How Immigrants Fought the Beef Trust, and Won

Guest: Scott Seligman, historian and author of "The Great Kosher Meat Warp of 1902: Immigrant Housewives and the Riots That Shook New York City"

The Great Kosher Meat War of 1902. Never heard of it? Thousands of poor housewives took to the streets of New York, smashed up delis, threw their neighbors’ meat into the gutters, some ending up in jail or the hospital. They were up against big corporate players and greedy middlemen, but even the President of the United States was sympathetic to their cause. 

 

How a Bagel Union Fought Off the Mafia

Guest: Jason Turbow, author of "How New York’s Bagel Union Fought—and Beat—a Mafia Takeover" 

In 1960's New York City, bagels were just getting popular, and the mafia wanted in on the profits. Bagel Union 338, though, would have none of it.

 

From Hyenas to Opossums: A White House Menagerie

Guest: Andrew Hager, Historian-in-Residence at the Presidential Pet Museum

Harrison had opossums; Coolidge had a bobcat and raccoons. And Teddy Roosevelt had just about everything. Besides companionship, First Pets play an important role in politics: they both humanize the President and sometimes make for good diplomacy.