Japan is no stranger to earthquakes. Being on the cusp of two major tectonic plates, they are a frequent, albeit inconvenient and frightening, part of life there. But the one that took place exactly ten years ago today quite literally shook the island nation to its core, as it was proof positive of just how devastating and fatal these natural disasters can be. What is the science behind the Tо̄hoku Earthquake? What made it particularly lethal? And how were the government and people affected by it? Find out in this special edition of the "History Loves Company" podcast.

By the 1950s, the law known as separate but equal had become second-nature to Southern Blacks. Having originated in the aftermath of the American Civil War, it was proposed by Southern Democrats to maintain continued oppression over the newly-emancipated African Americans. Though there was some opposition in the near-century that followed, it wasn't until 1955 that the fight against it finally gained some traction when a Montgomery, Alabama-based seamstress named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a White rider on a city bus. But who was Rosa Parks? What is the history surrounding the notorious separate but equal law? And how did Parks' heroic actions launch the Civil Rights Movement? Find out in the final Black History Month installment of the "History Loves Company" podcast.

African Americans have fought in all of America's major conflicts since the inception. By the outbreak of World War Two, they'd more than proven themselves as skilled fighters, though they faced a new challenge. The racist misconception that Blacks were incapable of flying or learning how to operate aircraft led them to enlist in President Franklin Roosevelt's civilian flight program, which he expanded in the years leading up to America's entry into the conflict. Deployed to North Africa and then to Italy, these African American figther pilots proved themselves as they took down hundreds of enemy aircraft within the span of two years. Who were the Tuskegee Airmen? What led to the formation of this special group? And how did their heroism change the U.S. military forever? Find out in this week's enlightening episode!

African American literature as we know it came about just prior to, during and after the American Civil War, but did you know that, a century before, a Black woman became the first international literary sensation? Phillis Wheatley was a slave who was given the rare opportunity of receiving an education from her owners. She soon displayed amazing prowess as a wordsmith and became a household name not just in Colonial America, but in Britain as well. Who was Phillis Wheatley and how did she pave the way for African American writers who followed? Tune in to this week's episode to find out!

The practice of slavery in the United States was as old as the country itself. The first African slaves arrived in the Jamestown Colony of Virginia in 1619. Even then, there were stories of runaway or escaped slaves, but it wasn't until the late 18th Century that a concerted effort arose to lead them to safety. For about seventy years, the Underground Railroad served to help fugitive slaves seek freedom in the Northern free states, Canada and even Mexico, but what are the origins of this gateway to freedom? Tune in to find out.

Despite its unstable beginnings, the Weimar Republic eventually took hold, ushering in a period of prosperity unlike any other in Europe at the time. The German capital of Berlin became the center of this thriving burst of creativity, rivaling Paris as the place to be for art and culture. Conditions improved immensely and it seemed that nothing could stop the growth the country was experiencing. But forces beyond its control were at play and the republic would once again find itself in trouble. Tune in to the conclusion of this special two-part episode to find out how it all happened.

Germany in the aftermath of World War One was a rough-and-tumble place. Having lost the war and in financial dire straits, it could barely keep itself afloat. In these difficult times, political factions vied for power over the fractured state and the common people suffered a great many hardships and struggles. And yet, from the ashes of such conditions rose the Weimar Republic, the first republic and democracy in German history. Tune in to the first part of this special two-part episode to learn more about this fascinating (albeit tumultuous) period.

Considered the indigenous Europeans, the Basques have called Northeastern Spain and Southwestern France home since the dawn of civilization. And yet, until recently, their origins have remained unknown. Who are these pastoral people who live along the Spanish/French border? Where did they come from? And what is their standing in Modern European society? Find out in this week's episode!

Britain in the 1960s was an exciting place, especially if you were a young person. From this explosion of culture, two distinct yet unique youth subcultures were born, the Mods and the Rockers. Expressing themselves in bold news ways, they were often in conflict with one another, the violence of which reached a crescendo in the spring of 1964. But were the scuffles between the two groups as bad as they were reported to be or was it a gross exaggeration by the media to incite a moral panic? Find out in this all-new episode!

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For nearly eight hundred years, much of the Iberian Peninsula (that is, Spain and Portugal) was ruled over by the Muslims. In that time, they built magnificent cities and beautiful structures that were meant to stand the tests of time. Then, by the late 15th Century, it was nothing more than a memory. Who were the Arabs who came to rule Spain? What did they accomplish in that country? And what remains of their legacy? Find out in this, the final episode of 2020!