HISTORY This Week

August 25, 1797. Alexander Hamilton, the former Secretary of the Treasury, has published a new pamphlet. At first, readers assume this is going to be another one of Hamilton’s pro-Federalist, ideological screeds. But soon, the whole country will realize that this is something very different: an admission of guilt. This wasn’t about a crime, but an affair – the first sex scandal in the history of American politics. Why did Alexander Hamilton openly confess to his extramarital activities? And if he hadn’t, how might American History have unfolded differently?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

August 18, 1920. In the third row of the legislative chamber in Nashville, Tennessee, 24 year-old Harry Burn sits with a red rose pinned to his lapel. He's there to vote on the 19th Amendment, which will determine if women nationwide will be able to vote. Burn’s shocking, unexpected vote, “yes,” will turn the tides of history. But women had already been voting for decades before 1920, and many women still won't be able to vote for decades after 1920. So, what did the 19th Amendment actually do for women in America? And what, on this 100th anniversary, does it show us about our own right to vote today?Thank you to our guest, Professor Lisa Tetrault, author of The Myth of Seneca Falls: Memory and the Women's Suffrage Movement, 1848-1898 (University of North Carolina Press, 2014) https://bit.ly/33pmYZRTo our listeners, thank you for subscribing to History This Week. We want to hear your feedback: https://bit.ly/3a4FGqJ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

August 11, 1973. At 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, 18-year-old DJ Kool Herc plays his first New York City party. The dance floor is packed, the energy is wild, and Herc gives the performance of a lifetime featuring one very specific innovation on the turntables. Herc and the partygoers don’t know it yet, but this event will go down in history as the birth of one of the most popular musical genres—hip hop. How did this party give way to a multi-billion dollar industry? And how has hip hop become so much more than the music?Special thanks to our guest, Dr. Mark Anthony Neal and to DJ Silva Sirfa and D-Nasty Tha Master for the music in this episode.To our listeners, thank you for subscribing to History This Week. We want to hear your feedback: https://bit.ly/3a4FGqJ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

August 4, 1987. The Federal Communication Commission’s leadership has come together in Washington D.C. to decide the fate of a vital issue: fairness. For the previous 40 years, the FCC has attempted to ensure that TV and radio broadcasters present both sides of the political issues discussed on their airwaves. But by the 1980s, the political landscape has changed, and the Fairness Doctrine will soon be no more. Today, we talk to two of the major players who fought on both sides of this great debate to explain what the Fairness Doctrine actually did, why it died, and where exactly that leaves us today.To our listeners, thank you for subscribing to History This Week. We want to hear your feedback: https://bit.ly/3a4FGqJ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this engaging discussion, Jonathan Ray, a Jewish studies professor at Georgetown University and author of "After Expulsion," delves into the harrowing events surrounding the 1492 expulsion of Jews from Spain. He explores the Spanish Inquisition's dual role of enforcing Catholic orthodoxy and sowing suspicion among converts. Listeners learn about the economic motivations behind Jews' earlier welcome, the challenges faced by conversos, and the lasting impact on identity and assimilation that resonates in today's immigration debates. A thought-provoking journey into a pivotal moment in history!

Elliott Gorn, author of Dillinger's Wild Ride, dives into the life of John Dillinger, America's infamous outlaw. They explore how Dillinger transitioned from a troubled youth to a charismatic bank robber during the Great Depression. Gorn recounts thrilling tales of daring escapes, including a dramatic jailbreak and his evasion of the fledgling FBI. Dillinger's public image transformed him into a folk hero, complicating his status as 'Public Enemy #1.' His death marked a significant turning point for law enforcement and popular culture.

Dr. Jon Hunner, a U.S. history expert and author, delves into the pivotal Trinity Test of 1945 that marked the dawn of the Atomic Age. He discusses how the scientific community, propelled by Einstein’s warning, rapidly advanced nuclear fission technology. Listen in as he shares insights on Oppenheimer's leadership, the rush to create bomb designs, and the moral dilemmas faced by scientists post-test. Hunner also reflects on how this monumental moment reshaped human self-perception and influenced the trajectory of global politics.

In this engaging discussion, historian Nicholas Reed, author of *Spy Runner*, delves into Operation Mincemeat, a clever WWII ruse that misled Nazi Germany about Allied invasion plans. Discover how a corpse, a false identity, and a secret eyelash played pivotal roles in this daring deception. Reed shares insights on the meticulous planning, from selecting a convincing body to crafting a believable backstory for Captain William Martin. The operation not only saved lives but also changed the course of the war, illuminating the power of deception in military strategy.

Professor Rosemary Ashton, a literary historian and author of 'One Hot Summer', dives into the olfactory horrors of 1858 London. The episode explores how the sweltering heat and rampant sewage led to a public health crisis. Discussions include the failure of traditional sanitation methods, John Snow's pivotal cholera studies, and the dramatic moment when Parliament had to flee due to the stench. The narrative highlights Benjamin Disraeli's leadership and Joseph Bazalgette's revolutionary sewer plan that transformed urban sanitation and public health.

June 28, 1970. Hundreds of people start to gather on Christopher Street in Manhattan’s West Village for an anniversary celebration. One year earlier, in that very same spot, the Stonewall Inn was raided by police, sparking a revolution. Now, LGBTQ+ people have come here again, not to riot but to march in celebration of who they are and just how far they have come – something that might have been unthinkable if Stonewall hadn’t taken place. How did the Stonewall riot have such a huge impact on queer activism, and how did the community go from raid to parade in just a year?Archival sound taken from the film "Gay & Proud" – produced and directed by Lilli Vincenz, part of the Library of Congress' Lilli M. Vincenz Collection, with permission from the Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C.To our listeners, thank you for subscribing to History This Week. We want to hear your feedback: https://bit.ly/3a4FGqJ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices