It has become arguably the most iconic image of freedom and independence not only in the United States, but the world over. A gift from a valued ally after a tumultuous period in world history. A beacon, that for decades, has welcomed immigrants to our nation’s shore, as well as inspired those already here, to uphold the values and principles our country was founded on.

 But soon after the French flag covering Lady Liberty’s face was lowered and her features divulged to the world, onlookers began wondering: who was the inspiration behind the statue’s striking face?

As we close what many consider the holiday season, one thing is certain - the indulgence of holiday eating is officially closed.  We all know what that’s about - gorging ourselves with the foods that we may not always enjoy throughout the year, so we feel justified in taking seconds, thirds, fourths, oh and the leftovers!  But there’s one food, that unless an international history podcast highlights, could be enjoyed daily but never gets its due recognition.  Hmm, I wonder what that could be?  And that today, listeners, is the focus of today’s episode.  Pour yourself another cup of coffee and let’s get to it.

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Merry Christmas everyone, and welcome to the Missing Chapter Podcast Christmas Special!  

Today we are so excited to have a very special guest, Mike Cunningham, on today’s episode.  Mike is the hilarious and brilliant writer of the recently released movie called, The Christmas Letter, filmed mostly locally in Utica, NY and we are so excited to talk about the unknowns of the movie-making world as well as the background of the origins of this fun, feel good Christmas comedy.  

Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Missing Chapter Podcast website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information, previous episodes, and professional development opportunities!

In the 1994, critically acclaimed movie, The Shawshank Redemption, Morgan Freeman’s character, “Red,” sits with his friend and fellow inmate, “Andy Dufresne,” brilliantly portrayed by Tim Robbins, in the courtyard of Shawshank Prison. “Hope can be a dangerous thing,” Red says, as Dufresne stares blankly into space.

It certainly can be…. Or, it can be what keeps a man alive under extraordinary circumstances.

For today’s episode, I take you, the listeners of The Missing Chapter Podcast, to my home town; the small hamlet of Altamont, NY, some 30 mins. outside of New York State’s capital of Albany for a truly remarkable, inspirational story of determination and survival. Like a Hollywood movie script, when our nation called upon the “greatest generation” to defend freedom from tyranny and fascism, men, women… families… responded like never before. Their stories – this story – from the nestling hills of the Hudson Valley to your ears on an episode that truly “hits home” for this host.

Thanks for joining us… on this, a special home town episode of The Missing Chapter.

Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Missing Chapter Podcast website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information, previous episodes, and professional development opportunities!

If you’re anything like us, the miracle of flight is something that has always dazzled us.  We still see the awe in watching planes take off and land, and being on a plane continues to thrill no matter how mainstream and normal commercial flights have become.  There’s something so fascinating about it that it’s hard to describe.  What’s truly unbelievable is how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time.  We’ve only had a little over a century’s worth of flying experience and look how capable, safe, and almost physics-defying our common plane has truly become.  And to think it all started with two brothers who shared the same fascination with flight as us.  And that fascination, which led to obsession, is the focus of today’s episode.  

So pour yourself a cup of coffee, put your tray tables in their upright and locked position, and prepare for takeoff as your captains, Phil and Phil, bring you into the unknowns of the Wright brothers on this episode of the Missing Chapter.

The day that will live in infamy.  Those harrowing words might be one of the first things that come to mind when mentioning December 7, 1941.It’s been studied, watched, reviewed, and discussed countless times, evoking the same frightful emotion every time.  But our goal here on the MCP is to look deeper into history’s well-known events and reveal the unknown, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do today. So let’s honor this day by discussing some of the unknown facts, stories, and heroes of that day, some 83 years ago. And let’s highlight, maybe even rewrite, what we know about that day, in a new, Missing Chapter.

Native Americans aren’t often associated with New York City and its dense, vertical, iron landscape. With so many indigenous nations pushed to America’s frontier in the 19th century, they usually appear in popular culture as populates of the rural West, occupying wide open spaces brimming with tipis, buffalo and pow wows. Yet the Mohawk Nation has deep roots in metropolitan New York City—where, beginning in the early 20th century, Mohawk, ironworkers contributed to building many of the iconic skyscrapers that dominate the Manhattan skyline today.

These “Skywalkers” have for generations traveled far and wide to work on the “high steel,” bringing back good wages to support their homes and building reputations as fearless laborers in the process. Today’s episode takes us from Upstate NY to downtown Manhattan as we tight rope walk the iron beams of what are now some of the tallest buildings in the United States.

Pour your coffee, settle in… it’s The Missing Chapter Podcast.

No risk no reward, right?  We’ve all heard it.  But have we heard of the focus of today’s episode?  Norilsk, Russia?  Yeah, me either.  It’s one of the unknown areas of history, and is still one of the unknown areas of the world.  A location so remote, so cold, and so polluted, that the environment itself is not only changed, but our perception of what color the skies, precipitation, and water should like will be forever modified.  What is this place?  Who is responsible for such a desolate wasteland?  And why on earth would anyone go to this toxin-filled, pollutant-ridden nightmare?  You’re going to need a strong cup of coffee for this one, and don’t go iced either, this episode of the Missing Chapter is going to be cold, and chilling, let’s get started!

Did you know that George Washington had wooden teeth? Wait, that’s not true is it? I thought that was a myth.  Well, as teachers, we should probably debunk some of these historic myths, while at the same time, letting everyone know what unbelievable stories are actually… truth. Let’s do it on today’s episode. A Missing Chapter Podcast all about truths versus myths… fact versus fiction. So, did Washington really have wooden teeth? Pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit back and relax, and let’s test your knowledge about history - true or false style.

Welcome back to the Missing Chapter Podcast and Happy almost Veterans day to all of our vets! As we begin the holiday weekend and honor those that have served, past and present, I think it’s also honorable to know the history of the holiday and how we got here.  So that’s what we’re here for.  Grab your coffees, salute your vets and lets pay homage to all of our service members around the world, past and present!