History Daily

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....

The Formation of the Red Cross

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 29, 1863. Led by Swiss businessman Henry Dunant, eighteen countries meet in Geneva and agree to form the International Red Cross.Support the s...

The Siege of La Rochelle

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 28, 1628. After 14 months, French Huguenot rebels open the gates of La Rochelle and surrender to King Louis XIII. Support the show! ...

The Murder Behind ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 27, 1992. United States Navy radioman Allen R. Schindler, Jr. is  murdered by a shipmate for being gay, sparking a national debate that r...

Saturday Matinee: American Criminal

25 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we open the door to a bone chilling murder that took place on Halloween 1958.Link to American Criminal: https://www.ame...

Italy Suffers its Greatest Military Defeat

24 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 24, 1917. The Italian army is crushed by Austrian and German troops during World War I, losing thousands of soldiers and retreating over 150 k...

Boris Pasternak Wins The Nobel Prize

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 23, 1958. Boris Pasternak is awarded a Nobel Prize for his novel Doctor Zhivago, only for the Soviet Union to force him to refuse the honor.Su...

The Death of “Pretty Boy” Floyd

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 22, 1934. Federal agents track down notorious outlaw Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd and kill him in a gunfight. This episode originally aired ...

The “Bubble Boy’s” Experimental Transplant

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 21, 1983. A 12-year-old boy who has spent most of his life in an isolation bubble receives an experimental bone marrow transplant.Support the ...

The Sydney Opera House Opens

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 20, 1973. After 15 years of construction, the Sydney Opera House is dedicated by Queen Elizabeth II. This episode originally aired in 2023.Sup...

Saturday Matinee: Jane Austen Stories

18 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we enjoy a witty exploration of love, class, and family set in Regency England as told by Jane Austen in her best-loved...

The Assassination of the Emperor of Haiti

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 17, 1806. Former leader of the Haitian Revolution Jean-Jacques Dessalines, now Emperor Jacques I of Haiti, is assassinated after an oppressive...

The Assassination of Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 16, 2017. Maltese journalist Daphne Galizia is killed when a bomb under her car detonates. This episode originally aired in 2024.Support the s...

Charlie Chaplin Premieres The Great Dictator

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 15, 1940. Charlie Chaplin premieres The Great Dictator in New York City, a satirical film that mocks Adolf Hitler and becomes the comedian’s...

The Battle of Old Byland

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 14, 1322. During the first war of Scottish independence, the Scots win a decisive victory over the English at the Battle of Old Byland. This e...

The Miracle of the Andes

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 13, 1972. An airplane carrying members of a rugby team crashes in the Andes mountains on a routine flight from Uruguay to Chile; survivors fig...

Saturday Matinee: Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes

11 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we unspool our red string and head to the corkboard to attempt to make sense of the convoluted conspiracy surrounding t...

Malala’s Nobel Peace Prize

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 10, 2014. Two years after being shot by a gunman, 17-year-old education activist Malala Yousafzai wins the Nobel Peace Prize. This episod...

The Vajont Dam Disaster

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 9, 1963. A long-predicted landslide in northern Italy triggers a tsunami-like wave to spill over the Vajont Dam, killing over 2,000 people and...

Chicago’s Days of Rage

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 8, 1969. The streets of Chicago are turned into a battleground as extreme left-wing student group the Weathermen begins a series of violent pr...

The Battle of Lepanto

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 7, 1571. The Ottoman Empire and the Holy League face off in the last great naval battle before the Age of Sail.Support the show! Join&nbs...

Opening Night at the Moulin Rouge

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 6, 1889. For the first time, the now world-famous Moulin Rouge in Paris opens its doors. This episode originally aired in 2022.Support the sho...

Saturday Matinee: American Shrapnel

04 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we are told the story of Eric Robert Rudolph, a serial bomber who set off the largest pipe bomb in American history at ...

The Execution of the Last Prince of Wales

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 3, 1283. Dafydd ap Gruffydd, the last native Prince of Wales, is executed after being the first person known to be tried for high treason agai...

The End of the Warsaw Uprising

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 2, 1944. After two months of fighting, the Warsaw Uprising ends when the surviving Polish rebels surrender to German forces. This episode orig...

The First Bullet Train

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

October 1, 1964. The first Shinkansen high-speed train enters service between the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Osaka. This episode originally aired in...

Mozart’s Last Opera

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

September 30, 1791. Mozart’s masterpiece, The Magic Flute, opens in Vienna.Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening ...

The Battle of New Market Heights

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

September 29, 1864. During the American Civil War, the Battle of New Market Heights sees 14 African American soldiers awarded the Medal of Honor for t...

Saturday Matinee: The Curious History of Your Home

27 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we head to the kitchen to investigate the history of the coolest home appliance: the refrigerator.Link to The Curious H...

Daniel Shays Leads a Rebellion

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

September 26, 1786. American farmer Daniel Shays leads a militia of debt-ridden citizens to protest high taxes and shut down Massachusetts Supreme Jud...

The Battle of Stamford Bridge

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

September 25, 1066. King Harold of England defeats a Viking invasion at a tumultuous battle near York.Support the show! Join Into History&nb...

Ben Johnson’s Olympic Gold

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

September 24, 1988. Ben Johnson wins the men’s 100 meters final at the Seoul Olympics, only to be stripped of his medal three days later. This episo...

The Search for Saudi Oil Begins

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

September 23, 1933. Geologists from Standard Oil of California arrive in Saudi Arabia to begin the search for oil, which will eventually uncover vast ...

Abraham Lincoln’s Duel

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

September 22, 1842. A young Abraham Lincoln meets his rival on Bloody Island to face off in a life-or-death duel. This episode originally aired in 202...

Saturday Matinee: Art of Crime

20 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we find out how actress Mae West's original play took her from the Broadway stage to her own jail cell.Link to Art of C...

The Camilla Massacre

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

September 19, 1868. White supremacists attack a peaceful march protesting the expulsion of Black legislators from the Georgia state legislature. This ...

The Battle of Chrysopolis

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

September 18, 324 CE. Victory at the Battle of Chrysopolis makes Constantine sole ruler of the Roman Empire.Support the show! Join Into Hist...

Harriet Tubman Escapes From Slavery

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

September 17, 1849. Harriet Tubman escapes slavery with her two brothers. She will go on to become a leader in the abolitionist and suffragist movemen...

The Mayflower Sets Sail

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

September 16, 1620. The Mayflower sets sail from Plymouth, England. This episode originally aired in 2022.Support the show! Join Into Histor...

The Most Iconic Marilyn Monroe Photograph

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

September 15, 1954. Marilyn Monroe films the now famous “subway grate” scene from The Seven Year Itch in New York City.Support the show! Join...

Saturday Matinee: American Scandal

13 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we unpack one of the most infamous atrocities of the Vietnam War: the massacre at My Lai.Link to American Scandal: wond...