Stuff You Missed in History Class

For Perkin, the creation of the first synthetic dye was the beginning of a career that combined chemistry and business to great success. And he got to see the world of industry change in response to his innovation.

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This 2014 episode covers how pigments and dyes have historically come from all manner of animals, vegetables and minerals. From ochre to cochineal red to the rarest of purples, color has been an important part of human life for centuries.

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Tracy talks about the coincidences she encountered while researching this week's episodes. Talk then turns to how complicated Ida Tarbell's story is.

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Tarbell saw her family and community clash with Standard Oil when she was growing up. This second part covers her work for McClure’s Magazine and the most important journalistic work of her life – “The History of the Standard Oil Company.” 

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Ida Tarbell was one of the first investigative journalists, and the biggest work of her life involved exposing exploitive and illegal business practices at Standard Oil. Part one covers her early life, which led her to that story.

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When Prince Pedro of Portugal was married off in the 1300s, he only had eyes for his new wife's lady in waiting. This 2017 episode about the relationship between Inês and Pedro has everything: romance, deception, murder, and a corpse crowned as queen.

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Tracy and Holly discuss the possible inspiration for Maggie Lena Walker's name, and then discuss favorite recipes as inspired by a listener mail. They also speculate on Pepper's personality, and how he opened up education to a wide audience.

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While the ghost illusion he created for theaters dominates his life story, Pepper's life story has a number of twists and turns. It’s got several professional disagreements, world travel, and even an attempt to control the weather. 

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Maggie Lena Walker was the first Black woman in the U.S. to charter a bank – she was also the first Black woman in the U.S. to serve as a bank’s president. But the bank was only one of her many endeavors which focused on improving the lives of the entire Black community.

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This 2011 episode from previous hosts Sarah and Deblina covers the life of Mary-Elizabeth Bowser, who was released from enslavement by Elizabeth Van Lew, then went on to become an agent in Van Lew's "Richmond Ring" of Civil War spies.

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