99% Invisible A History of the United States in 100 Objects
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May 8, 2026 A tour of American history told through 100 surprising objects. Short stories spotlight everyday artifacts and overlooked relics that open hidden narratives. Listeners are invited to rethink familiar landmarks alongside tiny items that reveal unexpected power, invention, and contradiction.
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Objects Reveal Hidden Histories
- Everyday objects reveal personal and national stories when you pay attention to them.
- Roman Mars asks listeners to imagine America's 250th birthday told through ordinary items like ticket stubs and paperclips to surface hidden histories.
Small Things Point To Big Stories
- Specific small items act as portals to larger stories, like a bootleg band t‑shirt or a transformed little blue book.
- Roman Mars cites an enslaved people's schoolbook turned tool of liberation and a screw that reveals industrial power.
One Hundred Objects Reframe The Nation
- The series will collect 100 objects to tell a sprawling, contradictory U.S. history beyond iconic artifacts.
- Roman Mars emphasizes choosing overlooked items (a bootleg t‑shirt, a little blue book, a screw) to reveal alternative narratives.