

One Year
Slate Podcasts
The people and struggles that changed America—one year at a time. In each episode, host Josh Levin explores a story you may have forgotten, or one you’ve never heard of before. What were the moments that transformed politics, culture, science, religion, and more? And how does the nation’s past shape our present?Want more One Year? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to One Year and your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slow Burn show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/oneyearplus to get access wherever you listen.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 21, 2023 • 56min
1990: The Angry Death of Kimberly Bergalis
Before 1990, there had never been a documented case of a patient getting HIV from a health care worker. Kimberly Bergalis changed that. Her claim that she’d been infected by her dentist would captivate and terrify the country. And the dentist, David Acer, would be made into a villain without America ever knowing who he really was.This episode was written by Kelly Jones and Josh Levin, One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.This episode was produced by Kelly Jones and Evan Chung, with additional production by Olivia Briley. It was edited by Joel Meyer and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is senior technical director. We had mixing help from Kevin Bendis. We had production help this season from Jabari Butler.Join Slate Plus to get a special behind-the-scenes conversation at the end of our season about how we put together our 1990 stories. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 14, 2023 • 58min
1990: Art on Trial
This podcast delves into the controversy surrounding photographer Robert Mapplethorpe's exhibition in 1990, examining the debate over obscenity and the First Amendment. It explores the evolution of Mapplethorpe's style, the consequences faced by the exhibition, and the chaotic aftermath of a police raid. The podcast also discusses the diversity of the crowd that came to see the exhibition and touches on other intriguing topics such as capturing innocent moments and a controversial dentist in Florida.

Dec 7, 2023 • 41min
1990: Bush vs. Broccoli
In March 1990, a story broke that shocked the nation: George H.W. Bush had banned broccoli from Air Force One. The frenzy that came next would change the fate of a vegetable—and maybe even alter the course of a presidency.This episode was written by Olivia Briley and Josh Levin, One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.This episode was produced by Olivia Briley and Kelly Jones. It was edited by Joel Meyer and Evan Chung.Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.Join Slate Plus to get a special behind-the-scenes conversation at the end of our season about how we put together our 1990 stories. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 30, 2023 • 51min
1990: Mandrake the Magician
A middle-aged single dad in Chicago becomes an anti-tobacco vigilante, whitewashing cigarette billboards in Black communities. Targeted marketing towards black neighborhoods, Henry Brown's mission with Gwen, and his inspiration from Mandrake. Activism, arrests, and a call from the White House.

Nov 22, 2023 • 57min
1990: Pizzastroika
Pizza Hut’s adventure in the Soviet Union was unlike any restaurant opening before or since. It involved a fleet of submarines, a very special pizza topped with tuna and salmon, and a casual dining spot on a mission to change the world.This episode was written by Kelly Jones and Josh Levin, One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.This episode was produced by Kelly Jones and Evan Chung, with additional production by Olivia Briley. It was edited by Joel Meyer and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.Join Slate Plus to get a special behind-the-scenes conversation at the end of our season about how we put together our 1990 stories. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 15, 2023 • 2min
One Year: 1990 Trailer
Coming Wednesday Nov. 22, the sixth season of One Year covers 1990. It was a year when a controversial art exhibit became a First Amendment battleground, a single dad with a secret identity took on Big Tobacco, and President George H.W. Bush spoke out against his most-hated enemy: broccoli. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 6, 2023 • 55min
1955: The Hiroshima Maidens
Ten years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, 25 women who’d been disfigured by the blast came to the United States. Those Japanese survivors would go to the White House and end up on a bizarre proto reality TV show. They’d also put their lives in the hands of American doctors, hoping that risky, cutting-edge surgeries might repair their injuries and give them a chance for a fresh start.Josh Levin is One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.This episode was produced by Kelly Jones and Evan Chung, with additional production by Sophie Summergrad. It was edited by Joel Meyer and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. Holly Allen created the artwork for this season.Join Slate Plus to get a bonus 1955 episode at the end of the season. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads. Sign up now to support One Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 28, 2023 • 35min
1955: The Cutter Incident
Dr. Paul Offit discusses the Cutter Incident, a tragic event that compromised the polio vaccine. Topics include the impact of polio, challenges in vaccine production, and the importance of vaccines in combating diseases like polio.

Sep 21, 2023 • 56min
1955: Siberia, USA
Discover the origins of a wild conspiracy theory about a supposed government concentration camp in Alaska, involving brainwashing, Scientology, and communist-hunting housewives in the 1950s.

Sep 14, 2023 • 46min
1955: The Weather Girls
In the early days of television, women struggled to find their place. In 1955, they got it: forecasting the weather, on stations all across the country. But as these “weather girls” transformed the airwaves, a group of powerful men hatched a plan—one that had the potential to push women weathercasters off the air forever.Josh Levin is One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.This episode was produced by Kelly Jones and Evan Chung, with additional production by Sophie Summergrad. It was edited by Joel Meyer and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.Join Slate Plus to get the first three episodes of One Year: 1955 right away—and a bonus 1955 story at the end of the season. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads. Sign up now to support One Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices