Professor Buzzkill History Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Life Expectancy Myths May 30, 2022

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What does "life expectancy" mean, in historic terms? In ancient times, were you doomed to drop dead at age 36? The Professor explains all in this Monday Extra Credit Myths to Start Your Week! Go to work or school more enlightened. Episode 455.

Heather Cox Richardson: A Theory of Historical "Tornadoes" May 26, 2022

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Historical and economic forces can create "tornadoes" that spin-off in different directions, sometimes causing and re-inforcing oppressive conditions. Professor Heather Cox Richardson theorizes how this happened in American history, and warns us of the dangers that these tornadoes pose in our own times. Episode 454.

Martin Luther King, Jr. "Arc of the Moral Universe..." Quote or No Quote? May 23, 2022

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Lots of people take comfort from the quote “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” and it’s usually credited to Martin Luther King. He said it, but was it an original MLK thought? The long history of this famous quote is fascinating and uplifting. Listen and learn! Episode 453.

When Did the NRA Become Extremist? May 16, 2022

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This episode explains how the National Rifle Association became one of the most controversial and divisive organizations in American history. Since the 1970s it has taken a very strict view of the US Constitution’s Second Amendment, and has gone to extremes in its defense of gun ownership. We explain how and why this happened, and dispel historical and cultural myths along the way. Episode 451

General Hooker's Hookers May 09, 2022

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Was Civil War Union General Joseph “Fightin’ Joe” Hooker’s last name the origin of the slang term for prostitute? He had a perhaps undeserved reputation as a party animal, but did that reputation actually add a new word to the language? Find out, Buzzkillers!

Mother's Day May 03, 2022

Show notes

Major social and political forces led to the establishment of Mother's Day as a major and official holiday. This episode explains those forces, and also tells us who founded Mother's Day. Was it Julia Ward Howe with her famous "Appeal to Womanhood" Peace Proclamation in 1870? Or did Anna Marie Jarvis start it, honoring her own mother in 1908? And what do war and campaigns for international disarmament have to do with the history of Mother's Day?

Kathleen Stone: Female Ambition from Suffrage to Mad Men May 03, 2022

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In “They Called Us Girls: Stories of Female Ambition from Suffrage to Mad Men,” Kathleen Stone meets seven of these unconventional women. In insightful, personalized portraits that span a half-century, Kathleen weaves stories of female ambition, uncovering the families, teachers, mentors, and historical events that led to unexpected paths. What inspired these women, and what can they teach women and girls today? Episode 450!

The Hindenburg Disaster News Report - "Oh the humanity!" May 02, 2022

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The 1937 Hindenburg disaster was one of the most dramatic in the 20th century. But what if the dramatic report we're used to hearing was partly the result of a mechanical error in the recording equipment? What if the emotion that comes through in the "oh the humanity" quote was inadvertently enhanced through this error? Would the disaster "sound" different to us if we heard the genuine report? Listen to this Monday Myth for Extra Credit!

Thomas Edison Myths Apr 25, 2022

Show notes

Thomas Edison invented almost nothing he’s given credit for -- at least not by himself. But he was undoubtedly one of the most important people of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Good old Professor Buzzkill turns on the light and puts the buzz back into hero worship. Grab your phonograph and listen to this Monday Myth for Extra Credit. Episode 449.

Lee Didn’t Offer His Sword to Grant - Monday Extra Credit Myth! Apr 18, 2022

Show notes

Here's your short Monday Extra Credit Myth for the week! It’s a great “Gone with the Wind” romantic-type story. The defeated, but honorable, General Robert E. Lee offered his sword to the victor, U.S. Grant, during the Confederacy’s surrender at Appomattox Court House. Grant, just as honorably, refused to take it. But did it happen? Find out! Episode 448.

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