Stuff You Missed in History Class

Jack Kerouac but make it a girl with braids. Carrie Bradshaw, but without the sex, and also braids. An American Icon. An American Odyssey. American propaganda. Violently so, in some cases. Laura Ingalls Wilder is evergreen. For better or worse. Since the first Little House book was published in 1932, generations of readers have flocked to Laura’s cozy stories of the Ingalls family settling the Western frontier. The series inspired a TV show, pageants, and entire fashion lines. Behind this franchise is a woman who experienced almost a full century of American history. She’d made her first trips in a covered wagon, and eventually flew on a jet plane. Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life and legacy remain as powerful, mesmerizing, controversial, and violent as the America she represents. In a country currently at odds with itself and its history could there be a better time for an exploration of this woman? Listen to Wilder on the iHeartRadio App or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-wilder-112847598/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruth Fulton Benedict was one of the first women to become really prominent in the field of anthropology. She had a huge impact, but she’s often overshadowed by some of her students, including Zora Neale Hurston and Margaret Mead. Research: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lucy Stone is sometimes written about as the person who should be mentioned alongside Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B. Anthony. She lived an incredibly unique life for a woman of her time and station. Research: Encyclopedia BritannicaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This 2018 episode covers a conflict that wasn't really a riot, and wasn't really about the zoot suits -- although they had come to symbolize A LOT in Los Angeles when this happened. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly and Tracy talk about a critical letter that Mrs. Pat once received from a fan. Then Tracy mentions the way that Randolph's work is sometimes eclipsed by other Civil Rights events. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A. Philip Randolph was a key figure in the history of Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. But that was just one effort in a lifetime of activism for racial equality. Research: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mrs. Patrick Campbell was a hugely famous actress in the early 20th century, though she hasn’t really retained her iconic status. She quickly had a reputation as a stage diva with a sharp tongue, and originated one of the most beloved characters of the stage and screen. Research: Encyclopedia BritannicaEncyclopedia BritannicaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters became the first African-American labor union to be recognized by the American Federation of Labor. This 2014 episode covers how the group became an important force for social change. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly and Tracy talk about Ruby Payne-Scott's progressive marriage. They also cover Japan's global connectivity earlier than people may realize. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga was a samurai who led a diplomatic delegation to New Spain, Spain and Rome in the 17th century. But many of the Japanese records about their mission were lost or destroyed after they returned. Research: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruby Payne-Scott is often called a pioneer in radio astronomy, but she was also a pioneer in advocating for women’s rights. She was clearly brilliant, but her work was cut short by her desire to have a spouse and a family. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This 2018 episode covers Levi Strauss, whose life story touches on a lot of important moments in U.S. history. His business was tied to the California Gold Rush, the U.S. Civil War and American clothing culture. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy talks about the likely wrap up of the Mother Goose series. Holly shares a story about growing up with chickens. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1940s the U.S. Department of Agriculture and A&P supermarkets teamed up to hold a contest to see who could breed the meatiest, most efficient, most visually appealing chicken. Research: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's our third installment of shows about the origins of Mother Goose nursery rhymes. Spoiler alert: Many of the real stories are hard to pin down. Research: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This 2019 episode covers Julian of Norwich, a medieval mystic who wrote down her visions, which she called showings. In this episode, we talk about her life in context of mysticism and how it fit into the context of Christianity in medieval Europe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy talks through the many paths she went down trying to track down Wautier's birth year. The hosts also discuss Louis Sullivan's incredibly quotable autobiography. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Louis Sullivan was an architect working in Chicago at the dawn of the skyscraper. He sought to define a new, bold style of design in the U.S., and was deeply frustrated when his peers didn’t do the same. Research: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Flemish painter Michaelina Wautier’s style was realistic and detailed, with a dark, almost somber color palette. And for a long time, she remained an unknown, even among art historians. Research: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This 2015 episode covers Artemisia Gentileschi, often called the greatest female painter of the Baroque period. Her work is extraordinary, and reflects the influences of her father Orazio Gentileschi and Caravaggio. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.