Stuff You Missed in History Class

SYMHC Classics: Deborah Sampson

23 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2022 episode covers Deborah Sampson, who could count William Bradford and Myles Standish in her family tree. That tree didn’t include Rober...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Art and Theme Parks

22 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Holly shares a quote from Daniela Lippi about the importance of ongoing learning in the restoration profession. There is then discussion of the nerve-...

Interview: Leslie Iwerks

20 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Disneyland's opening seemed like an impossibility throughout the construction process. Holly interviews filmmaker Leslie Iwerks about her new film "Di...

Uffizi: A Painting, A Bombing, A Restoration

18 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In 1993, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy was damaged by a car bomb. But this story starts in the 16th century with painter Bartolomeo Manfredi, ...

SYMHC Classics: Regulator War

16 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2019 episode covers the Regulator War, aka the War of the Regulation, aka the Regulator Movement. It was a North Carolina event which arose in re...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Bad Laws, Bad Cats

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy shares why Bhagat Singh Thind rocketed to the top of her topics list. Holly shares a story of bad cat behavior.See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

Carrington Event

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Carrington Event was a massive geomagnetic storm that happened in 1859. It led to expanded understanding of solar phenomena. Research: “Gre...

United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind

11 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind was a 1923 case that hinged on what it meant to be white. Research: “Ozawa v. United States, 260 U.S. 178 (...

SYMHC Classics: Insular Cases

09 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2023 episode covers the Insular Cases, which are SCOTUS cases regarding rights of people in U.S. territories. See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Friends and Bubble Guns

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Holly talks about how small the circle of London intellectuals was in John Graunt's time. Then there is discussion of disco balls in bathrooms.See omn...

Modern Inventions That Are Actually Old

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There are so many things in our modern world that we presume are fairly recent inventions. But the three things we’re going to talk about in thi...

John Graunt

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

John Graunt was a shopkeeper in 17th-century London who followed his own curiosity to a rather grand result. His work gave rise to the fields of demog...

SYMHC Classics: Red Summer 1919

02 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2019 episode marked 100 years since a wave of racist violence in the U.S. that became known as Red Summer. In many ways, Red Summer was a respons...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Greetings and Context

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Holly and Tracy commiserate about sending greeting cards. Tracy talks about how she shifted away from an episode exclusively about Frances Thompson.Se...

The Memphis Massacre

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Memphis Massacre was a truly horrific wave of destruction and violence, including sexual violence, against the Black community of Memphis just a y...

Greeting Cards

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Humans have been exchanging tokens of friendship since before recorded history. From calling cards to Valentines to Christmas cards, the modern greeti...

SYMHC Classics: The Color Blue

25 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2019 episode covers the color blue, the most popular color in many parts of the world. But many ancient languages didn’t have a word for bl...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Dicey Sources

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy shares struggles that she encountered pulling together this edition of Unearthed. She and Holly have a tangential discussion about AI.See omnyst...

Unearthed! In Spring 2026, Part 2

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Part one of this quarter's edition of Unearthed! includes animals, artwork, edibles and potables, shipwrecks, potpourri. Research: Abdallah, Hannah. ...

Unearthed! In Spring 2026, Part 1

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Part one of this quarter's edition of Unearthed! features updates, medical things, books and letters, oldest known things, and smells. Research: Abda...

SYMHC Classics: Gustave Courbet

18 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2022 episode covers how Courbet was iconic even in his own lifetime. He flew in the face of artistic convention, ushered in a new movement of Rea...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Oh, Kropotkin!

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy shares her intentions to cover Peter Kropotkin years ago, and also unpacks some of the positive and negative aspects of his life.See omnystudio....

Peter Kropotkin's Mutual Aid, Part 2

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

After returning to Russia, Kropotkin was captured and imprisoned. But his life took many turns from there, and in 1902 he published his book book &ldq...

Peter Kropotkin's Mutual Aid, Part 1

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Peter Kropotkin was incredibly influential in the development of anarchism in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Part one of this subject focuses on t...

SYMHC Classics: Haymarket Riot

11 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2021 episode examines the Haymarket Riot, one of the many interconnected events and people and movements that are all integral to defining the ba...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Serving Lip and Ethics

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Holly talks about Gladys Bentley's gender presentation, and the trouble with Maceo Sheffield. She and Tracy also discuss James Braid's ethics in both ...

James Braid, Surgeon and Father of Hypnotism

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Braid is known for his work in hypnotism. But he was also a surgeon with a reputation for pioneering new treatments before he became fascinated with t...

Gladys Bentley

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Gladys Bentley was a part of the Harlem Renaissance as a performer – she played piano and sang in ways that drew huge crowds starting in the 192...

SYMHC Classics: Moms Mabley

04 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2022 episode covers Moms Mabley, whose career lasted more than six decades. She was hugely influential, and inspired so many comedians and other ...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Self-talk Hoax

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Holly and Tracy discuss the idea of autosuggestion and positive self-talk. Tracy shares her thoughts on writings about the Pompey stone. See omny...

The Pompey Stone Hoax

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Pompey Stone was discovered in the early 1820s, and was believed to be hundreds of years old. It turned out to be a hoax, but a fairly benign one....

Émile Coué and Autosuggestion

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Émile Coué genuinely seems to have wanted to help people by teaching them how to plant helpful directives in their subconscious minds. W...

SYMHC Classics: Louis Daguerre

28 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2021 episode covers Louis Daguerre, who comes up almost any time we mention photography. Well before he figured out how to capture images through...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Atlanta and Textiles

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Holly talks about the frustration of not finding any solid evidence of where Richard Peters stood on the issue of slavery. Tracy wonders what Elizabet...

Elizabeth Fulhame’s Colorful Chemistry

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Elizabeth Fulhame’s biography is largely a mystery, but in 1794 she wrote a book on chemistry that was way ahead of its time. Research: Steinma...

Richard Peters and Early Atlanta History

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Peters is responsible for many of the institutions that make up the identity of the city of Atlanta. And as a man from Pennsylvania, he had unique pos...

SYMHC Classics: Nelson Pill Hearings

21 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2021 episode shares how in the U.S., the idea that people should know about the risks involved with the drugs that they are taking is tied direct...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Alaska and Contraceptives

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy talks about a "Molly of Denali" episode that references Elizabeth Peratrovich. She then shares her own experience with IUD insertion.See omnystu...

The IUD: A History

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

IUDs are under the umbrella of long-acting, reversible contraceptives, and they’re the oldest one of these in use today.  Research: Baldau...

Elizabeth Peratrovich

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Elizabeth Peratrovich is most well-known for her work to pass Alaska’s Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945. But her story also has more to it than t...

SYMHC Classics: Dr. Lucy Hobbs Taylor

14 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2022 episode covers Lucy Hobbs, later Lucy Hobbs Taylor, who pursued a career in dentistry before that was recognized as an acceptable vocation f...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Carry-on Bags

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy talks about the mixed bag nature of Elizabeth Bisland, and the hosts talk about their own travel experiences. Holly shares the less-than-noble c...

Gustave Flaubert and the ‘Madame Bovary’ Trial

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When Madame Bovary was written in the 1850s, it fell under the accusing eye of the French government for its perceived immorality. Flaubert recognized...

Elizabeth Bisland, Beyond the Trip Around the World

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist and writer Elizabeth Bisland was sent on a trip around the world in 1889, in a sort of race against Nellie Bly. But that was not something ...

SYMHC Classics: Marie Laurencin

07 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2019 episode explores the difficult-to-study work of Laurencin. In addition to her work not quite falling in line with the artists who were her c...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Censorship Cats

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy talks about how the show's recording schedule meant that this week's Monday episode got revised repeatedly to reflect current events. Holly talk...

Théophile Steinlen Beyond 'Le Chat Noir'

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

“Le Chat Noir” is one of the most famous pieces of late 19th century European art, but the artist behind it was also very active in France...

Hercules Posey & the President’s House

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The President's House was the first home of the U.S. president in the temporary capital of Phildelphia. While George Washington lived there, he had ni...

SYMHC Classics: Pueblo Revolt

28 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2014 episode covers the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, in which Native Americans rose up against Spanish colonists and missionaries at the turn of the 17...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Coffee, 'Pirats' and Sea Robbers

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Holly and Tracy talk about their coffee preferences. Then Tracy traces the path that led her from a listener mail to the topic of Fort Mose.See omnyst...

Francisco Menéndez & Fort Mose

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Fort Mose was the first officially sanctioned settlement for free Black people in what’s now the United States. It was established as a place wh...

Melitta Bentz and the Coffee Filter

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Melitta Bentz invented the coffee filter in 1908 and changed coffee culture forever. Through the decades and after reckoning with its relationship wit...

SYMHC Classics: COINTELPRO 2

21 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Part two of this 2020 episode looks at some of the specifics of the COINTELPROs that targeted black liberation organizations and the New Left, as well...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Whoopsy Whimsy

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Holly shares a story of accidentally taking ephedrine. Tracy shares her delight at a pronunciation of the word catastrophe.See omnystudio.com/listener...

Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On November 1, 1755, a massive earthquake took place on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Lisbon, Portugal. The destruction in Portugal led...

Benzedrine, Pervitin, and WWII

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The use of stimulants during WWII is no secret, but in the last decade, there has been a lot of discussion and analysis of it. Just how significant wa...

SYMHC Classics: COINTELPRO 1

14 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Part 1 of this 2020 two-parter covers background on the FBI and on the origins of its counterintelligence programs, as well as one specific operation,...

Behind the Scenes Minis: It's Not Unprecedented

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy shares her desire to see the rest of the letter that was quoted in this week's episodes on Anthony Burns. Talk also turns to the fact that many ...

The Rendition of Anthony Burns, Part 2

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Our second episode on the life of Anthony Burns begins with his detention in Boston, which outraged Massachusetts abolitionists. Even after Burns was ...

The Rendition of Anthony Burns, Part 1

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Anthony Burns is one that resonates in our current times. Part one covers his early enslaved life, his escape from enslavement, and his a...

SYMHC Classics: Samuel Pepys

07 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2019 episode takes a closer look the famous diary of Samuel Pepys, and also at who Pepys was beyond his famous chronicle of life in 17th-century ...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Pollution Olympics

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy talks about her selection of "Fumifugium" as a show topic. Holly shares a mischievous story about Helen Preece.See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

Notable Early Women Olympians

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Despite Pierre de Coubertin's vision of the Olympics being for male athletes only, women did participate in the games starting in 1900. But the road t...

John Evelyn's 'Fumifugium'

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

"Fumifugium" was a treatise on air pollution written in 1661. In addition to warning about the dangers of coal smoke, John Evelyn wrote this work to i...

SYMHC Classics: Hennig Brand

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2019 episode shares how Hennig Brand discovered phosphorous by boiling pee. But he was really thought the secret to the philosopher’s stone...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Odd Baby Train

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy talks about amusing old illustrations of babies in utero. Holly shares anecdotes about George Stephenson's life that rarely make it into discuss...

George Stephenson, Father of Railways

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

George Stephenson started life in extremely humble circumstances, but his ingenuity and pursuit of education led him to an impressive legacy. He inven...

Rickets

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nutritional rickets is caused by a vitamin D deficiency, and people figured out two ways to treat it before we even knew what vitamin D was. Research:...

SYMHC Classics: Three Legendary Pranks

24 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2021 episode covers three prank stories, including a joke that became a living legend, a large-scale prank that created havoc, and a televised ho...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Embroidery Love Letter

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Holly talks about the various inspirations for her love of embroidery. Tracy shares her experiences with movies and her cat while embroidering.See omn...

Embroidery History Sampler, Part 2

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The second part of the discussion of embroidery history covers blackwork and Opus Anglicanum, then embroidery samplers and beetle-wing embroidery. Res...

Embroidery History Sampler, Part 1

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The first installment of this two-parter covers ancient embroidery around the world, and then focuses on European embroidery, Chinese dragon robes, an...

SYMHC Classics: Paul Cuffe

17 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2020 episode covers Paul Cuffe, who protested taxation, built wealth for himself in whaling, became a Quaker and used his fortune for the betterm...

Behind the Scenes Minis: This Monkey’s Gone to Heaven

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy talks about the events that happened in the gap between writing the latest Unearthed episode and recording it. Holly shares thoughts about art h...

Unearthed Year-end 2025, Part 2

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Discussion of things literally or figuratively unearthed in the last quarter of 2025 continues. It begins with potpourri then covers tools, Neandertha...

Unearthed Year-end 2025, Part 1

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The show's coverage of things literally or figuratively unearthed in the last quarter of 2025 begins with updates, books and letters, animals, and jus...

SYMHC Classics: P.A.R.C. and Mills

10 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2015 episode covers the lack of access to public education for children with disabilities in the U.S. until 1975.See omnystudio.com/listener for ...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Bad Goals and Spirit Clothes

09 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy discusses film ratings and the bias behind them. Talk then turns to clothing in the afterlife.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

Jean Baptiste: Grave Robber at Large

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Jean Baptiste's crime of robbing graves shocked Salt Lake City in the 1860s. This history mystery offers insight into the way a community deals with t...

Two 504 Figures: Kitty Cone and Brad Lomax

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Kitty Cone and Brad Lomax were key players in the 1977 sit-ins which pressured the Department of Health and Human Services to establish policies to im...

SYMHC Classics: Andrew Crosse

03 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This 2021 episode covers Andrew Crosse, who observed a strange thing happening on an electrified rock in his lab in the early 1800s, and was catapulte...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Bullet Journal Dinosaur

02 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Holly and Tracy talk about the pros and cons of self-help writing and whether Ben Franklin would like bullet journaling. They then talk about a past t...

New Year’s Eve Iguanodon Party

31 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 1853, a high-profile London dinner party was held inside a life-sized mold of an iguanodon. Research: Cain, Joe. “New Year’s Eve Dinne...

Self-help Books Throughout History

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The origins of self-help writing are often traced back to ancient times. This episode talks through some early versions of it, the goal-setting advice...

SYMHC Classics: Paul Julius Reuter

27 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This 2019 episode covers Paul Julius Reuter, who had a knack for filling in the gaps in communication systems, and making a lot of money doing so.See ...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Journalism Carols

26 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Holly talks about the ways Joseph Medill could be both problematic and surprising. Tracy shares her additional thoughts on the book about caroling she...

William Sandys & English Christmas Carols

24 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

William Sandys was an antiquarian who published a collection of Christmas carols in the 19th century that turned out to be really influential. Researc...

Joseph Medill

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Joseph Medill was a powerhouse in 19th century journalism who made no attempt to conceal his bias when it came to political writing. He also had a fas...

SYMHC Classics: SS Princess Sophia

20 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This 2018 episode covers the sinking of the SS Princess Sophia, a massive tragedy for both Canada and the United States. But it was also really oversh...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Mountains and Glaciers

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy shares her experiences watching the show "Molly of Denali." The discussion then turns to glacier surge. See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...

Walter Harper and the Summiting of Denali, Part 2

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The final stages of the expedition to summit Denali were grueling for Walter Harper and the rest of the team. And after that accomplishment, Harper's ...

Walter Harper and the Summiting of Denali, Part 1

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While working as a guide in his youth, Walter Harper met and worked for a man named Hudson Stuck. Their friendship would lead to Walter becoming the f...

SYMHC Classics: Washington Irving

13 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This 2021 episode covers Washington Irving, who is often associated with Halloween. But his writing had a significant influence on the way Christmas i...

Behind the Scenes Minis: Raccoon Cranberries

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy wonders whether Jack the turkey went to the bathroom in the White House. Holly talks about how much she dislikes people arguing over food prefer...

Cranberries

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The cranberries we typically eat are native to North America, though they are also grown in other places. How did they become a standard part of the h...

Unusual White House Pets

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

No dogs or cats here! A number of unorthodox pets have arrived at the White House and become part of the first family in very unusual ways throughout ...

SYMHC Classics: Nutcracker

06 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This 2021 episode covers how The Nutcracker is a Russian adaptation of a German story that wasn’t really a Christmas staple in its home country....

Behind the Scenes Minis: Much Charles, Many Dogs

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tracy shares how her Charles Sumner research yielded a three-part episode. Holly mentions that while there's not a lot of scholarly work about Cassius...

Cassius Coolidge and Dogs Playing Poker

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Cassius Marcellus Coolidge’s most well-known art is the Dogs Playing Poker series. He was a true Renaissance man, and even patented a style of k...

Charles Sumner Revisited (part 3)

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The third installment of our Charles Sumner episode covers how, two days after Charles Sumner delivered an incendiary speech before the senate, Repres...