Myths
The Scopes “Monkey Trial”: Myth and History
For the past few years at the very least, Americans have seen a major increase in protests at local school board meetings, as well as delegations to state legislatures, demanding changes in what is taught in schools. People are aggrieved over what they perceive to be the dangers of things like “critical race theory” and…
Read MoreBonne Maman Jam and the Holocaust
You know, Buzzkillers, I have the best friends. One of them recently asked me about the now-famous and heartwarming story of the Bonne Maman jam company sheltering Jews in France during the Holocaust. It has been one of the most viral history stories of the past year, and has now become firmly entrenched in popular…
Read More“George Washington Not First President” Myth
The myth that George Washington was not the first President of the United States has been kicking around for nearly 100 years. The fundamental argument is that there were Presidents of the Continental Congress (1774-1789) before there was a President under the US Constitution (1789). This is true. There were fourteen men who served in…
Read MoreHitler, Jesse Owens, FDR, and the 1936 Olympics
The Olympics have always been controversial: Rio’s infrastructure problems and the zika virus in 2016; political boycotts of Los Angeles in 1984 and Moscow in 1980; apartheid South Africa being banned from participation from 1964 to 1992; and, perhaps the most famous of all, the 1936 Berlin games, held under Hitler’s Nazi government and chock…
Read MoreBefore #MeToo: The History of the 9to5 Job Survival Hotline
Dr. Emily Twarog enlightens us about the “9to5 Job Survival Hotline,” an early effort to combat sexual harassment in the workplace. We bust the myth that women were passive in their reactions to workplace abuse, and show how sophisticated organizations, like 9to5, had a huge impact on American culture. Episode 440. Links: 9to5: Winning Justice…
Read MoreHow the South Won the Civil War
Dr. Heather Cox Richardson explains the historical issues that have underpinned oligarchy, democracy, and the continuing fight for the soul of America. She traces the story of the American paradox – the competing claims of equality and subordination woven into the nation’s fabric and identity. One of our very best shows, and essential listening for…
Read MoreNames Changed at Ellis Island?
Do you remember the famous scene in the Godfather Part II, when the young Vito Andolini comes through the Ellis Island Immigration Processing Center and has his name changed to Vito Corleone by an immigration officer? A similar story is told by many descendants of immigrants in the United States. If you’re an American, is…
Read MoreNixon’s 1960 Southern Strategy
Historian Timothy Galsworthy explains the details and complications of the famous Republican “Southern Strategy” in the election of 1960. He tells us how this strategy was developed much earlier than most people realize, and how Nixon had to use a tense balancing act to woo southern voters who traditionally hated the Republican party. Episode 436.…
Read MoreWinston Churchill, Alexander Fleming, and Penicillin
It’s a Monday Myth day! A little extra credit to give you a Buzzkill boost for the start of your week! In the early days of email, a wonderfully-constructed tale flew around the interwebs. It was about a medical emergency, a heroic rescue, and a family’s gratitude. It attracted our attention here at the Buzzkill…
Read MoreThe Fashionable Politics of American Feminism
Dr. Einav Rabinovitch-Fox tells us how the rise of mass media culture made fashion a vehicle for women to assert claims over their bodies, femininity, and social roles. As women employed new clothing styles, they expanded feminist activism beyond formal organizations and movements and reclaimed fashion as a realm of pleasure, power, and feminist consciousness.…
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