Professor Buzzkill History Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII Apr 16, 2024

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Jane Marguerite Tippett discusses her new book about Edward VIII, the English king who abdicated the throne in 1936 for the woman he loved, the American socialite Wallis Simpson. She describes the complexity of his life and the almost innumerable myths about his political views, his hopes for the British monarchy, and his famous meeting with Hitler before World War II. This is fascinating new historical research. Listen and learn! Episode 549.

The False Cause: Fraud, Fabrication, and White Supremacy in Confederate Memory Apr 09, 2024

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Professor Adam Domby explains why the Lost Cause of the Confederacy is full of fraud, fabrication, and white supremacy. And he analyzes how it is expressed in statuary, memory, and commemoration in the American south in the Jim Crow era. This is a complete examination of the Lost Cause and its destructive effect on American life and culture. Encore Episode.

Hitler's Rise to Power: History and Myth Apr 02, 2024

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We examine the many myths surrounding Adolf Hitler’s rise from Chancellor to the outbreak of World War II. These include: how Nazi Germany functioned; the myth of his purely tyrannical dictatorship; and the myth of an efficient, orderly dictatorship. We also explore Hitler’s genuine popularity, and explain the successes of Hitler’s diplomacy and expansionism. It’s very deep and complicated, Buzzkillers! Encore Episode.

The Press and Women Politicians from Victoria Woodhull to Kamala Harris Mar 26, 2024

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Professor Terri Finneman explains how the press has portrayed women politicians running for high office in the United States. From Victoria Woodhull in the 1870s to Kamala Harris in 2020, she enlightens us about how the media treatment of women politicians has and hasn’t changed over this long period! Encore Episode.

The "Princess Qajar" Meme: Junk History and Conceptions of Beauty Mar 19, 2024

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Dr. Victoria Martinez joins to debunk and explain Junk history is embodied a viral meme that portrays a nineteenth-century Persian princess with facial hair, alongside the claim that 13 men killed themselves over their unrequited love for her. While it fails miserably at historical accuracy, the meme succeeds at demonstrating how easily viral clickbait obscures and overshadows rich and meaningful stories from the past. It's junk history! Episode 548.

Irish America: Race and Politics Mar 12, 2024

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Professor Mary Burke destroys the myths and caricatures of Irish Americans as a monolithic cultural, racial, and political group. Figures from the Scots-Irish Andrew Jackson to the Caribbean-Irish Rihanna, as well as literature, film, caricature, and beauty discourse, convey how the Irish racially transformed multiple times: in the slave-holding Caribbean, on America's frontiers and antebellum plantations, and along its eastern seaboard. Her cultural history of race and centuries of Irishness in the Americas examines the forcibly transported Irish, the eighteenth-century Presbyterian Ulster-Scots, and post-1845 Famine immigrants. Episode 547.

Who Said "Well-Behaved Women Rarely Make History"? Mar 06, 2024

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Lots of people are credited with coining the great phrase, “well-behaved women rarely make history.” These include Marilyn Monroe, Gloria Steinem, Eleanor Roosevelt, Anne Boleyn, and many more. Given time, any powerful woman with self-respect, backbone, and verve will get credit for this phrase and sentiment. Listen and learn who said it first.

Green Book Sites: Local History and Architecture Mar 05, 2024

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We've already learned about the importance of "The Negro Motorist Green Book" from our previous show. Here, historians Catherine Zipf and Susan Hellman discuss their project on the architecture of the sites found in the Green Book and what various efforts are being made to locate more Green Book sites and preserve them. Perhaps the best show we've ever done about local history! Episode 546.

Traveling While Black: The Green Book Guides to African-American Motoring - Encore! Feb 26, 2024

Show notes

20th-century automobile travel was supposed to represent freedom, but what else did it represent? Professor Cotten Seiler from Dickinson College joins us to discuss the difficulties and hazards of traveling in the United States faced by African-American motorists in the 20th Century, especially during the height of segregation and Jim Crow. Specifically, we learn how important guides like the Negro Motorist Green Book and the popular Travelguide: Vacation and Recreation Without Humiliation were to the reality of “traveling while black.” Encore Episode.

Henry Kissinger Part 2: Perpetual Power? Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

Professor Philip Nash joins us for Part 2 of our examination of the life and loves of Henry Kissinger, perhaps the most influential American foreign policy figure of the later Cold War. This episode discusses his time in power in the Nixon administration, his carefully crafted public image, and his continuing power after he left office. We puzzle over his continued influence and assess his responsibility for some of the worst crimes of the 20th century. Episode 546.

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