.com/shows/business-m...

August 8, 1988. a wave of nationwide student-led protests against Myanmar’s socialist dictator leads to a ruthless military crackdown. This episode originally aired in 2023.

August 7, 1909. Alice Huyler Ramsey becomes the first woman to drive across the continental United States.

August 6, 1991. British computer programmer Tim Berners-Lee launches a digital information revolution when he uploads the first site to the World Wide Web. This episode originally aired in 2024.

August 5, 1966. Students at a school in Beijing, China beat a teacher to death, one of the first fatalities of the Cultural Revolution.