Hometown History

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Robert Smalls Stole a Confederate Ship Jun 14, 2021

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Beaufort, South Carolina. How have I never heard of Robert Smalls? I'm betting you haven't either. Smalls was an antebellum slave and real-life action hero who fought without permission in the Civil War and pulled off one of the most daring heists in American military history. Smalls' courage and intelligence single-handedly changed the way Abraham Lincoln viewed the enlistment of black troops in the Union Army. And soon, after his escape to freedom, an initial wave of 5,000 black troops were allowed to enlist.

TIMELINE
1863: When the war ended in Northern Victory, Smalls went back to his former hometown of Beaufort, South Carolina, and purchased his former master's home, which had been seized in 1863.
1895: One statement in particular, from a session of the South Carolina legislature in 1895, feels symbolic of his life as a whole.
1915: In 1915, Smalls died of malaria and diabetes and was buried in Beaufort.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Beaufort is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 26 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

If you liked this: Episode 181 (Edgefield, South Carolina)

Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

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Dispelling Myths: The "Dumb Blonde" Stereotype Jun 07, 2021

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Hollywood, California. Does blonde hair make you dumb? Yes, actually, blonde hair does make you dumb, but not in the way that you think. As , the basic idea behind the dumb blonde stereotype is just that women with blonde hair tend to be less intelligent and more air-headed than non-blondes. They are uneducated eye candy, useless for anything more sophisticated than turning the heads of the men who desire them.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Hollywood is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 25 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

If you liked this: Episode 88 (Crescent City, California)

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Almeda Huiet: The Forgotten Victim of Rowan, Indiana May 17, 2021

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Rowan, Indiana. Standing alone in a small, remote Central Indiana Cemetery is a weird feeling. You're alone, but you're not alone. These empty cornfields would feel insignificant if it weren't for these hundreds of forgotten stones. As remote as it is, you're standing in the final resting place for hundreds of lives, and all of them matter, even Almeda's. But as I stand here, there may be only a handful of people alive that knew who this 18-year-old was.

TIMELINE
1870: Almeta Eleanor Hewitt was born in 1870 near Dayton, Ohio.
1880: Mida was 10 years old in 1880 when a wealthy childless family in Rowan learned of her situation.
1884: In an effort to get away from her father, Mida moves to Chicago in 1884 at 14 years old.
1886: Suddenly, at the end of 1886, Mida leaves Chicago and returns to Roanne.
1888: By the end of 1888, Mida moves back to Chicago at 168 East Superior Street.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Rowan is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 24 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

If you liked this: Episode 180 (Hagerstown, Indiana)

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Almeda Huiet: H.H. Holmes' Forgotten Victim May 10, 2021

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Chicago, Illinois. It's every parent's worst nightmare. Your daughter meets a guy in a distant city and suddenly winds up dead. He's nice at first and more understanding than you. He listens and he's funny and she's happy, even giddy, with this new love in her life. And then something changes. Her mood darkens. She talks about him less. And you don't know why. She's less happy each time you see her. And soon you're not seeing her at all.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Chicago is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 23 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

If you liked this: Episode 170 (Ottawa, Illinois)

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The Man Who Darkened His Skin to Fight Racism May 03, 2021

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Atlanta, Georgia. Has it ever been okay to wear blackface? It's obviously a terrible thing, but are there exceptions? I ask because I think I may have found one while reading the other night, and I can't stop thinking about it. For those of you who need a little background, blackface is a form of theatrical makeup that white performers have used throughout history to portray and demean black people.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Atlanta is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 22 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

If you liked this: Episode 199 (Forsyth County, Georgia)

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Monopoly's Secret Origin: The Woman They Erased Apr 19, 2021

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Atlantic City, New Jersey. Most people see the game of Monopoly as a harmless bit of fun. Others view it as a crash course in the dark side of the American dream. You start the game with the same amount of money as everyone else, but your goals overlap, and you begin taking things from one another, exploiting one another in your times of need, and one by one you fall into bankruptcy at the hands of your rivals. There's no mercy in Monopoly, and a little bit of bad luck at the wrong time can ruin you.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Atlantic City is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 21 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

If you liked this: Episode 191 (Deal Beach, New Jersey)

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The Cadaver Synod: Rome's Trial of a Dead Pope Apr 12, 2021

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Rome, Italy. Picture this, a Pope on trial. He sits at the front of the courtroom in a tall-backed golden throne, encrusted with jewels and towering over his accusers in a silent display of power. While the prosecutor rants and paces, he sits motionless, staring straight ahead, unconcerned by the proceedings and unimpressed by the charges laid against him. One after the other. His papal crown is on his head.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Rome is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 20 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

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Lincoln's Springfield Home: The Man Before the Monument Apr 05, 2021

Show notes

Springfield, Illinois. Whenever I'm not living under the restrictions of an apocalyptic pandemic quarantine, a week rarely goes by that I don't visit a historical museum of one kind or another. I've spent the last few years traveling the country coast to coast and off the coasts, visiting many of the best of them, at least until last February when COVID changed everything. Since that time, I've made do with virtual tours and more books than I ever thought I could read in a 12-month span.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Springfield is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 19 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

If you liked this: Episode 170 (Ottawa, Illinois)

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When the BBC Convinced Millions Spaghetti Grows on Trees Mar 29, 2021

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London, England. On April 1st each year, people from all over the world keep their eyes peeled for anything unusual or amiss. Everything is suddenly treated with suspicion, from social media posts published by a popular fast food chain to that questionable-looking Facebook announcement from the local police department. Why? Well, because it's April Fool's Day, a worldwide celebration where you're either pranking someone or being pranked upon. No one knows exactly how this unofficial holiday came to be.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of London is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 18 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

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America's First Free Speech Crisis (1798) Mar 22, 2021

Show notes

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The English writer G.K. Chesterton once said that America is the only nation in the world that is founded on a creed. That creed is set forth in the Declaration of Independence. Perhaps the only piece of practical politics that is also theoretical politics and also great literature. It enunciates that all men are equal in their claim to justice. That governments exist to give them that justice.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Philadelphia is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 17 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

If you liked this: Episode 176 (Erie, Pennsylvania)

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