Best Midwestern History Association Podcasts (2025)

1
Apple slices are a nearly forgotten piece of Chicago pastry history 14:33

Play Pause

6d ago14:33

14:33

Apple slices were a favorite Chicago pastry decades ago. Not many bakeries sell them today, but the dessert still has avid fans who hold on to its nostalgic flavor.

1
Do pigs need rescuing? 15:14

12d ago15:14

15:14

The story of Pigasus, who unknowingly accepted the Youth International Party (Yippie) nomination for president in Daley Plaza in 1968, shows that sometimes pigs need rescuing. “My heart hurt for the pig,” said April Noga, executive director of Chicagoland Pig Rescue, of Pigasus’s run for president. “Because I put myself in the pig’s shoes of being …

1
What happened to Chicago’s presidential pig? 6:55

13d ago6:55

6:55

During the demonstrations at the Democratic National Convention in 1968, activists trotted out a pig named Pigasus for president. Her campaign was cut short after she and protesters were arrested by the Chicago Police. Rumors swirled that Pigasus was barbecued, but what really happened to her?

1
What’s the oldest book in circulation at the Chicago Public Library? 7:03

20d ago7:03

7:03

Curious City went out to find the oldest book in circulation at the Chicago Public Library. Turns out, the title is over 200 years old, and you can still check it out.

1
School is in session, and we put the CPS butter cookie to the test 12:11

26d ago12:11

12:11

Summer is coming to an end, and it’s time to go back to school.Today, the number of Chicago Public School students complaining about school lunch might only be matched by the complaints over homework assignments. So it may come as a surprise that decades ago CPS students actually looked forward to eating cafeteria lunch. In our last episode, WBEZ’s…

1
School lunch used to pass the test 6:50

27d ago6:50

6:50

Some Chicago Public School alumni say school lunch used to be delicious, which might shock current students. How did school lunch go from delicious to disappointing?

1
What’s the history of Chinese gangs in Chicago? 9:41

1M ago9:41

9:41

Chicago is known for crime bosses like Al Capone, but the city is also home to two Chinese gangs that were once fierce rivals. This story first aired in 2018.

1
What a failed robbery from 1951 tells us about Chicago crime 7:56

1M ago7:56

7:56

A courageous Chicagoan once helped foil a robbery by men in butcher smocks — a little-known gang from a bygone era of crime in the city.

1
The other organizations empowering Chicago’s Chinatown 12:27

1M ago12:27

12:27

Community organizations are helping Chinatown residents preserve what long-standing family associations helped build.

1
What happened to Chinatown’s family associations? 6:42

1M ago6:42

6:42

Family associations were once the backbone of social and economic organization for Chicago’s Chinatown. Their evolution over the decades tells the history of the community.

1
Is women’s pro softball here to stay? 20:13

2M ago20:13

20:13

What is it about softball? “What is it not about softball?” replies Megan Faramio, a star pitcher for the Talons in the all-new Athletes Unlimited Softball League, or AUSL. “I can literally talk about softball for days.” The AUSL is about to wrap up its first season with a three-game playoff series in Alabama between Faraimo’s Talons and the Bandit…

1
A league of Chicago’s Own: The other women’s pro league of the 1940s 6:42

2M ago6:42

6:42

There was the Rockford Peaches, women’s pro baseball team of the 1940s that was celebrated in the movie "A League of Their Own." But there was also a pro softball league at the time that had Chicago fans going wild.

1
Car, bike, public transit: What’s the best way to get around town? 21:48

2M ago21:48

21:48

What would win in a race between a car, bike and the Chicago Transit Authority? Over the past few years, Chicago has been abuzz with road construction projects. There are more protected bike lanes, pedestrian refuge islands and curb bump-outs across the city. As we learned in our last episode, that also includes the installation of miniature traffi…

1
Who thought traffic circles were a good idea? Do we need them? 6:44

2M ago6:44

6:44

Mini traffic circles at the intersections of residential streets might annoy drivers because they force cars to slow down. But their safety features outweigh the inconvenience.

1
Tim Mulherin-This Magnetic North: Candid Conversations on a changing Northern Michigan 1:08:01

2M ago1:08:01

1:08:01

Tim Mulherin-This Magnetic North: Candid Conversations on a changing Northern Michigan by Midwestern History AssociationBy Midwestern History Association

1
The curious case of the Swami Vivekananda Way street sign 20:57

2M ago20:57

20:57

Swami Vivekananda is credited with introducing Hinduism to the West. His work earned him an honorary street sign on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, but it went missing.

1
Chicago’s LGBTQ+ library is a space for people to ‘find themselves in the shelves’ 17:13

2M ago17:13

17:13

Early LGBTQ+ history can be hard to find. Photos, letters, literature and other artifacts have been destroyed or hidden away, in acts of homophobia, out of a fear of repercussions, and even by witting and unwitting family members. “I think a lot of LGBTQ people, when they were passing away, their materials were being destroyed by family members tha…

1
Where are the girls? A look at early lesbian nightlife in Chicago 7:00

3M ago7:00

7:00

It’s not hard to find the LGBTQ+ hangouts in Chicago these days, but at one point it was. There’s a history of lesbian nightlife that goes back more than 100 years.

1
Yes, people really do win pledge drive giveaways at WBEZ 6:16

3M ago6:16

6:16

One Curious City listener was skeptical about whether real people actually win WBEZ’s pledge drive giveaways. They do. But there’s a little more to that answer. Plus, an economist who studies fundraising explains why people give money during pledge drives in the first place. This episode was originally published on March 3, 2022.…

1
Do people actually donate cars to public radio? 5:00

3M ago5:00

5:00

An on-air spot soliciting car donations is a fixture of public radio, but do people actually donate? Yes, about 50 cars are donated a month.

1
There’s nature in Chicago. Go bathe in it. 15:04

3M ago15:04

15:04

“Forest bathing” is the exceptionally simple Japanese practice of taking a walk — or a seat — in the woods. Why? For your health, of course! In our last episode, we learned about Chicago’s urban forest — including the $416 million in benefits all those trees provide, in terms of energy cost savings, stormwater mitigation and air purification. Today…

1
Are healthy Chicago trees getting the ax? 7:12

3M ago7:12

7:12

Some Chicagoans have noticed city workers cutting down seemingly healthy trees. Who is responsible, and why are they cutting down these trees?

1
‘Have you checked on your ancestors?’ This woman brings dignity to deceased Black Chicagoans 15:06

3M ago15:06

15:06

Tammy Gibson wants you to visit the gravesites of your deceased relatives. “Have you checked on your ancestors?” said Gibson, the founder of Sankofa TravelHer, an organization dedicated to honoring the legacy of African-Americans who were often denied dignity in death. As we learned last episode, Chicago’s long history of segregation affected both …

1
Exploring the segregated past of Chicago cemeteries 6:57

3M ago6:57

6:57

Mayor Harold Washington is buried in a cemetery that was once for “whites only.” Protests and legislative fights desegregated area cemeteries.

1
Erik S. McDuffie - The Second Battle for Africa: Garveyism, the US Heartland, and Global Freedom 1:05:36

3M ago1:05:36

1:05:36

Erik S. McDuffie - The Second Battle for Africa: Garveyism, the US Heartland, and Global Freedom by Midwestern History AssociationBy Midwestern History Association

1
What happened to Chicago's Japanese community? 7:00

3M ago7:00

7:00

Lakeview once had a thriving Japanese community, but it fell victim to a push for assimilation. As one Japanese-American puts it: “You had to basically be unseen.”

1
Car towed? Listen to this on your way down to Chicago’s Central Auto Pound 10:28

4M ago10:28

10:28

If you’ve had your car towed in Chicago, there’s a decent chance you had to journey down to Lower Lower Wacker Drive — likely not in the best of moods — to open your wallet and recollect your vehicle. “It's supposed to be a happy process,” said Michael Lacoco, the deputy commissioner of the city’s bureau of traffic services. In our last episode, we…

1
Lower Wacker Drive: A uniquely Chicago street 6:42

4M ago6:42

6:42

Curious City has gotten several questions about Wacker Drive over the years. We head down to the lower levels in search of some answers.

1
Schools, Water Plants and City Hall: We search for Chicago’s nuclear fallout shelters 10:46

4M ago10:46

10:46

Nuclear fallout shelters are still among us, though they are not exactly ready for the apocalypse. These remnants of Cold War-era infrastructure do exist across Chicago, often in places you might not expect. This episode originally aired in 2015.

1
Why does Chicago have a law prohibiting nuclear weapons? 6:32

4M ago6:32

6:32

Tucked in the city’s municipal code is a law that prohibits the production, storage and launching of nuclear weapons in Chicago. We find out why the city decided this law was necessary.

1
Even when nothing goes wrong, moving is trash 18:23

4M ago18:23

18:23

It’s typical to see moving trucks winding through streets and alleys of Chicago on the first day of any month. The act of moving hardly sounds like a luxury, but as we heard in the last episode, it could be worse. About a century ago, Chicagoans only moved on May 1 and sometimes Oct. 1. That meant thousands of moving wagons clogging the streets, pr…

1
‘Pure chaos’: Why did Chicagoans once move on the same day? 6:50

4M ago6:50

6:50

You think moving is hard work? For about 100 years, Chicagoans used to move at the same time. Moving Day: May 1.

1
The complicated statue of labor leader Samuel Gompers 4:08

4M ago4:08

4:08

Samuel Gompers fought for the eight-hour work day and helped create child labor laws. But for all he achieved, he was also fiercely anti-immigrant. We explore Gompers’ life, legacy and the statue built to this complicated man.

1
Maria Rodriguez: From fashion designer to restaurateur 13:22

5M ago13:22

13:22

In our last episode, Curious City question-asker Emily Porter sent us on a quest exploring the world of local fashion designers, all after she found a thrift shop sweater with a tag that reads: “Maria Rodriguez Chicago.” Who is Maria Rodriguez? How did she get into the industry? And what is it like to be a fashion designer in Chicago? To answer tho…

1
Like NYC and Paris, Chicago was a hub for fashion designers 6:35

5M ago6:35

6:35

A question about a sweater in a thrift store turns into a search for a prominent Chicago designer of the 1980s. Along the way, we discover the city’s golden age of fashion designers.

1
Willa Hammit Brown - Gentlemen of the Woods: Manhood, Myth, and the American Lumberjack 1:02:29

5M ago1:02:29

1:02:29

Willa Hammit Brown - Gentlemen of the Woods: Manhood, Myth, and the American Lumberjack by Midwestern History AssociationBy Midwestern History Association

1
How sweet the sound: The history of Evanston folk coffeehouse Amazingrace 12:14

5M ago12:14

12:14

Folk music surged in popularity across America in the late 1950s through the ‘70s, including here in the Chicago area. Last episode, we looked at how a few area coffeehouses catered to many patrons in their teens and early twenties. These were alcohol-free spaces where people could listen to live music and hangout for hours. Curious City host Erin …

1
‘An underground subculture’: How Chicago coffeehouses shaped the folk revival movement 7:42

5M ago7:42

7:42

In the 1960s and 70s, Chicago coffeehouses were popular spots for young people. These were alcohol-free establishments where people in their teens and 20s could listen to live music or just hangout for hours.

1
You May Also Like: Stories Without End 22:17

5M ago22:17

22:17

Introducing WBEZ's latest podcast series, Making: Stories Without End. Host Natalie Moore takes you on a journey to learn about daytime soap operas and their broad reach on television. From the early radio days in the 1930s through the invention of TV to streaming, this way of telling immersive stories has endured. There are intergenerational famil…

1
Is extremist ideology still fringe? 20:15

5M ago20:15

20:15

Extremism in America has been on the rise. Last episode, we looked at extremist groups in Chicago and how they terrorized select groups of people and influenced housing policy in the city during the 1950s. But what does extremism look like today? Curious City host Erin Allen talks with Odette Yousef, a national security correspondent focusing on ex…

1
How much influence did white supremacist groups have on Chicago housing? 6:50

5M ago6:50

6:50

Extremist groups of the 1950s played a violent part, alongside real estate and neighborhood organizations, in keeping Chicago segregated.

1
What's up with the Chicago's feral cats? 5:01

5M ago5:01

5:01

Chicago is home to thousands of feral cats, and some people are looking after them.

1
“Enemy Alien”: How Chicago photojournalist Jun Fujita avoided Japanese internment camps 18:06

6M ago18:06

18:06

Jun Fujita is the Japanese-American photographer behind some of the most recognizable photographs taken in Chicago in the 20th century, including his shots of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929, the Eastland passenger boat disaster of 1915, and the 1919 Chicago race riots. Fujita was also a published poet and something of a regional celebrity…

1
Restriction and sanctuary: A look at Chicago mayors’ wildly different approaches to immigrants 7:12

6M ago7:12

7:12

Chicago is in the national spotlight when it comes to the immigration debate, but that’s nothing new to the mayoral office. We take a look back at how mayors have either embraced or rejected new arrivals.

1
The Life and Legacy of Alice Hamilton 4:10

6M ago4:10

4:10

Scientist Alice Hamilton’s investigations into toxins in Chicago’s factories led to some of the first workplace safety laws in the country. She was known for her “shoe leather” epidemiology, wearing out the soles of her shoes from all the trips she made to Chicago homes, factories and even saloons to figure out what was making people sick.…

1
How does honoring the dead impact the environment? 15:18

6M ago15:18

15:18

How should we decide what happens to our bodies when we die? And what implications does that decision have for the living? It’s common to think a burial at a cemetery is the final resting place for a loved one. But as we heard in our last episode, sometimes the need to progress as a society is in direct conflict with the desire to honor the dead. T…

1
Why is there a cemetery at O’Hare Airport? 7:14

6M ago7:14

7:14

The suburban village of Bensenville has a long history of getting eaten up by development. Resthaven Cemetery is a symbol of what remains.

1
How one Midwestern community avoids road salt all winter 10:15

6M ago10:15

10:15

Chicago — like so many other frigid American cities — can’t seem to kick its dependence on road salt. Last episode, we talked about why chloride from salt is harmful to both our natural and built environments. So we spent some time looking around for a cold-weather community that avoids using it altogether. And we found one! A little community way …

1
Could Chicago ever ditch the road salt? 6:08

6M ago6:08

6:08

Road salt helps us get around safely during snowy, Chicago winters. But salt is corrosive and harmful for the environment. Could the city ever go without road salt?

1
Josh Nygren - The State of Conservation: Rural America and the Conservation-Industrial Complex since 1920 1:03:09

6M ago1:03:09

1:03:09

Josh Nygren - The State of Conservation: Rural America and the Conservation-Industrial Complex since 1920 by Midwestern History AssociationBy Midwestern History Association