HISTORY This Week

December 18, 1970. Decades after the end of WWII, a Nazi doctor is on trial. Today is judgment day in a long, difficult legal battle, but this case isn’t about war crimes. The German pharmaceutical company Grunenthal is charged with the worst medical disaster in history: the Thalidomide scandal. The shoddily tested and hastily approved drug made its way into medicine cabinets around the world, and a decade after its release, the reality is becoming clear: Thalidomide is killing babies. Who are the heroes who brought down Thalidomide? And how did this disaster change pharmaceutical regulations forever? Special thanks to our guest, Michael Magazanik, author of Silent Shock. ** This episode originally aired December 14, 2020. -- Get in touch: historythisweekpodcast@history.com  Follow on Instagram: @historythisweek Follow on Facebook: ⁠HISTORY This Week Podcast⁠ To stay updated: http://historythisweekpodcast.com 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

December 1, 1564. Spanish vessels left a secret port in Mexico about two weeks ago. Their goal: to sail across the Pacific and back, charting a new route for international trade, and giving Spain an edge against its chief colonial rival, Portugal. But today, when a storm hits, the smallest ship is separated from the rest of the fleet. Now, that ship, the San Lucas, is on its own. The following year, when the San Lucas makes it back to Mexico, against all odds, its pilot—a Black mariner—is accused of treason. How did the San Lucas—the smallest ship in the fleet—complete a near-impossible journey that would connect the world? And how did the trailblazing mariner Lope Martín get erased from the story? Special thanks to our guest, Andrés Reséndez, author of Conquering the Pacific: An Unknown Mariner and the Final Great Voyage of the Age of Discovery. ** This episode originally aired November 29, 2021. Get in touch: historythisweekpodcast@history.com  Follow on Instagram: @historythisweek Follow on Facebook: ⁠HISTORY This Week Podcast⁠ To stay updated: http://historythisweekpodcast.com 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

November 30, 1954. At about 12:45 in the afternoon, a space rock comes plummeting through the roof of a house in Sylacauga, Alabama. It bounces off a stand-up radio, ricochets around the living room, and collides with the thigh of Mrs. Ann Hodges, who’s been napping on the couch. Newspapers declare: “experts agreed unanimously that Mrs. Hodges was the first person known to have been struck by a meteorite.” What happened to this space rock after it crashed to Earth and thrust itself into volatile human affairs? And what happened to the human beings whose lives were upended by this rarest of rare events? Thanks to our guests: Dr. Julia Cartwright, planetary scientist at the University of Alabama; Billy Field, professor at the University of Alabama and screenwriter; and Julie Love Templeton, attorney in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Dr. Cartwright is involved in a number of art/science collaborations to engage and educate the public about meteorites and planetary science. You can find out more on her website, https://le.ac.uk/people/julia-cartwright. Keep an eye out for Billy Field’s latest project, TheStoryAcorn.com, which launches in January 2023. The website will feature history from the Civil Rights movement, told by those who lived it. The website teaches students to gather stories from their own communities and share them with the world. Thanks also to Mary Beth Prondzinski, former collections manager at the Alabama Museum of Natural History, and to the Alabama Museum of Natural History. ** This episode originally aired November 28, 2022. -- Get in touch: historythisweekpodcast@history.com  Follow on Instagram: @historythisweek Follow on Facebook: ⁠HISTORY This Week Podcast⁠ To stay updated: http://historythisweekpodcast.com 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

Ken Burns, the acclaimed documentary filmmaker renowned for his immersive historical narratives, and Sarah Botstein, a dedicated producer and co-director, discuss their latest project on the American Revolution. They delve into the chaos of 1776, exploring Washington's struggles and the overlooked contributions of women, Native nations, and enslaved individuals. With unique storytelling techniques and a focus on lesser-known figures, they reveal how the Revolution's complex legacy sheds light on today's societal divides.

Peter Coyote, an actor and activist, recounts his pivotal role in the Grinnell 14 protest against nuclear testing in 1961. He shares the urgency that drove college students to act amidst Cold War fears and how they aligned with civil rights movements for their cause. The intense fasting protest led them to the White House, where they faced skepticism and mockery. Despite the challenges, their activism sparked a nationwide student movement, leaving a mixed legacy of cultural change and partial success in the peace efforts.

Mike Makowsky, the creator of the Netflix series *Death by Lightning*, dives into the forgotten story of President James Garfield, who ascended from poverty to the presidency unexpectedly. They explore his progressive ideals on civil rights and his commitment to reform. The discussion unveils the tragic circumstances surrounding his assassination by Charles Guiteau, revealing themes of political violence and vulnerability. Makowsky also speculates on what Garfield could have accomplished had he survived, making parallels to modern political challenges.

Adam Seltzer, an author and Chicago tour guide, dives deep into the haunting tale of H.H. Holmes, often dubbed America's first serial killer. They unravel the thrilling courtroom drama of Holmes’s trial and his struggles as a self-represented defendant. Seltzer shares mind-bending insights from his research, debunking myths around Holmes's infamous 'murder castle.' The discussion explores Holmes's deceptive early life, his notorious scams, and the sensationalized media frenzy that shaped his legacy, leaving listeners questioning what really happened.

In this enlightening discussion, historian Marc Leepson, author of a Francis Scott Key biography, unveils Key's complex ties to slavery and his surprising role in creating the national anthem. Tim Grove, a Smithsonian consultant, shares insights on the Star-Spangled Banner's debut with the Battle of Baltimore as its backdrop. They explore Key's motivations, the song's controversial lyrics, and the stark contradictions between its message of freedom and the reality of slavery in early America, all framed within a historical narrative that resonates today.

Keisha Blain, a professor of Africana Studies and History, dives into the pivotal roles of Mary McLeod Bethune and Marguerite Cartwright in early United Nations history. They discuss Bethune's unique position as the only Black woman in the U.S. delegation and her efforts to confront colonialism within the UN Charter. Blain highlights how both women connected U.S. civil rights to global struggles, reframing our understanding of human rights and activism beyond national borders.

October, 1955. In living rooms across Denmark, children tear open the box of a brand-new toy: the LEGO System in Play. Inside are plastic bricks, a printed playmat of roads, little houses and trees — everything in perfect scale. As they build, something new is taking shape.  It looks simple, but it’s a radical idea — every piece connects, no matter when or where it’s made. It’s more than a toy — it’s a system. That quiet innovation will turn a small family workshop into one of the most successful companies in the world. How did a small-town Danish carpenter launch a plastic toy empire? And how did LEGO re-envision what a toy can be? Special thanks to Kristian Reimer Hauge, corporate historian at the LEGO Idea House; Daniel Konstanski, historian for Blocks Magazine and author of The Secret Life of LEGO® Bricks: The Story of a Design Icon; and Chris Byrne, researcher, historian, and “The Toy Guy.” We also want to thank Dana Goldsmith, Andreas Friis, and Roberta Cardazzo. Get in touch: historythisweekpodcast@history.com  Follow on Instagram: @historythisweek Follow on Facebook: ⁠HISTORY This Week Podcast⁠ To stay updated: http://historythisweekpodcast.com 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