Ill-Equipped History

By illequippedhistoryComedy History

Ill-Equipped History episodes

August 14 John Brown: Militant Abolitionist
Episode 170. John Brown was a vehemently anti-slavery abolitionist who resorted to violence in order to dismantle the racist institution. His belief was that if enough people rose up, black people could be free in the United States. He also believed that the only way this could happen was by soaking the land in blood.

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Sources
“John Brown” by history.com editors (Oct 27 2009, updated May 28 2025)
https://www.history.com/articles/john-brown

“John Brown”
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/john-brown

“John Brown” by Harry Searles (Sept 24 2019, updated Jan 10 2025)
https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/john-brown/

“John Brown”
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1550.html

“John Brown”
https://www.nps.gov/people/john-brown.htm

“John Brown” by Joshua J. Mark (Jun 25 2025)
https://www.worldhistory.org/John_Brown/

“John Brown’s Day of Reckoning” by Fergus M. Bordewich (Oct 2009)
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/john-browns-day-of-reckoning-139165084/

“John Brown” by Britannica Editors (Jul 31 2026)
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Brown-American-abolitionist

Sound Credits:
“Battle Hymn of the Republic” by the US Air Force Band (1999)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%22The_Battle_Hymn_of_the_Republic%22_US_Air_Force_Band.ogg
Composition: William Steffe; Performance: United States Air Forces in Europe Band, Concert Band; Recording: United States Air Force, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
1 hr 13 min
August 06 Operation Dynamo: How the Little Ships Evacuated Dunkirk
Episode 169. The evacuation of Dunkirk was not only an incredible feat of heroism, but was one of the main reasons that the Allies hung in long enough to win World War 2. Today, Emileigh and Morgan dive into how this nearly impossible task was done and the the aftermath of it's success.

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Sources

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/second-world-war/dunkirk/why-the-dunkirk-evacuations-were-an-unexpected-success

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/second-world-war/battle-of-france/britains-phoney-start-to-the-second-world-war

https://rnli.org/about-us/our-history/timeline/1940-dunkirk-little-ships

https://www.mby.com/news/over-70-dunkirk-little-ships-to-return-to-dunkirk-marking-the-85th-anniversary-of-operation-dynamo-135162

https://www.britannica.com/story/timeline-of-the-dunkirk-evacuation

https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/military-history-and-science/evacuation-dunkirk

https://www.adls.org.uk/history-of-dunkirk

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/second-world-war/dunkirk/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-dunkirk-evacuations

https://soundingsonline.com/features/living-legacy-the-little-ships-of-dunkirk/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ships_of_Dunkirk

https://about.proquest.com/en/blog/2017/dunkirk-the-real-stories-behind-the-drama/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCvTL2oW3cM
1 hr 5 min
July 31 Ofra Haza: The Madonna of the East
Episode 168. Ofra Haza was one of the most beloved singers of the 80s and 90s. She overcome extreme poverty and prejudice to become known on an international stage, and her voice made the magic of one of the most famous animated films of the decade.

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Sources
“Ofra Haza” by Nathan Shahar
https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/haza-ofra

“The Passing of Israeli Singer Ofra Haza”
https://aish.com/the-passing-of-israeli-singer-ofra-haza/

“Israeli Singer Ofra Haza Is the True Star of ‘Prince of Egypt’” by Lior Zaltzman (Apr 11 2025)
https://www.kveller.com/israeli-singer-ofra-haza-is-the-true-star-of-prince-of-egypt/

“Ofra Haza, Tragic Israeli Pop Diva” by Dana Kessler (Feb 22 2023)
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/ofra-haza-tragic-israeli-pop-diva

“Pop Star’s Death Stirs Debate in Israel on AIDS” by Tracy Wilkinson (Feb 29 2000)
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-feb-29-mn-3690-story.html

“Death of a Diva” by Barry Walters (Jun 1 2000)
https://www.poz.com/article/Death-Of-A-Diva-10225-4310

“Singer’s death prompts Aids debate" by Kathryn Westcott (Mar 5 2000)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/666770.stm

“The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time” by Rolling Stone (Jan 1 2023)
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/ofra-haza-1234642327/

“Obituary: Ofra Haza” by Lawrence Joffe (Feb 24 2000)
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2000/feb/25/guardianobituaries

“Ofra Haza”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ofra_Haza

Sound Credits
Music by RODOLPHE RAKOTOMALALA from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/music/acoustic-group-acoustique-guitare-percussion-337926/

Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/technology-phone-ringing-6805/
1 hr 3 min
July 23 The Dunbar Armored Depot Robbery: $18.9 Million in 30 minutes
Episode 167. The Dunbar Armored Depot Robbery in 1997 held the title of most money stolen in a single heist for over three decades. But the robbers only got away with it for two years. In today's episode, Emileigh and Morgan are going to discuss how they stole it all and how they got caught.

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Sources
https://medium.com/@alyssakelirose/the-dunbar-heist-7e16450c3192

https://archive.calbar.ca.gov/archive/calbar/2cbj/01dec/page25-1.htm

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jun-19-me-12221-story.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar_Armored_robbery#cite_note-7

https://www.infinitefiresecurity.co.uk/historical-heists-the-dunbar-armoured-robbery/

https://watch.historyvault.com/shows/historys-greatest-heists-with-pierce-brosnan/season-1/episode-7/full-episode
1 hr 20 min
July 16 The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall
Episode 166. After the defeat of the Nazis in WWII, Germany was left without a government. The Allies decided to split Germany, and its capital Berlin, into 4 sections: France, the United Kingdom, and the United States would take West Germany and West Berlin. The Soviet Union would have control over East Germany and East Berlin. In the midst of the Cold War, the USSR built a wall along the split of Berlin, creating a partition that would keep citizens trapped. Join Morgan and Emileigh as they discuss how the people of Berlin were separated and reunited after three decades.

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https://www.patreon.com/illequippedhistory

Sources
“Berlin Wall” by history.com editors (Dec 15 2009, updated May 14 2026)
https://www.history.com/articles/berlin-wall

“The Berlin Wall”
https://www.stiftung-berliner-mauer.de/en/topics/berlin-wall

“The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall”
https://diplomacy.state.gov/berlin-wall/

“The GDR - what life was like for people in East Germany from 1949 to 1990” by Anne Fischer (Apr 03 2025)
https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/culture/gdr-east-germany

“Berlin Wall”
https://www.visitberlin.de/en/berlin-wall

“Fall of Berlin Wall: How 1989 reshaped the modern world” (Nov 4 2019)
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50013048

“I was a teenager in East Germany when the Wall fell. Today we are still divided” by Sabine Rennefanz (Nov 6 2019)
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/06/berlin-wall-germany-unification-far-right

Sound Credits:
Sound Effect by u_uy2kad5rlq from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/nature-crickets-395138/

https://pixabay.com/music/solo-piano-38-nighttime-i-449846/

Music by LemonMusicLab from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/music/mystery-dark-ambient-soundscape-505384/

Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/film-special-effects-footsteps-on-a-street-69587/

Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/household-footsteps-3-69539/
1 hr 12 min
July 09 Oscar Wilde: From Height of Influence to Downfall
Episode 165. As our last (and late) episode celebrating pride month, we talk about the one of the worlds greatest playwrights and authors. Oscar Wilde was known socially for his extravagant lifestyle and flamboyant dress and was one of most sought after people in London during the Victorian Era. His world would eventually come tumbling down around him but his legacy as one of the greats lived on long after his death.

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https://www.patreon.com/illequippedhistory

Sources:

https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/oscar-wilde/timeline.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ7Zf1ndUog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxZudaO67Fg

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/reviews/a2382/best-oscar-wilde-quotes/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=mgu_ga_toc_md_pmx_prog_org_us_17942344289&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17942380478&gbraid=0AAAAACq-LPlDcTAz-b9aEE6byPhOW6Nu4&gclid=CjwKCAjwx7LSBhB3EiwAjcodxBrNZw93Yor14H_TuPDVx3sl05HOJGpdAgDmPHkVbhVdkdmdHNbIkBoCoYAQAvD_BwE

https://janicemacleod.com/blog/113202

https://docs.google.com/document/d/15TfKnrR0gHS4PtXK8BKI_NC5wxEVjtqJFT5QTr1-jJk/edit?tab=t.0
1 hr 31 min
July 02 Baron von Steuben: Savior at Valley Forge
Episode 164. Baron Friedrich von Steuben was a Prussian captain who, with few options, decided to help out the rebel American army against the British during the American Revolutionary War. He was sent to Valley Forge, where he saw the bleak conditions of the Continental Army under General George Washington. Using his knowledge and experience, he was able to train the soldiers in camp hygiene and battlefield tactics so they could hold their own against the British. von Steuben was also a gay man, which appeared to affect his military service in Europe. Join Emileigh and Morgan as they explore the life of one of the most important figures in US History.

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Sources
“General von Steuben”
https://www.nps.gov/vafo/learn/historyculture/vonsteuben.htm

“The Prussian Nobleman Who Helped Save the American Revolution” by Erick Trickey (Apr 26 2017)
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/baron-von-steuben-180963048/

“Baron von Steuben”
https://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/served/steuben.html#google_vignette

“Baron von Steuben”
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/baron-von-steuben

“The Revolutionary War Hero Who Was Openly Gay” by Erin Blakemore (Jun 14 2018, updated Jan 31 2025)
https://www.history.com/articles/openly-gay-revolutionary-war-hero-friedrich-von-steuben

“Baron von Steuben Biography and Facts” by Edward St. Germain
https://www.americanrevolution.org/baron-von-steuben-biography/

“Valley Forge” by Mary Stockwell
https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/valley-forge

“Monmouth”
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/monmouth

“Baron von Steuben: Gay Warrior Who Taught Washington’s Army How to Fight” by Harry Schenawolf (Jul 25 2015)
https://revolutionarywarjournal.com/baron-von-steuben-a-gay-warrior-taught-washingtons-army-how-to-fight-2/

“Baron von Steuben Facts and Biography” by Russell Yost (Nov 1 2017, updated Nov 10 2023)
https://thehistoryjunkie.com/baron-von-steuben-facts/

“Patriot General Von Steuben”
https://mountgulian.org/history/general-von-steuben/
Sound Credits
civil war gun fire.wav by electra -- https://freesound.org/s/442293/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

marching boots.wav by klankbeeld -- https://freesound.org/s/172369/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

sword against sword.wav by Fenodyrie -- https://freesound.org/s/568790/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

dog tripple bark by crazymonke9 -- https://freesound.org/s/418108/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
57 min
June 25 Ma Rainey: Mother of the Blues
Episode 163. Ma Rainey was not only the Mother of the Blues, but she was a fierce, outgoing, and flashy entertainer. She lived her life by her own terms and was the first woman to make a lesbian anthem in a time where being gay was more than frowned on. Today's episode honors her and her legacy.

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Sources
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/gertrude-ma-rainey

https://nmaahc.si.edu/ma-rainey

https://www.queerportraits.com/bio/rainey

https://www.google.com/search?q=ma+rainey+mother+of+the+blues&rlz=1C1ONGR_enUS990US990&oq=ma+rainey+mother+of+the+blues+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDQgAEAAYkQIYgAQYigUyDQgAEAAYkQIYgAQYigUyBwgBEC4YgAQyCAgCEAAYFhgeMggIAxAAGBYYHjIHCAQQABjvBTIGCAUQRRg80gEINDQ5M2owajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:c0e97721,vid:tUc289D-6e0,st:0

https://www.google.com/search?q=ma+rainey+mother+of+the+blues&rlz=1C1ONGR_enUS990US990&oq=ma+rainey+mother+of+the+blues+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDQgAEAAYkQIYgAQYigUyDQgAEAAYkQIYgAQYigUyBwgBEC4YgAQyCAgCEAAYFhgeMggIAxAAGBYYHjIHCAQQA

59 min
June 18 Julie D'Aubigny: The Sword-Swinging, Woman-Wooing Opera Star
Episode 162. Julie D'Aubigny was a roguish, cross-dressing opera singer who never lost with a sword or in the bedroom. Her romantic and physical exploits were the talk of 17th century Paris. Tune in to hear how this bisexual force of nature got the king on her side.

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Donate to our Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/illequippedhistory
Sources

“The real life of Julie d’Aubigny” by Kelly Gardiner
https://kellygardiner.com/fiction/books/goddess/the-real-life-of-julie-daubigny/

“La Maupin - The Extraordinary Life of Julie D’Aubigny” by Laura Moore (Jul 30 2019)
https://www.storyofacity.com/2019/07/30/la-maupin-extraordinary-life-julie-daubigny/

“The Life of Julie D’Aubigny” by Amanda Justice (Jan 8 2025)
https://ajustice707.medium.com/the-life-of-julie-daubigny-2a79804bfcbe

“Julie D’Aubigny”
https://www.badassoftheweek.com/maupin

“The Badass Rogue who Cross-Dressed and Dueled Her Way to Infamy” by Meradith Hoddinott and Fiona Zublin (Jan 26 2020)
https://web.archive.org/web/20220519180758/https://www.ozy.com/true-and-stories/the-badass-rogue-who-cross-dressed-and-dueled-her-way-to-infamy/76908/

“The Wild Life of Julie D’Aubigny, The Bisexual, Sword-Fighting 17th-Century Opera Star” by Genevieve Carlton, edited by Erik Hawkins (Mar 3 2022)
https://allthatsinteresting.com/julie-daubigny

“Julie d’Aubigny: La Maupin and Early French Opera” by Alan Westby (Jun 28 2017)
https://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/blogs/lapl/julie-daubigny-la-maupin-and-early-french-opera

Sound Credits:
Sound Effect by VanzetPictures from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/nature-fire-457848/

Sound Effect by u_uy2kad5rlq from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/nature-crickets-395138/
57 min
June 11 The Great Stink of 1858
Emileigh and Morgan endure the crappiest story to date where the Thames had turned into an open sewer and Cholera ran wild. In this episode, they discuss how it got that bad and what was done to stop it.

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[email protected]

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https://www.tiktok.com/@illequipped.histo

Find us on YouTube!
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Donate to our Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/illequippedhistory
Sources
https://www.historyhit.com/how-victorian-london-became-known-as-the-monster-city/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLpzHHbFrHY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jlsyucUwpo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NVT6iZP2qg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cba7di0eL8I

https://heritagecalling.com/2019/03/28/the-story-of-londons-sewer-system/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Stink#:~:text=The%20smell%20was%20very%20bad,and%20carbolic%20acid%20into%20the

https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/london-stories/how-bazalgette-built-londons-first-super-sewer/

https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/london-stories/great-stink-of-1858/
1 hr 25 min

About Ill-Equipped History

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Two non-historians with a passion for history tell stories of the past in a way that will make you laugh.

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Ill-Equipped History episodes

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