Born into slavery, Robert Smalls dreamed of freedom for not just himself and his family, but all oppressed people. As the US became consumed in the Civil War, he hatched a daredevil plan to make this dream a reality -- by stealing a Confederate ship and sailing straight past the southern authorities all the way to the Union. In part one of this episode, the ... Show More
Today
CLASSIC: That Time Ohio and Michigan Almost Went To War
In this week's Classic episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore how a misunderstanding of the geography of the Great Lakes started a feud, known as the Toledo War, between the state of Ohio and a territory called Michigan. Tune in to Ridiculous History to hear how the conflict between ... Show More
34m 37s
Jul 16
The Ridiculously Inspiring Story of Free Public Restrooms, Part Two: The Rise of CEPTIA
In this week's Classic episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore how a misunderstanding of the geography of the Great Lakes started a feud, known as the Toledo War, between the state of Ohio and a territory called Michigan. Tune in to Ridiculous History to hear how the conflict between ... Show More
33m 15s
Jul 15
The Ridiculously Inspiring Story of Free Public Restrooms, Part One: Everyone Has To Poop
Today a great many people in the United States take free toilets for granted. Yet, as Ben, Noel and Max discover in the first part of this two-part episode, there was a long -- and ridiculous -- road from the origin of public toilets to the free facilities we enjoy today. Tune in ... Show More
36m 30s
Feb 2024
The Backstory: From slave to congressman
This is the remarkable story of Robert Smalls. In 1862, he was a young slave who managed to commandeer a rebel warship in Charleston, South Carolina’s heavily fortified harbor, turn it over to the North and go on to have a spectacular business and political career. Follow Clay & ... Show More
6m 50s
Aug 2025
The Sailor Who Escaped Slavery
Enslaved on a plantation in South Carolina, Robert Blake had little chance for freedom. Then came a surprise battle, a bold choice, and a new mission in life: serving in the U.S. Navy. Robert’s heroism would make him the first Black sailor to receive the Medal of Honor. But what ... Show More
34m 53s
Apr 2022
EP253: Reconciling Dad the Farmer and Dad the Veteran Pilot, How The Civil War Openly Became about Slavery and Why it Took One Man 7 Years to Get His Car Back
On this episode of Our American Stories, Iowa listener Joy Neal Kidney shares her father's story. Our regular contributors Jon Elfner and Dr. Kate Masur, author of "Until Justice Be Done," tell the rest of the story that begins with three runaway enslaved people. Tyson Timbs tell ... Show More
38m 13s
Mar 2023
Secrets of the Civil War: North Toward Freedom
Today in our series, Secrets of the Civil War, we’ll meet some of the key players in the Abolition Movement–a persuader, an agitator, and a conductor. Their ideals and actions helped foster the success of the Underground Railroad and the path to emancipation. How did so many ensl ... Show More
31m 37s
Feb 2024
The Underground Railroad | Crossing the Line | 3
On the morning of April 16th, 1848, dozens of Washington, D.C. slaveowners woke up to find that their slaves were gone. The previous night, 77 enslaved men, women, and children had quietly run away and boarded a ship docked in the Potomac River.It was the largest single escape at ... Show More
39m 42s
Feb 2024
The Underground Railroad | The Light of Freedom | 1
In the early 1800s, slavery rapidly expanded across the American South. But each year, thousands of courageous enslaved men, women, and children fled their owners in search of freedom. And in Philadelphia, secret allies came to their aid. Quaker abolitionists collaborated with fr ... Show More
41m 45s
Jan 2025
Colton Harris-Moore: The Teenager Who Stole Airplanes
Uncover the extraordinary life of the Barefoot Bandit: a tale of rebellion, survival, and redemption shaped by trauma, ambition, and a relentless quest for freedom.
Sponsors:
rocketmoney.com/casual - cancel your unwanted subscriptions today
shopify.com/casual - sign up for your ... Show More
1h 27m