Alcatraz is remembered as one of history's most hardline prisons, known for its ingenious escape attempts, gruelling regime, barren location and dangerous inmates. Speaking to Rebecca Franks, historian Ashley Rubin answers listener questions on 'The Rock', from how it withstood the corruption of the gangster era to its famous 'birdman'.

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Alcatraz: everything you wanted to know

The History Extra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts.  
 
Produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine, History Extra is a free history podcast, with episodes released six times a week. Subscribe now for the real stories behind your favourite films, TV shows and period dramas, as well as compelling insights into lesser-known aspects of the past. 
 
We delve into global history stories spanning the ancient world right up to the modern day. You’ll hear deep dives into the lives of famous historical figures like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn and Winston Churchill, and explorations of intriguing events from the past, such as the Salem witch trials, the battle of Waterloo and D-Day. 
 
Expect fresh takes on history, helping you get to grips with the latest research, as we explore everything from ancient Roman archaeology and Viking mythology to Renaissance royals and Tudor kings and queens. 
 
Our episodes touch on a wide range of historical eras – from the Normans and Saxons to the Stuarts, Victorians and the Regency period. We cover the most popular historical subjects, from the medieval world to the Second World War, but you’ll also hear conversations on lesser-known parts of our past, including black history and women’s history. 
 
Looking at the history behind today’s headlines, we consider the forces that have shaped today’s world, from the imposing empires that dominated continents, to the revolutions that brought them crashing down. We also examine the impact of conflict across the centuries, from the crusades of the Middle Ages and the battles of the ancient Egyptians to World War One, World War Two and the Cold War.  
 
Plus, we uncover the real history behind myths, legends and conspiracy theories, from the medieval murder mystery of the Princes in the Tower, to the assassination of JFK.  
 
Featuring interviews with notable historians including Mary Beard, Tracy Borman, James Holland and Dan Jones, we cover a range of social, political and military history, with the aim to start conversations about some of the most fascinating areas of the past. 
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History

Society & Culture

In March 1911, twelve Black men were brought to a forest in Maryland. Under supervision, they cleared land and laid foundations for what would become the Crownsville Hospital, a segregated mental asylum for black patients. These twelve men would also become the hospital's first patients. Speaking to Elinor Evans, journalist and author Antonia Hylton shares the story of one of the last segregated asylums in the United States of America, and what it can tell us about the nation's history of racial integration and civil rights. 


(Ad) Antonia Hylton is the author of Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum (Footnote Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Madness-Insanity-America-Times-Bestseller/dp/180444104X/ref=monarch_sidesheet/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.  

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Inside a Jim Crow asylum

How remarkable was the Spartans' yesstalwart resistance against the Persians at Thermopylae? Was their military training as tough as historians would have us believe? And just how austere were they? The people of the ancient Greek city-state have left an indelible mark on history, and for today's Everything You Wanted to Know episode, Spencer Mizen sat down with the ancient historian Paul Cartledge to answer your questions on their culture, politics and military endeavours.  

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Spartans: Everything You Wanted to Know

At the end of the 17th century, a Swiss physician diagnosed a deadly new disease - nostalgia. Agnes Arnold-Forster explores the surprising cultural history of the emotion, from the longing "Ostalgie" felt for a lost East Germany to the Victorian love of all things medieval. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she also outlines how nostalgia has been weaponised by both sides of the political spectrum, and considers whether it could be a force for good. 

(AD) Agnes Arnold-Forster is the author of Nostalgia: A History of a Dangerous Emotion (Picador). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nostalgia-History-Dangerous-Agnes-Arnold-Forster/dp/1529091365#:~:text=In%20Nostalgia%3A%20A%20History%20of,an%20illness%20that%20could%2C%20quite.  

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Death by nostalgia: the curious history of a dangerous emotion

As the Second World War raged on, Atlantic sea-routes became a crucial lifeline for Britain as merchant ships kept them supplied with critical equipment and food. But this made them an irresistible target for German attack. Speaking to Rachel Dinning for our WW2's Greatest Battles series, military historian James Holland explains why he believes the battle of the Atlantic was the most important engagement of the whole conflict, and reveals what life was really like inside a German U-boat.


James Holland is the co-founder of the Chalke History Festival - which runs from 24-30 June 2024. As a media partner of the festival, we're offering an exclusive 15% off Chalke Festival day tickets when you become a subscriber to either HistoryExtra or BBC History Magazine. Check out our spring offers and benefits at www.historyextra.com/pod  

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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WW2's greatest battles | 3. Battle of the Atlantic

The music of the past can tell us a great deal about the time in which it was created - from societal trends to political affiliations. As part of the '100 Ballads' project, Professor Christopher Marsh and Dr Angela McShane have identified 100 of the biggest musical hits from 17th-century England. They speak to Charlotte Hodgman about the popularity of these broadside ballads and introduce some of the top singing stars of the day. 

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Alcatraz: everything you wanted to know

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