August 14, 1967. Off the coast of England, a group of pirate ships has been fighting to stay afloat. These are pirates of a particular kind—less sword fighting and treasure hunting, more spinning records and dancing late into the night. For the past few years, these boats have made it their mission to broadcast popular music from international waters. But at ... Show More
Nov 24
A Meteorite Hits Ann Hodges
November 30, 1954. At about 12:45 in the afternoon, a space rock comes plummeting through the roof of a house in Sylacauga, Alabama. It bounces off a stand-up radio, ricochets around the living room, and collides with the thigh of Mrs. Ann Hodges, who’s been napping on the couch. ... Show More
37m 23s
Nov 17
Ken Burns Reimagines the American Revolution | A Conversation with Ken Burns & Sarah Botstein
November 16, 1776. George Washington rows toward Manhattan to inspect the fort that bears his name, only to meet a full-scale British assault already underway. By afternoon, Fort Washington has fallen, and General Washington is forced to abandon New York City.
The Continental A ... Show More
38m 45s
Nov 10
The Grinnell 14 Take On the Bomb (feat. Peter Coyote)
November 16, 1961. Fourteen college students from Iowa have driven nearly a thousand miles to the White House. They’re fasting, protesting, and calling for an end to nuclear bomb testing. These students, later known as the Grinnell 14, will help ignite the student peace movement ... Show More
27m 56s
Dec 2022
The Interruption | Episode Five: Operation Space Pirates
We have explored the motive, but what about the method?
Tommie hears from some of England’s most well-known pirate broadcasters. These pirate radio DJs weren’t messing around, they took their craft seriously, they loved what they did and they were willing to take risks.
A new two ... Show More
29m 50s
Mar 2024
The Real Pirates of the Caribbean
Throughout the late 17th and early 18th Century, the waters of the Caribbean were crawling with pirates. Stories about swash-buckling buccaneers, and insatiable treasure-seekers haunted the tropical islands, as navies tried in vain to put a stop to their reign of terror. But who ... Show More
56m 38s
Nov 2018
SYMHC Classics: Stede Bonnet, the Gentleman Pirate
Today we revisit our 2013 episode on Stede Bonnet, who left his family in 1717 and became a pirate. Despite having no seafaring experience, Bonnet's brief career as a pirate was eventful, including a stint aboard Blackbeard's ship and raids along the Atlantic coast of North Ameri ... Show More
20m 58s