Best Thomas Blight Podcasts (2025)

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Introducing: United States of Kennedy 2:06

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20m ago2:06

2:06

Hello, Stuff You Missed in History Class Fans! We want to share a new show you might like, United States of Kennedy. About the show: United States of Kennedy is a podcast about our cultural fascination with the Kennedy dynasty. Every week, hosts Lyra Smith and George Civeris go into one aspect of the Kennedy story. Listen here and subscribe to Unit…

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Wilfred Owen, War Poet 44:39

1d ago44:39

44:39

Wilfred Owen is considered one of the most important English-language poets of World War I. His work also part of a shift in how many British poets were writing about war. Research: Bonellie, Janet. “A Portrait of Robert Ross.” Canada’s History. 6/12/2019. https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/arts-culture-society/a-portrait-of-robert-ross British …

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Beauchamp-Sharpe Tragedy of 1825 36:27

3d ago36:27

36:27

The Beauchamp-Sharpe tragedy of 1825, sometimes called the Kentucky tragedy, involves a politician, a young lawyer, and the lawyer’s wife. It unfolds as a story of sexual scandal and political intrigue that ultimately led to murder. Research: Beauchamp, Jereboam O. “The confession of Jereboam Beauchamp (written by himself) who was executed at Frank…

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SYMHC Classics: Sylvia Rivera 28:01

5d ago28:01

28:01

This 2014 episode covers transgender activist Sylvia Rivera. She became famous, in part, for participating in the Stonewall riots, and she spent her life campaigning bravely, stridently and vocally for the rights of gay and transgender people. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Messy Bulwer-Lyttons 18:27

6d ago18:27

18:27

Rosina Bulwer-Lytton week generates discussion of her relationship with Edward, including many people who sided with him over the years despite allegations of abuse and infidelity. Tracy and Holly also discuss the couple’s daughter’s death. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Rosina Bulwer-Lytton’s Blighted Life (Part 2) 41:10

8d ago41:10

41:10

Once Rosina Bulwer-Lytton and her husband Edward separated, his life seemed to become more and more successful while she struggled with finances. The estranged couple then spent years battling very publicly until Edward had Rosina committed. Research: “A Scene at the Hertfordshire Election.” The Tiverton Gazette. 6/29/1858. https://www.newspapers.c…

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Rosina Bulwer-Lytton’s Blighted Life (Part 1) 36:39

10d ago36:39

36:39

After a difficult childhood, Rosina Bulwer-Lytton landed in a marriage that quickly turned chaotic and stressful, and then became abusive. Part one covers the period of her life up to their separation. Research: “A Scene at the Hertfordshire Election.” The Tiverton Gazette. 6/29/1858. https://www.newspapers.com/image/803824054/ Blain, Virginia. “Ro…

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SYMHC Classics: Theodosia Burr Alston 34:10

12d ago34:10

34:10

This 2017 episode covers Theodosia Burr Alston, Aaron Burr's incredibly smart and well educated daughter. She vanished without a trace as an adult, and her ultimate fate is still a matter of debate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Hearts and Arts 28:28

13d ago28:28

28:28

Tracy and Holly share experiences of having their hearts monitored using EKG technology. They also talk about whether or not Albert Bierstadt had any natural talent. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Albert Bierstadt 38:43

15d ago38:43

38:43

Albert Bierstadt’s story runs counter to the romanticized idea of a passionate starving artist. He was strategic in his career, selecting imagery that he knew would appeal to U.S. audiences, and monetizing his art outside of selling paintings. Research: Appman, Sarah Bean. “How One Building Turned Greenwich Village Into an Artists’ Mecca.” Greenwic…

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Electrocardiograms 37:17

17d ago37:17

37:17

The first electrocardiograph was invented in 1895. That device looked a lot different from today’s machines, and there are some other contenders for the title of “first.” Research: AlGhatrif, Majd, and Joseph Lindsay. “A brief review: history to understand fundamentals of electrocardiography.” Journal of community hospital internal medicine perspec…

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SYMHC Classics: Wat Tyler’s Rebellion 34:50

19d ago34:50

34:50

This 2020 episode covers one of the transitional events between the Black Death and the Renaissance. Wat Tyler’s Rebellion was also known as the Uprising of 1381 or the Great Rising. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Pope Riot 21:23

20d ago21:23

21:23

Holly and Tracy talk about Tracy growing up in a mostly Protestant community with little exposure to Catholicism. They also talk about the Gorsuch family's ties to John Wilkes Booth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Christiana Incident of 1851 35:53

22d ago35:53

35:53

The Christiana Incident offers a snapshot of the U.S. when the country was sorting into states where slavery was upheld and states that had abolished it, and what racist tension looked like at border states in the mid-1850s. Research: “The Christiana Affair Again.” New York Times. Sept. 20, 1851. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1851/0…

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Pope Leo XIII 33:55

24d ago33:55

33:55

Pope Leo XIII sought to find a way forward for the Catholic church at a time when the world was rapidly changing and the church was often at odds with those changes. Research: Aubert, Roger-François-Marie. "Leo XIII". Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 May. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leo-XIII “ELECTION OF POPE LEO XIII.” New York Times. Fe…

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SYMHC Classics: Griswold v. Connecticut 37:01

26d ago37:01

37:01

This 2022 episode covers Griswold v. Connecticut, the U.S. supreme court decision that overturned laws banning contraception – at least, for married couples. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Eat, Parry, Love (Nine Sols) 55:07

24d ago55:07

55:07

The hosts embrace the Tao in Nine Sols (Red Candle Games, 2024, PC / Mac / Nintendo Switch / PS4 / PS5 / Xbox One / Xbox Series) We're also on Youtube (audio only)! This episode is at ⁠⁠https://youtu.be/jodmMXP7rik if you'd prefer to listen there or leave a comment. Also, if you'd like to see our opinions to tell us how wrong they are, we are now p…

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Parks and Roads 19:38

27d ago19:38

19:38

Tracy talks about her experiences with the Blue Ridge Parkway growing up, including her mixed feelings about it. Holly talks about the theft of the Mona Lisa. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Blue Ridge Parkway 44:00

29d ago44:00

44:00

The Blue Ridge Parkway is the longest roadway in the U.S. that was planned as a single unit. Its origin is connected to government efforts to provide relief from the Great Depression, and conservation of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Research: "Restoring Western North Carolina's Infrastructure: NCDOT Receives $250 Million in Federal Emergency Relief Fu…

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Skyline Drive & Shenandoah National Park 43:55

1M ago43:55

43:55

Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park is a scenic road tied to the “See America First” movement of the early 20th century. The acquisition of land for the project was difficult, and displaced many families from their homes. Research: Harrison, Sarah Georgia. “The Skyline Drive: A Western Park Road in the East.” From Parkways: Past, Present and …

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SYMHC Classics: Palmer Raids Pt. 2 25:07

1M ago25:07

25:07

This 2016 continuation of our coverage of the Palmer Raids covers a series of raids on perceived threats to national security by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer. Thousands of people were rounded up, many without cause or warrant, and kept in horrifying conditions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Bad Science and Library Love 33:56

1M ago33:56

33:56

Tracy outlines all the way RFK Jr.'s claims regarding disease history make no sense. Holly talks about the section of her career that was spent working in a university library. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Library of Congress 42:50

1M ago42:50

42:50

The Library of Congress has a lot of responsibilities. It’s massive in both physical scale and in scale of services. So how did it start, and how did it evolve to be the largest library in the world? Research: Cole, John Y. “America’s Greatest Library: An Illustrated History of the Library of Congress.” Library of Congress, Washington, DC, in Assoc…

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Three Autoimmune Diseases In Brief 38:52

1M ago38:52

38:52

Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Crohn’s disease are autoimmune diseases that share a lot of commonalities. This episode covers when and how they were first recognized and described. Research: Aceves-Avila, Francisco Javier et al. “The Antiquity of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Reappraisal.” The Journal of Rheumatology 2001; 28:4. Arnaud, Laurent et al. …

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SYMHC Classics: Palmer Raids Pt. 1 24:24

1M ago24:24

24:24

Part one of this 2016 classic covers the social unrest in the U.S. after WWI. There was a fear that Communist revolutionaries would try to take over the country. Adding fuel to the fear were two bomb plots in 1919. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Jokes in Translation and the Wayback 17:33

1M ago17:33

17:33

Holly shares her experience visiting the Meiji Jingu shrine. Tracy mentions that she never found out why the Triple Nickles used the spelling they did, and her use of the Wayback Machine for show research. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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The Triple Nickles 38:54

1M ago38:54

38:54

The 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, also called the Triple Nickles, were the first Black paratroopers in the U.S. military, and their story is connected to the desegregation of the military after World War II. Research: 555th Parachute Infantry. “Malvin L. Brown.” http://triplenickle.com/malvinbrown.htm Aney, Warren. “Triple Nickles -- 555th Pa…

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Emperor Meiji and the Meiji Jingu Shrine 39:08

2M ago39:08

39:08

Emperor Meiji of Japan’s reign began in 1867, and it marks a time of significant change in the country’s history. After the emperor and his consort died in the early 20th century, the Meiji Jingu shrine was built to memorialize them. Research: Atsushi, Kawai. “Prefectures, Power, and Centralization: Japan’s Abolition of the Feudal Domains.” Nippon.…

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SYMHC Classics: All American Girls Professional Baseball League 31:52

2M ago31:52

31:52

This 2020 episode covers the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was founded in 1943. Some of these women athletes believed they were starting on a career in professional baseball. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Shots and Sidi 27:22

2M ago27:22

27:22

Tracy and Holly share tetanus shot stories and discuss getting boosters. They then discuss the egos of European explorers in Africa. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Sidi Mubarak Bombay 42:22

2M ago42:22

42:22

Sidi Mubarak Bombay was sort of a combined guide, translator and nurse, and often the supervisor of the African laborers on expeditions through eastern and equatorial Africa in the 19th century. Research: "Sidi Mubarak Bombay Unsung African adventurer." BBC History Magazine, Aug. 2023, p. 56. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A7…

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Tetanus 38:09

2M ago38:09

38:09

Tetanus has probably been around for most of human history, or even longer. But it’s preventable today thanks to vaccines. Research: "Emil von Behring." Notable Scientists from 1900 to the Present, edited by Brigham Narins, Gale, 2008. Gale In Context: Science, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1619001490/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=464250e5. Ac…

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SYMHC Classics: Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin 36:39

2M ago36:39

36:39

This 2020 episode covers Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, an accomplished astronomer. She grew up in a society that didn’t really prioritize education for girls, and she was determined and creative about getting around that. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Altina and Saving Babies 27:31

2M ago27:31

27:31

Holly talks about the dynamics of Altina Schinasi's family. Tracy shares a dispute over nursing uniform procedures on the Boston Floating Hospital that played out in a trade journal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Boston Floating Hospital 38:46

2M ago38:46

38:46

The Boston Floating Hospital was a children’s hospital that operated on a boat in Boston Harbor in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Research: Berkeley Temple. “Threescore years and ten, 1827-1897: Pine Street Church ; Berkeley Street Church ; Berkley Temple.” Boston : Press of Samuel Usher, 1897. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/0084165…

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Rage against the Machinegun (Guns of Fury) 48:33

2M ago48:33

48:33

The hosts chamber their anger and unload in Guns of Fury ( Gelato Games Limited, 2025, PC / Nintendo Switch) We're also on Youtube (audio only)! This episode is at ⁠https://youtu.be/ytECk-4g-jQ if you'd prefer to listen there or leave a comment. Also, if you'd like to see our opinions to tell us how wrong they are, we are now publishing the google …

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Altina Schinasi 39:28

2M ago39:28

39:28

Altina Schinasi is known as the inventor of cat-eye glasses, but she was also an artist, a documentarian, and an activist. And she was very frank about her own faults and bad decisions. Research: “Altina Schinasi 1924 (1907-1999).” Helen Temple Cook Library. Dana Hall School. https://library.danahall.org/archives/danapedia/alumnae/altina-schinasi-1…

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SYMHC Classics: Franz Nopsca 26:39

2M ago26:39

26:39

This 2019 episode covers Baron Franz Nopcsa, who lived an adventurous, scholarly life, funded entirely by his family money. He identified dinosaurs, inserted himself into Albanian politics, and wrote volumes and volumes of books and papers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Small Fruit Division and Dorseys 17:12

2M ago17:12

17:12

Holly waxes rhapsodic about fruit. Tracy talks about planning an episode about William Henry Dorsey but then finding she needed to include his father. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Two Dorseys: Thomas J. and William Henry 36:59

2M ago36:59

36:59

Thomas J. Dorsey liberated himself from enslavement and became one of the most sought-after caterers in Philadelphia. His son William Henry Dorsey was born a free Black man before the Civil War, and became an artist, collector and scrapbooker. Research: "Thomas J. Dorsey." Contemporary Black Biography, vol. 90, Gale, 2011. Gale In Context: U.S. His…

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Eponymous Foods: Fruits 32:53

2M ago32:53

32:53

This installment of eponymous food stories is entirely about fruits. We’ve got a berry, a pome, and a citrus, all with varying degrees of documentation. Research: “A Guide to the United States’ History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country, since 1776: Algeria.” Office of the Historian. U.S. Department of State. https://his…

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SYMHC Classics: Hatshepsut 36:19

2M ago36:19

36:19

This 2019 episode covers Hatshepsut, who sent a huge expedition to Punt in the 15th century B.C.E. The expedition to Punt is also an important and illustrative part of Hatshepsut’s reign. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Behind the Scenes Minis: Wanda’s Motivations 15:33

2M ago15:33

15:33

Holly shares a theory on why Wanda Gág didn’t drink. There is also discussion of Gág’s medical issues and how they were handled by doctors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Wanda Gág, Part 2 30:46

2M ago30:46

30:46

After struggling to raise her siblings and start an art career, Wanda Gág’s life changed almost instantly with the publication of her first children’s book. Part two of her story looks at how her books sustained her financially so she could also make the art she wanted. Research: Anderson, Phil. "Gág, Wanda (1893–1946)." MNopedia, Minnesota Histori…

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Wanda Gág, Part 1 33:58

2M ago33:58

33:58

As an artist and writer Wanda Gág is well known for her children’s books. But this first of two parts about her life covers her own unusual childhood, which went from quirky fun to intense hardship when her father died. Research: Anderson, Phil. "Gág, Wanda (1893–1946)." MNopedia, Minnesota Historical Society. http://www.mnopedia.org/person/g-g-wan…

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SYMHC Classics: Theda Bara 38:43

3M ago38:43

38:43

This 2022 episode covers Theda Bara, often referenced as the first sex symbol. Photos of her are synonymous with the word vamp, and 100 years later, still have a certain mysterious appeal. But what was she really like? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Behind the Scenes Minis: So You Hate Waffles 22:55

3M ago22:55

22:55

Tracy talks about how current events are causing disruptions in work on the podcast. She also discusses the way headlines often misrepresent alleged discoveries. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

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Unearthed! in Spring 2025, Part 2 38:50

3M ago38:50

38:50

Part two of the spring 2025 installment of Unearthed! features the potpourri category, plus drones/radar/lidar, books and letters, animals, edibles and potables, shipwrecks, swords (sort of) and cats. Research: Roque, Nika. “Maria Orosa, fellow World War II heroes laid to rest at San Agustin Church.” GMA Integrated News. 2/14/2025. https://www.gman…

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Unearthed! in Spring 2025, Part 1 40:22

3M ago40:22

40:22

The first part of our springtime edition of Unearthed! for 2025 features so many updates! There are also finds related to Egypt and artwork. Research: Roque, Nika. “Maria Orosa, fellow World War II heroes laid to rest at San Agustin Church.” GMA Integrated News. 2/14/2025. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/936107/maria-orosa-fellow-…

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SYMHC Classics: George Wallace 28:54

3M ago28:54

28:54

This 2016 episode covers George Wallace, one of the most prominent voices against the Civil Rights Movement and its objectives. He spent multiple campaigns for both governor and president on an explicitly pro-segregation platform. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts