Professor Buzzkill History Podcast

By Joe CoohillEducation History

Professor Buzzkill History Podcast episodes

May 23, 2022 Martin Luther King, Jr. "Arc of the Moral Universe..." Quote or No Quote?
Lots of people take comfort from the quote “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” and it’s usually credited to Martin Luther King. He said it, but was it an original MLK thought? The long history of this famous quote is fascinating and uplifting. Listen and learn! Episode 453.
11 min
May 16, 2022 When Did the NRA Become Extremist?
This episode explains how the National Rifle Association became one of the most controversial and divisive organizations in American history. Since the 1970s it has taken a very strict view of the US Constitution’s Second Amendment, and has gone to extremes in its defense of gun ownership. We explain how and why this happened, and dispel historical and cultural myths along the way. Episode 451
29 min
May 09, 2022 General Hooker's Hookers
Was Civil War Union General Joseph “Fightin’ Joe” Hooker’s last name the origin of the slang term for prostitute? He had a perhaps undeserved reputation as a party animal, but did that reputation actually add a new word to the language? Find out, Buzzkillers!
5 min
May 06, 2022 Mother's Day
Major social and political forces led to the establishment of Mother's Day as a major and official holiday. This episode explains those forces, and also tells us who founded Mother's Day. Was it Julia Ward Howe with her famous "Appeal to Womanhood" Peace Proclamation in 1870? Or did Anna Marie Jarvis start it, honoring her own mother in 1908? And what does war and campaigns for international disarmament have to do with the history of Mother's Day?
18 min
May 05, 2022 Kathleen Stone: Female Ambition from Suffrage to Mad Men
In “They Called Us Girls: Stories of Female Ambition from Suffrage to Mad Men,” Kathleen Stone meets seven of these unconventional women. In insightful, personalized portraits that span a half-century, Kathleen weaves stories of female ambition, uncovering the families, teachers, mentors, and historical events that led to unexpected paths. What inspired these women, and what can they teach women and girls today? Episode 450!
45 min
May 03, 2022 Mother's Day
Major social and political forces led to the establishment of Mother's Day as a major and official holiday. This episode explains those forces, and also tells us who founded Mother's Day. Was it Julia Ward Howe with her famous "Appeal to Womanhood" Peace Proclamation in 1870? Or did Anna Marie Jarvis start it, honoring her own mother in 1908? And what do war and campaigns for international disarmament have to do with the history of Mother's Day?
18 min
May 03, 2022 Kathleen Stone: Female Ambition from Suffrage to Mad Men
In “They Called Us Girls: Stories of Female Ambition from Suffrage to Mad Men,” Kathleen Stone meets seven of these unconventional women. In insightful, personalized portraits that span a half-century, Kathleen weaves stories of female ambition, uncovering the families, teachers, mentors, and historical events that led to unexpected paths. What inspired these women, and what can they teach women and girls today? Episode 450!
45 min
May 02, 2022 The Hindenburg Disaster News Report
The 1937 Hindenburg disaster was one of the most dramatic in the 20th century. But what if the dramatic report we're used to hearing was partly the result of a mechanical error in the recording equipment? What if the emotion that comes through in the "oh the humanity" quote was inadvertently enhanced through this error? Would the disaster "sound" different to us if we heard the genuine report? Listen to this Monday Myth for Extra Credit!
7 min
May 02, 2022 The Hindenburg Disaster News Report - "Oh the humanity!"
The 1937 Hindenburg disaster was one of the most dramatic in the 20th century. But what if the dramatic report we're used to hearing was partly the result of a mechanical error in the recording equipment? What if the emotion that comes through in the "oh the humanity" quote was inadvertently enhanced through this error? Would the disaster "sound" different to us if we heard the genuine report? Listen to this Monday Myth for Extra Credit!
7 min
April 25, 2022 Thomas Edison Myths
Thomas Edison invented almost nothing he’s given credit for -- at least not by himself. But he was undoubtedly one of the most important people of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Good old Professor Buzzkill turns on the light and puts the buzz back into hero worship. Grab your phonograph and listen to this Monday Myth for Extra Credit. Episode 449.
9 min