History Today - Oct. 31

About this episode

Happy Halloween! We start with a brief history of Samhain. In 1517, priest and scholar Martin Luther nailed a piece of paper containing 95 Theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany. In 1926, escape artist and illusionist Harry Houdini died. In 1950, Earl "Big Cat" Lloyd became the first black player to play in the NBA. Learn more about your ... Show More

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Yesterday

History Today - Oct. 30

In 1961, the Soviet Union dropped Tsar Bomba and its detonation was the largest in human history. In 1974, Muhammad Ali and George Foreman fought in Kinshasa, Zaire in the 'Rumble in the Jungle.' In 1938, Orson Welles scared a lot of folks with his radio dramatization of H.G. Wel ... Show More

5m 53s

Oct 29

History Today - Oct. 29

In 1929, Black Tuesday saw 16 million shares sold and a 12% plummet in market value. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch made landfall in Honduras. There were 11,374 fatalities in Central America. In 1998, 77-year old John Glenn was launched back into space. In 1969, a message was sent over ... Show More

5m 32s

Oct 28

History Today - Oct. 28

In 1726, Jonathan Swift's 'Gulliver's Travels' was published. In 2023, actor Matthew Perry died. In 1919, the Volstead Act was passed to provide enforcement for the 18th amendment. In 1886, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated. In 1965, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis was completed. ... Show More