Historian Timothy Galsworthy explains the details and complications of the famous Republican "Southern Strategy" in the election of 1960. He tells us how this strategy was developed much earlier than most people realize, and how Nixon had to use a tense balancing act to woo southern voters who traditionally hated the Republican party. Episode 436.

One of the absolute best stories flying around the web is the one where a young Scottish farmer boy saved a young English aristocrat from drowning. The aristocrat's grateful father paid for the farmer boy's education. That young farmer boy grew up to become a doctor and to discover penicillin. In later life, he received an emergency call to save a prominent politician's life. The farmer boy's name was Alexander Fleming. The life he saved twice? That of Winston Churchill. But listen to the real story! Episode 435.

Dr. Einav Rabinovitch-Fox tells us how the rise of mass media culture made fashion a vehicle for women to assert claims over their bodies, femininity, and social roles. As women employed new clothing styles, they expanded feminist activism beyond formal organizations and movements and reclaimed fashion as a realm of pleasure, power, and feminist consciousness. Episode 434.

"At least Mussolini made the trains run on time" is one of history's biggest myths. More importantly, it has been used as a lazy rationalization for electing zealots to high office because they can "get things done." We bust this Mussolini train story in today's Monday Myths to Start the Week. And please remember not to listen to the other "big lies" out there! Episode 433

Jason Steinhauer joins us to talk over the brilliant ideas and analyses in his new book, "History Disrupted: How Social Media and the World Wide Web Have Changed the Post." A gripping conversation that's at the cutting edge of where history and "e-history" are now, and what might lie in store in the future. Listen and learn! Episode #432

The "fact" that J. Edgar Hoover (director of the FBI) was a cross-dresser is well-known and mentioned constantly in American culture. But is it true? Did J. Edgar go to parties dressed extravagantly as a woman and call himself "Mary"? We explore this famous story as one of our "Monday Myths to Start the Week." Enjoy! Episode #431

Should old acquaintance be forgot? What? Should we forget old friends? What does Auld Lang Syne actually mean? Why do we sing it every New Year’s Eve? Join the Professor as he waxes lyrical and sentimentally about Auld Lang Syne, Scotland, and good auld Robert Burns!

Legend has is that there were special, secret meanings behind the lyrics in the famous Christmas song, The 12 Days of Christmas? Ten Lords a Leaping and Nine Ladies Dancing sounds like a pretty good party! But why wasn’t Professor Buzzkill invited? We explain it all and wish all you Buzzkillers out there a happy holiday season!

Professor Philip Nash explains the complexities of the celebration and commercialism of Christmas -- from the Roman holiday of Saturnalia to the Victorian era to the Nazi period and beyond! Listen to the best explanation of the history of modern Christmas that you're gonna find this side of Bethlehem!

Professor Phil Nash joins us to explain the myths and misconceptions about December 7th, 1941, as well as the complexities of the cultural importance of the attack since then. Did FDR know about the attack ahead of time? And who was the attack more devastating for - the United States or Japan? You’ll learn more about an event that you thought you already knew well!