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Professor Buzzkill History Podcast

Professor Buzzkill is an exciting blog & podcast that explores history myths in an illuminating, entertaining, and humorous way.
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Professor Buzzkill History Podcast
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Now displaying: April, 2020
Apr 28, 2020

Civil War historian, Kevin Levin, explains the history and development of the myth of black soldiers in the Confederate army. He analyses camp servants and slaves during the war, how their service was remembered after the war, and how it became fictionalized and mythologized in the 1970s. Yes, the 1970s, not the 1870s. A fascinating episode on Civil War history and memory!

Apr 24, 2020

Today’s show presents FDR’s 1936 Fireside Chat about drought conditions in the US during the "dust bowl" years of the mid-1930s. On September 6, 1936, President Roosevelt addressed the nation about his visits to drought-stricken areas, about the government’s plans for relief, and what he hoped for the future. 

Apr 21, 2020

We are living in interesting times. But is “may you live in interesting times” actually an old Chinese curse, or is the history of the saying more complicated? We take you from Chinese folk tales in 1627 to 20th century British politicians in this episode of Quote or No Quote, trying to track down who said what when. Listen and learn.

Apr 17, 2020

Today’s FDR Friday is the 1935 Fireside Chat on the Works Relief Program and Social Security Act. In one Fireside Chat in 1935 President Roosevelt laid out the plans for two of the largest and longest-lasting civilian government programs in American history. Listen to honesty and competence!

Apr 14, 2020

Find out why the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was one of the most significant conflicts of the 20th Century, and why it's been overlooked. Professor Phil Nash relates the course of the war and its conclusion. We explain why this is one of the most dreadful episodes in European history.

Apr 13, 2020

FDR's first Fireside Chat was about banking. He gave it on March 12th 1933, after the first steps were taken to try to stabilize the American banking system in the first days after his inauguration. So, here it is, in full. And I’ll leave you to try to imagine what it was like hearing it, 87 years ago.

Apr 9, 2020

Professor Sarah Milov explains the political and medical environments in which the 1964 US Surgeon General’s Report on dangers of smoking appeared in 1964. In addition to the medical and scientific concerns in producing the report, there were significant non-medical concerns and obstacles to overcome. One of the most significant of these was the political ways in which the Report was treated, both inside and outside the government. Listen and learn!

Apr 7, 2020

Find out why the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was one of the most significant conflicts of the 20th Century, and why it's been overlooked. Professor Phil Nash explains the background and the first half of this dreadful episode in European history.

Apr 1, 2020

Wednesday Wisdom! The phrase and sentiment, "A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song," is one of the best-known expressions of the intrinsic nature of art and beauty. It has been quoted by presidents and school teachers, and practically everyone in between. And we all "know" that quote comes from Maya Angelou. The US government even said so. But did Maya Angelou really say it? Join Professor Buzzkill as he sings out the answer!

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