History Daily

Saturday Matinee: The Secret World of Roald Dahl

21 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we read up on one of the most beloved children's authors Roald Dahl, and flip through the hidden chapters of his extrao...

Nazis in New York

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 20, 1939. Thinly disguised as “a mass demonstration for true Americanism”, a Nazi rally takes place in Madison Square Garden, where 20,00...

The Feminine Mystique

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 19, 1963. The publication of The Feminine Mystique, widely seen as the beginning of second-wave feminism. Support the show! Join Into History...

The Execution of Dedan Kimathi

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 18, 1957. At the height of the Mau Mau Rebellion, British colonial authorities execute the leader of Kenya’s independence movement. Support...

James Monroe Delivers the Treaty of Ghent

17 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 17, 1815. Future President James Monroe presents the Treaty of Ghent to the British, bringing a ceremonial end to the War of 1812. This episo...

Rescuers Reach Trapped Cave Explorer Floyd Collins

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 16, 1925. Rescuers finally reach cave explorer Floyd Collins, 18 days after he became trapped, capturing national attention in one of the fir...

Saturday Matinee: American History Tellers

14 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we follow a young Al Capone as he arrives in Chicago looking for a fresh start. However, over the next few years tensio...

Baseball’s Negro National League is Formed

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 13, 1920. The Negro National League is formed by a consortium of baseball team owners, creating the first successful Black baseball league. T...

Dior Unveils the New Look

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 12, 1947. Christian Dior unveils his debut clothing collection, helping Paris regain its position as the capital of the fashion world. Suppor...

The Egyptian Revolution

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 11, 2011. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak steps down after nearly 30 years in power, following mass demonstrations that were part of the pro...

David Bowie Becomes Ziggy Stardust

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 10, 1972. When his music career begins to stagnate, David Bowie reinvents himself with an alien alter-ego he names Ziggy Stardust. This episo...

The Simpsons Makes Television History

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 9, 1997. The Simpsons makes television history with their 167th episode, surpassing The Flintstones as the longest-running primetime animated...

Saturday Matinee: Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

07 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we go under the knife to uncover the history and mechanisms of general anesthesia. Link to Daniel and Kelly’s Extraor...

The Munich Air Disaster

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 6, 1958. Twenty-three people die, including eight members of Manchester United’s football team, when an airplane crashes on take-off at Mun...

The Official End of The Third Punic War

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 5, 1985. The mayor of Rome and the mayor of Carthage sign a treaty of friendship officially ending the Third Punic War after 2,131 years. Sup...

The 47 Ronin

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 4, 1703. A group of Japanese samurai are punished for avenging their master's death. Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listenin...

1311: The Battle for the Fifteenth Amendment

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 3, 1870. The Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing the right of black men to vote. This episode originally a...

1310: The Real-Life Robinson Crusoe is Rescued

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

February 2, 1709. British sailor Alexander Selkirk is rescued after being marooned on a Pacific island for more than four years, an ordeal that will i...

1309: Saturday Matinee: Business History

31 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we take a ride in the classic Volkswagen Beetle and learn the surprising history behind this iconic German car. Link to...

1308: The Attempted Assassination of Andrew Jackson

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 30, 1835. House painter Richard Lawrence shoots twice at Andrew Jackson, becoming the first person to attempt to assassinate a US president. T...

1307: Birth Control Activist Margaret Sanger Stands Trial

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 29, 1917. American activist Margaret Sanger stands trial after opening two birth control clinics in New York. Support the show! Join Into Hist...

1306: The Challenger Disaster

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 28, 1986. A routine shuttle launch turns into national tragedy when the Challenger spacecraft explodes live on television, killing all seven o...

1305: The End of the Siege of Leningrad

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 27, 1944. Soviet forces defeat the German army outside Leningrad, ending an 872-day siege. This episode originally aired in 2025. Support the ...

1304: The First Television

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 26, 1926. John Logie Baird invites members of the Royal Institution to his Soho Laboratory and demonstrates his new invention: television. Sup...

1303: Saturday Matinee: Forgotten Australia

24 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we highlight the story of an oft forgotten Titanic hero- Australian bosun Michael Adams. Link to Forgotten Australia: w...

1302: The Television Premiere of Roots

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 23, 1977. Television drama Roots focuses attention on America’s history of slavery when it debuts on ABC. This episode originally aired in 2...

1301: The Portuguese Royal Family Flees to Brazil

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 22, 1808. After fleeing a French invasion, the Portuguese royal family sets up court in exile on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Support...

1300: Concorde Takes Flight

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 21, 1976. After a long and troubled development, the first commercial Concorde flights take off from London and Paris. Support the show! Join ...

1299: An Inauguration to Remember

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 20, 2009. After a bitter presidential contest, two campaign rivals put country over politics. This episode originally aired in 2022. Support t...

1298: The First Zeppelin Raid on Britain

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 19, 1915. in Norfolk, England, four people are killed by German bombs during the first ever zeppelin raid of World War One. This episode origi...

1297: Saturday Matinee: The History Bureau

17 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, presenter Helena Merriman returns to one of the most contested- and consequential- stories in modern Russia. Link to Th...

1296: The End of the Roman Republic

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 16, 27 BCE. Octavian is granted the title Augustus by the Roman Senate, marking the beginning of the Roman Empire. This episode originally air...

1295: The Boston Molasses Disaster

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 15, 1919. 21 people die in Boston, Massachusetts, when a storage tank bursts, triggering a killer wave of sticky molasses. Support the show! J...

1294: The Evacuation of Guadalcanal

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 14, 1943. In a turning point in World War II, the Japanese begin their retreat from the Pacific island of Guadalcanal. Support the show! Join ...

1293: The Sole Survivor of the Retreat from Kabul

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 13, 1842. Assistant Surgeon William Brydon is the last man standing after a disastrous British army retreat during the First Anglo-Afghan War....

1292: The New York Jets Win Super Bowl III

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 12, 1969. Quarterback Joe Namath fulfills his unlikely prediction when he leads the New York Jets to victory against the Baltimore Colts in Su...

1291: Saturday Matinee: True Life Spy Stories

10 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we peer into the hidden world of espionage and investigate the story of Christopher John Boyce & Andrew Daulton Lee...

1290: The Resignation of Sir Anthony Eden

09 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 9, 1957. British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden resigns following the nation’s humiliation in the Suez Crisis. This episode originally aire...

1289: The Capture of Drug Lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 8, 2016. After decades of evading the authorities, drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán is arrested for the third and final time.  This ...

1288: The Last English City in France

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 7, 1558. A French army captures Calais after two centuries of English rule. This episode originally aired in 2025. Support the show! Join Into...

1287: Mother Teresa Arrives in India

06 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 6, 1929. Future saint Mother Teresa travels to India where she dedicates her life to helping the country’s sick and poor. Support the sh...

1286: The Beginning of the Prague Spring

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 5, 1968. January 5th, 1968. Slovak reformer Alexander Dubček rises to power in Czechoslovakia, sparking a brief but remarkable wave of freedo...

1285: Saturday Matinee: American Scandal

03 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we unpack one of most horrifying cases of misjustice that our country has seen- when a string of murders are wrongfully...

1284: The End of Islamic Spain

02 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 2, 1492. Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella complete the reconquest of Spain with the capture of Granada, the final Muslim stronghold on ...

1283: Operation Raspberry Takes on the U-Boats

01 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January 1, 1942. A retired British naval officer is ordered to turn the tide in the Battle of the Atlantic—using little more than chalk, string, and...

1282: Winning Monopoly

31 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 31, 1935. An unemployed salesman registers a new board game at the US Patent Office without mentioning he stole the idea from someone else. T...

1281: The Assassination of Russia’s “Mad Monk”

30 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 30, 1916. Grigori Rasputin, the mystic confidant of the Russian royals, is assassinated in St. Petersburg, accelerating the fall of the Roman...

1280: The Brutal Killing of Thomas Becket Shocks England

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 29, 1170. Archbishop Thomas Becket becomes a martyr after he is brutally killed by four knights in Canterbury Cathedral. This episode origina...

1279: Saturday Matinee: Curiosity Meets The Past

27 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, examine the human voice to learn what it can reveal about history, identity and expression across time. Link to Cur...

1278: King Lear’s Royal Premiere

26 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 26, 1606. The first performance of a new play in front of King James I caps an extraordinary year for William Shakespeare. Support the sh...

1277: The First Performance of “White Christmas”

25 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 25, 1941. Irving Berlin’s classic song “White Christmas” is premiered by Bing Crosby on his weekly radio show. This episode originally ...

1276: America’s First National Christmas Tree

24 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 24, 1923. U.S. President Calvin Coolidge inaugurates a new holiday tradition by putting up a Christmas tree outside the White House. Supp...

1275: The Fall of King James II

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 23, 1688. King James II of England abandons the throne and flees abroad after a coup forces him from power. This episode originally aired in ...

1274: The Mock Execution of Dostoevsky

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 22, 1849. Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky is saved from execution by a last-minute reprieve, an event that shapes the writer’s greatest wo...

1273: Saturday Matinee: Gone Medieval

20 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we unwrap the ancient holiday tradition rooted deep in medieval folklore know as "wassailing". Link to Gone Medieva...

1272: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 19, 1843. Readers are introduced to grumpy miser Ebenezer Scrooge with the publication of Charles Dickens’ most famous festive tale. This e...

1271: The Korematsu Case

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 18, 1944. In a controversial judgment, the U.S. Supreme Court upholds the racist treatment of Japanese Americans during World War Two. Su...

1270: Emperor Timur Captures Delhi

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 17, 1398. The mighty nomadic warlord Timur captures and sacks the Indian city of Delhi, causing the deaths of 100,000 people. This episode or...

1269: The Boston Tea Party

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 16, 1773. Frustrated at Britain for imposing “taxation without representation”, American colonists dump 342 chests of tea into Boston Har...

1268: The Premiere of Gone With the Wind

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 15, 1939. The epic Civil War drama Gone With the Wind receives its premiere in Atlanta, Georgia. Support the show! Join Into History for ...

1267: Saturday Matinee: Charles Dickens Ghost Stories

13 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we're told one of the most famous ghost stories of all time- one that also happens to be about Christmas. Link to C...

1266: The Battle of Tolvajärvi

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 12, 1939. The Battle of Tolvajärvi breaks out, bringing Finland its first major victory in the Winter War. This episode originally aired in ...

1265: Frank Sinatra Jr. Is Released by His Kidnappers

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 11, 1963. Three days after being abducted at gunpoint, 19-year-old Frank Sinatra Jr. is freed by his captors.  Support the show! Join In...

1264: America’s First Paper Money

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 10, 1690. A failed attack on Quebec, Canada leads to Massachusetts Colony creating the first paper currency in the Western Hemisphere. This e...

1263: Jim Morrison’s On-Stage Arrest

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 9, 1967. During a concert in New Haven, Connecticut, The Doors’ frontman Jim Morrison is hauled off stage mid-performance, in the first-eve...

1262: The Opening of the Clifton Suspension Bridge

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 8, 1864. The Clifton Suspension Bridge opens in Bristol, England, five years after the death of its legendary designer, Isambard Kingdom Brun...

Special Update on Wondery+

07 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

History Daily is no longer a part of Wondery+, but you can still listen ad-free at: Into History Noiser Plus Thanks for listening, and come visit us...

1261: Saturday Matinee: Cautionary Tales

06 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we hear the story of how thousands of families saved up for Christmas through a company called Farepak, until the savin...

1260: Flight 19 Disappears in the Bermuda Triangle

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 5, 1945. Five Navy bombers mysteriously vanish over the Atlantic Ocean after taking off from Fort Lauderdale. This episode originally aired i...

Boss Tweed Escapes Prison

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 4, 1875. Notoriously corrupt New York City politician Boss Tweed slips away from guards during a home visit.Support the show! Join ...

The Battle of the Eureka Stockade

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 3, 1854. The Battle of the Eureka Stockade in Victoria, Australia results in dozens of deaths—and gives birth to democracy Down Under.Suppo...

The Start of the Cuban Revolution

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 2, 1956. Communist revolutionary Fidel Castro launches the Cuban Revolution. This episode originally aired in 2021.Support the show! Joi...

The Assassination of Sergei Kirov

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

December 1, 1934. Leningrad mayor Sergei Kirov is assassinated by a lone gunman, giving Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin the justification to purge the Co...

Saturday Matinee: Rebel on Main

29 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, unpack the controversy behind a historical bronze statue in Jessamine County, KY.Link to Rebel on Main: https://www.reb...

America’s Deadliest Nightclub Disaster

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 28, 1942. A fire at the Cocoanut Grove in Boston kills 492 people, becoming the deadliest nightclub fire ever. This episode originally aired ...

The Genesis of the Nobel Prize

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 27, 1895. A year before his death, Swedish chemist and inventor Alfred Nobel amends his will to establish the Nobel Prize. This episode origi...

Washington’s Thanksgiving

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 26, 1789. President George Washington hopes to unite his bickering new country with a first national Thanksgiving holiday. This episode origi...

The Assassination of the Mirabal Sisters

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 25, 1960. In the Dominican Republic, three siblings are killed by soldiers acting on the orders of the country’s president.Support the show...

Darwin’s Origin of Species

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 24, 1859. Charles Darwin sparks a scientific revolution by introducing the theory of evolution in his book On the Origin of Species.Support t...

Saturday Matinee: Ship History Radio

22 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we dive deep into the tragedy that took place seventeen miles off the coast of Michigan 50 years ago- the sinking of th...

Judas Maccabeus Recaptures Jerusalem

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 21, 164 BCE. Judas Maccabeus recaptures Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt and rededicates the Second Temple, since commemorated in the Je...

The Real-Life Moby Dick

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 20, 1820. Two thousand miles off the coast of South America, an American whaling ship is sunk by an enormous sperm whale.Support the show!&nb...

Pelé's 1,000th Career Goal

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 19, 1969. Legendary soccer player Pelé scores the 1,000th goal of his career.Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free ...

Introducing Mickey Mouse

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 18, 1928. Mickey Mouse makes his big screen debut in Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie. This episode originally aired in 2024.Support the show...

Czechoslovakia’s Velvet Revolution Begins

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 17, 1989. A student demonstration in Prague is violently shut down by the police, sparking the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. This epis...

Saturday Matinee: The Ancients

15 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we explore the pristine beaches of Hawaii over one thousand years ago to witness the arrival of the islands' very first...

The First Passenger Train Through the Channel Tunnel

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 14, 1994. The first Channel Tunnel passenger train departs London and arrives in Paris less than three hours later. This episode originally a...

The Amityville Murders

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 13, 1974. Ronald DeFeo Jr. shoots six members of his family at their home in suburban New York, inspiring the book and movie versions of The ...

John Bunyan’s Arrest

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 12, 1660. English nonconformist preacher John Bunyan is arrested. During the 12 years he spends in prison, he starts writing his famous book ...

The Signing of the World War One Armistice

11 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 11, 1918. World War One comes to an end when an armistice agreement is signed by the Germans and the Allies. This episode originally aired in...

Dr. Livingstone Is Found Alive in Africa

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 10, 1871. Henry Morton Stanley locates missing explorer and missionary, Dr David Livingstone in Tanzania, famously greeting him with the word...

Saturday Matinee: Founded

08 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we unwrap The Stamp Act of 1765 and how its passing in the 13 colonies was met with unprecedented resistance.Link to Fo...

The Execution of Soviet Spy Richard Sorge

07 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 7, 1944. A spy who predicted the Nazi invasion of the USSR and Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is executed. This episode originally aired in ...

Otto The Great Overthrows The Pope

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

​​November 6, 963 CE. Holy Roman Emperor Otto I convenes a Synod of the Church in Rome to depose Pope John XII.Support the show! Join In...

The Invasion of Parihaka

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 5, 1881. British armed forces march on a Māori settlement in New Zealand, evicting 2,000 residents and destroying the village.Support the sh...

Discovering Tutankhamun

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 4, 1922. British archeologist Howard Carter discovers the tomb of the 18th Dynasty pharaoh, Tutankhamun. This episode originally aired in 202...

The Greensboro Massacre

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

November 3, 1979. At a rally planned by the Communist Workers Party, a gang of Klansmen and American Nazis murder five protestors. This episode origin...

Saturday Matinee: American History Tellers

01 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we saddle up and hit the trail towards Tombstone, Arizona to witness one of the most famous gunfights in the Wild West....

The Assassination of Indira Gandhi

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 31, 1984. Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her bodyguards at her home in New Delhi. This episode originally aired in 202...

Jane Austen’s First Novel

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 30, 1811. After a long struggle to find a publisher, Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility is released. This episode originally aired in 2024....