The life of the gangster Al Capone could be understood as a violent expression of the American Dream. A poor kid from Brooklyn, born to immigrant parents, used his wits, fists, and a certain ruthless determination to build an empire. The underworld figure has been the fodder for countless, books and biopics, not to mention inspiring a rogues gallery of ficti ... Show More
Jul 14
Episode #255 - Rhiannon Giddens: Can the Banjo Explain American History?
Rhiannon Giddens is a multi-instrumentalist, a singer, and a composer. She is a MacArthur Genius fellow, a Pulitzer Prize winner, and one the most dynamic voices in American folk and roots music performing today. She’s also one of the knowledgeable people you can possibly talk to ... Show More
1h 33m
Jul 7
Bonus Episode - Plagiarizing Patriots, Human Chickens, and Canadian Character Assassination
On this Bonus Episode Sebastian takes questions about the recent series on the Knights of the Air and the one-off on the Midnight Ride. The host grapples with questions about the American perception of Canadian history, tarring and feathering, WWI weaponry, and Paul Revere's plag ... Show More
49m 36s
Apr 2024
The Rise & Fall of Al Capone
<p>Al Capone is one of the most notorious gangsters in US history. His story of rags to riches, set against the backdrop of the prohibition era, is worthy of the many movies that it has inspired.</p><br><p>Violent mobster, genius businessman or<em> </em>semi-professional baseball ... Show More
50m 34s
Apr 2024
The Aftermath: The Downfall of Al Capone
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca revisits the downfall of notorious mobster Al Capone with historian and author Dr. Luciano Lorizzo. Having written a biography on Capone and even growing up in Park Slope Brooklyn, where Capone spent his early days, Dr. Lorizzo ... Show More
22m 59s
Feb 2025
1 | Give Me Your F**kin Money
Meet Kenny “The Kid”, a Chicago mafia soldier and hitman for nearly 25 years. After hearing a brutal firsthand account of a mafia hit, we learn how and why Kenny was recruited as 17 year old kid, explore the history of the legendary Chicago Outfit, and reveal a devastating truth ... Show More
24m 53s
Feb 2024
Titanic Thompson: The Greatest Cheat of All Time (History Guy)
On this episode of Our American Stories, Titanic Thompson led a wild life, always chasing the next big score, including cheating the infamous mobster Al Capone. Here’s “The History Guy” with the story of Titanic Thompson, the greatest cheat of all time. Support the show (https:// ... Show More
9m 59s