Episodes
The Fall of the Fortress of Masada
April 16, 73 CE. The fall of the fortress of Masada brings an end to the First Jewish-Roman War.
The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster
April 15, 1989. A crowd crush at a soccer game at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England leads to the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans.
Saturday Matinee: Business Wars
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we explore what seemed to be one of Silicon Valley's biggest successes: OpenAI. In 2022, it had stunned the world with the release of ChatGPT3.5, leapfrogging some of the biggest tech companies to be an industry …
The Great Civil War Locomotive Chase
April 12, 1862. During the American Civil War, a band of Union spies steals a train in order to sabotage the Western & Atlantic Railroad, a vital supply line at the heart of the Confederacy. This episode originally aired on …
The Brixton Riots
April 11, 1981. following police brutality towards black people in London, the Brixton Riots break out, heralding a watershed moment for race relations in the UK. This episode originally aired in 2022.
Mount Tambora Erupts in Indonesia
April 10, 1815. The eruption of Mount Tambora in present-day Indonesia lowers temperatures around the globe, creating what became known as “the year without summer”.
Marian Anderson’s Lincoln Memorial Protest Concert
April 9, 1939. After racial segregation laws block her from performing at Constitution Hall, Black opera star Marian Anderson performs an outdoor concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Kurt Cobain’s Body Is Found
April 8, 1994. After going missing for nearly a week, Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain’s body is found in his Seattle home, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Saturday Matinee: QEZ
On today’s Saturday Matinee, the series premiere of QEZ: the comedy quiz show where you win by being smart, or pretending that you are. Each episode, host Lindsay Graham challenges three comedian contestants with an onslaught of quirky history questions …
Deaf and Blind Helen Keller Learns Her First Word
April 5, 1887. Deaf-blind six-year-old Helen Keller learns her first word, kickstarting a life of social and political campaigning.
The Birth of Microsoft
April 4, 1975. Bill Gates and Paul Allen formalize their partnership with the creation of Microsoft, ushering in the personal computer revolution. This episode originally aired in 2022.
The Arrest of the Unabomber
April 3, 1996. Ted Kaczynski is arrested by FBI agents and accused of being the elusive Unabomber. This episode originally aired in 2023.
Beethoven’s First Symphony Premieres
April 2, 1800. Prussian composer Ludwig van Beethoven leads the premiere of his First Symphony in Vienna, Austria.
The Hale-Bopp Comet
April 1, 1997. The Hale-Bopp Comet reaches the closest point to the sun on its long loop through space, presenting a magnificent spectacle to stargazers on Earth.
Saturday Matinee: Business Movers
On today’s Saturday Matinee, Industrialist Henry Ford looks for a new way to supply his factories with rubber without having to pay the prices dictated by the global market. But his decision to build a rubber plantation deep in the …
The Discovery of China’s Terracotta Army
March 29, 1974. One of the world’s greatest archaeological finds is discovered by farmers digging a well near Xi’an, China.
Barnum & Bailey Launch the “Greatest Show on Earth”
March 28, 1881. After merging their circuses, rival showmen P.T. Barnum and James Anthony Bailey put on “The Greatest Show on Earth”. This episode originally aired in 2022.
The Arrest of Typhoid Mary
March 27, 1915. After a years-long search, authorities capture and quarantine the elusive Mary Mallon, better known as ‘Typhoid Mary’. This episode originally aired in 2023.
Bangladesh Declares Independence
March 26, 1971: Under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, East Pakistan declares its independence to begin the Bangladesh Liberation War.
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
On March 25, 1911. A fire breaks out in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City, killing 146 garment workers trapped inside.
Saturday Matinee: Nightingale of Iran
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we follow along as a pair of sisters who come from a line of famous Iranian singers piece together painful generational secrets and discover why their family decided to move away from Iran. Link to Nightingale …
The Jamestown Massacre
March 22 1622, years of hostility between English colonists and Native Americans erupts into violence, when Powhatan Indians massacre 347 colonists in Jamestown, Virginia. This episode originally aired in 2022.
Dallas Airs the “Who Shot J.R.?” Cliffhanger
March 21, 1980. The season finale of television drama Dallas sets up a summer of frenzied speculation about who shot J.R. Ewing.
General MacArthur Vows to Return to the Philippines
March 20, 1942. General Douglas MacArthur vows "I came through and I shall return" after escaping the Japanese-occupied Philippines. This episode originally aired in 2023.