HISTORY This Week

Dr. Jeremy Brown, an emergency physician and director at the NIH, dives deep into the history of the Spanish Flu, which decimated over 50 million lives worldwide. He explains how its avian origins spread rapidly due to troop movements during World War I. The discussion highlights the unusual clinical features that predominantly affected young adults and the impact of wartime censorship on public knowledge. Brown also reflects on the lessons learned about pandemic preparedness and emphasizes the continued importance of simple public health measures.

March 28, 1939. Two teams are facing off for the final game of World Professional Basketball Tournament in Chicago, the first professional tournament to feature both white and black basketball teams. This is several years before the start of the NBA, and Jim Crow segregation was still the law of the land in many parts of the country. The New York Rens, an all-black team, have made it to this championship, but their road to the top was anything but easy. Who were the Rens? And how did they fight segregation and change the history of basketball?Special thanks to Susan Rayl, African American Sports Historian & Associate Professor at the State University of New York at Cortland.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

March 19, 1931. Las Vegas is a small, desert town of a few thousand. And it’s not doing so well. In fact, people are worried it might turn into a ghost town. But then something big happens: Nevada decides to legalize gambling. And the ground begins to shift beneath the city...but no one notices, at least not at first. So, how did Vegas become Vegas?Special thanks to our guest Professor Michael Green from UNLV's Department of History.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, Professor Barry Strauss, a historian and author specializing in ancient Rome, delves into the notorious assassination of Julius Caesar. He reveals how the events of the Ides of March were more chaotic than legends suggest. Strauss explores Caesar's dismissal of ominous warnings and the motivations behind the senators' conspiracy. The conversation goes on to dissect the aftermath, including the rise of Octavian and the lasting legacy of Caesar as a complex figure balancing populism and tyranny.

March 7th, 1985. “We Are the World” hits the shelves. It's an instant hit, breaking the top of the charts and making music history. This one song has the star power of 45 of the biggest singers of the era: Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan - just to name a few. And with their power combined, the song raised millions of dollars to help combat a devastating famine in Ethiopia and Sudan. What did it take to bring all these icons together, and did this song actually make a difference?Special thanks to our Guests: Ken Kragen, creator and organizer of "We Are the World" and USA For AfricaAlex de Waal, Executive Director, World Peace Foundation at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts UniversityTo 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

February 28, 1953. Two scientists, James Watson and Francis Crick, burst into a bar and exclaim that they have discovered the secret of life. But there was another person involved in the discovery of DNA’s double helix, a scientist named Rosalind Franklin. Why didn’t she get any credit, and what does her story tell us about the politics of discovery itself?Special thanks to Michelle Gibbons, Ph.D., author of "Reassessing Discovery: Rosalind Franklin, Scientific Visualization, and the Structure of DNA".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 podcast, journalist Pete Earley discusses Aldrich Ames, a CIA operative turned double agent who sold secrets to the KGB. Earley delves into Ames's surprisingly ordinary life and the psychological motivations behind his betrayal. He explores how personal struggles and romantic entanglements influenced Ames's decisions, revealing the complexities of loyalty and treachery. The conversation sheds light on the vulnerabilities within intelligence operations, raising questions about what drives someone to spy against their own country.

February 11, 1940. Hattie McDaniel becomes the first-ever African American to be nominated for, and then win, an Oscar. Her legacy is complicated. And the Oscar itself has been missing, mysteriously, for almost fifty years. What did it take for McDaniel to win? And, 80 Oscar ceremonies later, how do we understand her legacy today?Thank you to our guest, Professor Emeritus of Law, W. Burlette Carter. You can read her article about searching for the missing Oscar here: https://bit.ly/2OF5ctsThank you also to Hattie McDaniel's biographer, Jill Watts for speaking with us for 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

February 3, 1870. The 15th Amendment is ratified, which establishes the right to vote for black men in America. While Jim Crow laws would grip the south by 1877, there was a brief, seven-year window of opportunity. Half a million black voters turned out at the polls, and 2,000 black officials are estimated to have been elected during this time. What did this moment of progress look like? And how do those votes still impact our lives 150 years later?Special thanks to our guest, historian and professor Yohuru Williams.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

Reflecting on the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945, the discussions delve into the harrowing stories of survivors, showcasing their resilience despite unimaginable trauma. The podcast underscores the importance of remembering this dark chapter of history while exploring America’s complex ties to Nazi sympathizers. It highlights how survivors navigated post-war challenges and the evolving narratives around the Holocaust. Personal tales and lessons from resilience emphasize the need for continued awareness and education about this critical historical period.