Episodes
Saturday Matinee: History of the Second World War
On today’s Saturday Matinee, the impenetrable Maginot Line, 280-mile-long defensive border the French erected to keep Germany out. It didn’t work. Link to the History of the Second World War podcast: http://historyofthesecondworldwar.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Cali…
Robert Smalls Sails a Stolen Ship to Freedom
May 13,1862. During the American Civil War, a slave steals a Confederate ship and flees with his family to freedom.
Jimmy Carter Visits Cuba
May 12, 2002. Former President Jimmy Carter goes to Cuba, becoming the first American president to visit the country since Castro's revolution in 1959.
The Assassination of the British Prime Minister
May 11, 1812. A disgruntled former merchant named John Bellingham shoots and kills Spencer Perceval, the only British Prime Minister assassinated in history.
Nelson Mandela Becomes President
May 10, 1994. Nelson Mandela is sworn in as South Africa’s first Black president, marking an end to the nation’s oppressive and segregationist Apartheid laws.
The Soviets Celebrate Victory Day
May 9, 1945. The Soviet Union celebrates Victory Day after Germany’s surrender brings an end to World War II in Europe.
Saturday Matinee: We Interrupt This Broadcast
On today’s Saturday Matinee, before it was history, it was news. But one news event made history: the Hindenburg disaster, one of the earliest examples of new electronic media that would routinely report shocking events in the moment that they occurred. Link to We Interrupt This Broadcast: https://…
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.
The Battle of Puebla on Cinco de Mayo
May 5, 1862. Following the French invasion of Mexico, Mexican soldiers succeed in defending the town of Puebla, sealing a victory that will be commemorated by the national holiday, Cinco de Mayo.
The Execution of the Carthusian Monks
May 4, 1535. Carthusian monks are hanged, drawn, and quartered for their refusal to acknowledge King Henry VIII as the Supreme Head of the Church of England.
The Partition of Ireland
May 3, 1921. The Government of Ireland Act comes into force, officially partitioning Ireland into two separate countries.
Ella Fitzgerald Records ‘A-Tisket, A-Tasket’
May 2, 1938. Ella Fitzgerald begins her rise to fame when she records “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” with Chick Webb and His Orchestra.
Saturday Matinee: Twenty Thousand Hertz
On today’s Saturday Matinee, the most iconic voice of the Twentieth Century, and that’s not all, folks. Link to Twenty Thousand Hertz: https://www.20k.org/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The 1992 Los Angeles Riots
April 29, 1992. A jury acquits four police officers in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King, sparking six days of violence and unrest in Los Angeles.
Billy the Kid Escapes
April 28, 1881. The condemned outlaw, Billy the Kid, makes a daring escape from the Lincoln County Courthouse Jail.
The Capture of Benito Mussolini
April 27, 1945. Benito Mussolini is captured by Italian resistance fighters, marking the end of his twenty-three year Fascist regime.
The Chernobyl Disaster
April 26, 1986. A safety test goes wrong at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, causing the worst nuclear disaster in history.
Anzac Day
April 25, 1915. During WW1, Australian and New Zealand soldiers land on the Gallipoli Peninsula for a heroic military campaign that will lead to the creation of Anzac day.
Saturday Matinee: Everything Everywhere
On today’s Saturday Matinee, another daily deluge of delightful discovery from the podcast “Everything Everywhere.” Link to Everything Everywhere: https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice…
Earth Day
April 22, 1970. Millions of Americans celebrate the nation’s first Earth Day, launching a grassroots movement that transforms environmental protection laws in America.
The Loch Ness Photograph
April 21, 1934. The Daily Mail publishes an alleged photo of the Loch Ness Monster, sparking an international sensation around one of the world’s most enduring modern legends.
Louis Pasteur Invents Pasteurization
April 20,1862. French biologist Louis Pasteur invents a process of heating a liquid to kill potentially harmful bacteria and names it after himself: pasteurization.
The Oklahoma City Bombing
April 19, 1995. Timothy McVeigh bombs the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
April 18, 1775. Paul Revere rides from Boston to Concord, warning pro-independence colonists in Massachusetts that “the British are coming!”