Unhinged History

This week's stories are verifiably unhinged. Theresa starts off sharing about how some Hmong, a small ethnic minority from Laos are *still* fighting the Vietnam War all these decades later.

Angie attempts to lift the emotional tone by sharing the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Duchess of Aquitaine who became queen of France, then after a divorce, queen of England, and then some. 

Get ready for your favorite three letters, W, T, and F. Theresa starts us off with the story of Captain Eric Moody, the British Airways pilot who flew through a volcano in 1982 and delivered the greatest understatement to his passengers when he informed them all four engines had failed. 

Angie picks up the mantle and continues this bizarre episode by sharing the tale of Button Gwinnett, the signer of the Constitution of the United States, with the most valuable signature. Come for his spectacular failures in business, and stay for the constant promotions. 

Captain Stephen Barton and his daughter Clara Barton Natalie Clifford Barney. Did you ever wonder who started the American Red Cross? No? Well, Angie did. She starts us off this week with the story of Captain Stephen Barton and his daughter, Clara Barton.

Look, the first Pride was a riot and Theresa came with the receipts. Join Angie and Theresa as they explore what led up to the Stonewall Uprising. Starting with the mafia moving in and opening gay bars, to kicklines, broken glass, and a mention of Afeni Shakur (Tupac Shakur's mom) and her connection to the riots and the Black Panthers. 

Sometimes life is a weird mashup of stories. This podcast episode fairly encapsulates that. First Angie shares the History of Coffee and the times it's been banned – most notably by King Gustav III. 

This week Angie and Theresa brought some completely unhinged stories. Theresa starts off with the tale of Christine Jorgeson, the WWII GI who underwent a sex change in the 1950s and went into entertainment. 

Angie didn't want to be outdone and shared Sally Stanford, the brothel-owning woman who would go on to be mayor of Sausalito. 

First off, let us start by saying that Disney lied to us. Theresa attempts to address this issue by sharing the story of Mulan in the various ways it's gone through history, including the opera. 

Angie closes us out by sharing the story of Abigail Kawānanakoa, Hawaii's last princess. She covers HRH's philanthropic efforts and her marriage to her wife, Veronica Gail Worth. 

Do you know the story of the Chinese Amelia Earhart, Kathrine Sui Fun Cheung? Let's fix that. Angie starts this episode off by sharing how this aviatrix entered the history books and became one of the fabled Ninety-Nines.

Theresa continues this heart-warming trend by sharing the story of Seneca Village, the thriving Black community in what is now Central Park. She shares how one Black man, Andrew Williams, bought land in this community and homeownership provided generational wealth and changed the trajectory of six generations of the Williams family. 

We all have bad days at work, but never, and I mean never have we struggled as hard as Rear Admiral Zinovy “Mad Dog” Rozhestvensky as he led the Russian Second Pacific Squadron from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean to do his part in the Russo-Japanese War. 

Theresa has way too much fun sharing what could only be the real-life basis for Mchale's Navy. 

You ever learn about a guy so bold and self-assured *and* keeps winning?! Angie tells us the story of the Norwegian Hans Solo, Peter Wessel Tordenskjold. At one point he goes in for a court martial and comes out with a raise instead.