June 12, 1928. The great Blues singer Ma Rainey steps up to the microphone at a studio in Chicago. She’s there to record a scandalous song called “Prove It On Me Blues.” It’s her answer to the rumor that she’d once attended a party with a bunch of other half-clothed women – a party that got busted by the cops. It’s a rumor she doesn’t deny. The song is just ... 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
Apr 2024
Disappearing Acts: Marsha "Mudd" Ferber
Marsha “Mudd” Ferber (1941-unknown) was a hippie, a back-to-the-lander, a revolutionary, and an outlaw. She was also the owner of The Underground Railroad, an alternative music haven in Morgantown, West Virginia that hosted the likes of The Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Grateful ... Show More
5m 49s
Sep 2023
Trendsetters: Donna Summer
Donna Summer (1948 - 2012) was a musician who provided the soundtrack for America’s disco era. Her breathy voice and sensual music gave her the title of the queen of disco, but Donna wasn’t a one-genre diva – she cranked out hits in rock, R&B, hip hop, and gospel over the span of ... Show More
4m 46s
Apr 2023
Mischief Makers: Hwang Jini
Hwang Jini (c. 1700 - c. 1750) wrote poetry that made her famous among her contemporaries– and resonated for centuries afterwards.
This month, we’re talking about Mischief Makers: oddballs, chameleons, and nonconformists. Queens of quick wit.
History classes can get a bad rap, a ... Show More
5m 59s
Mar 2024
Women of Sound: Daphne Oram
Daphne Oram (1925-2003) was one of Britain’s first electronic musicians. She co-founded the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, a leading sound effects unit known for experimental work in sound, and developed her own “drawn-sound” technique known as Oramics, which involved drawing on film ... Show More
6m 43s
May 2022
Prodigies: Dimi Mint Abba
Dimi Mint Abba (1958-2011) was the diva of the desert. Widely considered Mauritania’s most famous musician, her soaring vocals have proven the soundtrack for generations of North Africans.History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we ... Show More
5m 13s