Episodes
The Killing of Shakespeare’s Rival
May 30, 1593. Enigmatic playwright Christopher Marlowe is stabbed to death during a bar-room brawl in a London lodging house.
The First Ever Successful Summit of Mount Everest
May 29, 1953. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay become the first explorers to reach the top of Mount Everest. This episode originally aired in 2023.
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.
A B-24 Crash Survivor Begins a Fight for Survival
May 27, 1943. A B-24 bomber crashes in the Pacific Ocean, beginning a two year ordeal at sea and in Japanese captivity for former Olympic athlete Louis Zamperini.
Saturday Matinee: Cold War Conversations
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we are told the thrilling tale of how a group of POWs almost escaped East Germany in the 1980's and the harsh consequences that followed.Link to Cold War Conversations: https://coldwarconversations.com/Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and mor…
The Brooklyn Bridge is Opened to the Public
May 24, 1883. The Brooklyn Bridge is opened to the public, becoming the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time of completion. This episode originally aired in 2023.
The Premiere of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining
May 23, 1980. Critics are left underwhelmed by the release of a new psychological horror movie: Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.
The Disappearance of the USS Scorpion
May 22, 1968. The nuclear-powered submarine USS Scorpion disappears in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with 99 men on board.
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.
Explorer Ernest Shackleton Escapes the Antarctic
May 20, 1916. Freezing, exhausted and starving, Ernest Shackleton and two other crewmen stumble back to civilization after a grueling escape from the punishing Antarctic conditions that crushed and sank their ship, the Endurance. This episode originally aired in 2022.
Saturday Matinee: American History Tellers
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we bring you the story of how the Pinkerton Detective Agency started- an agency which would grow to establish itself as America’s most innovative and aggressive private police force in the late 1800's. Link to American History Tellers: https://wondery.com/shows/american…
The Supreme Court Abolishes Segregation in Public Schools
May 17, 1954: In the Brown v. Board of Education case, the US Supreme Court rules that racial segregation in schools is unconstitutional.
The First Woman to Climb Mount Everest
May 16, 1975. Junko Tabei, a Japanese mountaineer, author and teacher, becomes the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. This episode originally aired in 2022.
The First McDonald’s Opens
May 15, 1940. Maurice and Richard McDonald open their McDonald’s Bar-B-Que restaurant in San Bernardino, California. This episode originally aired in 2023.
Louis XIV Becomes King of France
May 14, 1643. A four-year-old prince ascends to the throne of France, beginning a decades-long reign that will change the country forever.
The Attempted Assassination of Pope John Paul II
May 13, 1981. Pope John Paul II is shot in a mysterious assassination plot with potential ties to the KGB.
Saturday Matinee: Warlords of History
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we travel back to the fourth century BCE, and explore the path blazed by military genius Philip II of Macedon.Link to Warlords of History: https://warlordsofhistory.com/Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more.History Daily is a co-produc…
The First Phone Call from the White House
May 10, 1877. Rutherford B. Hayes becomes the first U.S. President to use a world-changing new technology at the White House: the telephone.
Dana International Wins the Eurovision Song Contest
May 9, 1998. Israeli singer Dana International becomes the first transgender performer and winner at the Eurovision Song Contest.
John S. Pemberton Sells the First Glass of Coca-Cola
May 8, 1886. American pharmacist John S. Pemberton sells the first glass of Coca-Cola at a pharmacy in downtown Atlanta, a drink he originally bills as a cure-all tonic. This episode originally aired in 2023.
The Return of The Scream
May 7, 1994. Edvard Munch's painting The Scream is recovered undamaged after being stolen from the National Gallery of Norway.
The Hindenburg Disaster
May 6, 1937. The Hindenburg, the largest rigid airship ever built, and the pride of Nazi Germany, bursts into flames, killing 36 people. This episode originally aired in 2022.
Saturday Matinee: Rex Factor
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we review the reign of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the wife and consort of King George III. We take a look at how she compares to other monarchs given the challenges she faced during her rule- including her husband slowly going mad.Link to Rex Factor: ht…
The Partition of Ireland
May 3rd 1921: the Government of Ireland Act comes into force, officially partitioning Ireland into two separate countries: Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland. This episode originally aired in 2022.