Episode 91 is about Anne Carrol Moore and The Western Library! Anne Carroll Moore is one of history's most important children's librarians, but not everyone is in love with her legacy. She still changed the world, and mostly for the better. And Louisville, Kentucky's Western Library is the first library in America built for, and staffed by African-Americans and it became a training ground for many librarians around the country.

In The Meatshower Part 2 (Electric Burgoo) the saga continues. Originally we aired a segment in 2019 to coincide with Mick's book "The Meatshower: The Mostly True Tale of an Odd and (Somewhat) Edible Occurrence," and since then, new information has come to light. A man named Frank Reiser has come into possession of a new specimen from the unusual 1876 phenomenon. We have an exclusive interview with Frank, and share the story of how he found it, what it means, and what we can learn from it. Also included in this episode is The Meatshower Part 1 - in case you missed it, or if you would like to listen again!

Episode 89 looks into the origin of time zones in America and Daylight Saving across the globe. There's bugs, sunburns, train crashes, dropping timeballs, and smashed pocket watches.

Episode 88 features two incredible Black Americans who were friends born in the 18th Century. James Forten (1766-1842) was a Revolutionary War Veteran who owned one of America's most successful sail-making companies. He was also influential abolitionist and early Civil Rights leader. His friend Francis "Frank" Johnson (1792-1844) was an equally influential musician. When he published his original piece of music "Bingham's Cotillion" he became the first published Black musician in American History. The European and American tours his band made also made history. Hear recent recordings of his music on the Museum of the American Revolution's website: https://www.amrevmuseum.org/the-music-of-francis-johnson-a-soundtrack-to-antebellum-black-philadelphia Thanks to Sponsor Green Chef. Go to greenchef.com/60CURIOUS and use code 60CURIOUS to 60% off, plus 20% off your next two months.

Episode 87: Potatoes and Rocks It?s our annual end-of-year episode dedicated to toys and we have some fun with Mr. Potato Head and Pet Rocks. From the first toy on a commercial to the earthiest fad, you might soon find yourself out digging in the dirt in search of one natural new friend or another!

Walt Whitman was inspired after hearing Ralph Waldo Emerson speak, and self-published a book of poems he would continue updating for his entire life. When not writing poetry, he worked as a nurse during the Civil War, and published some unusual exercise advice. Dr. Mary Edwards Walker is the ONLY woman in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Her efforts during the Civil War were unmatched, but recognition has been hard to come by for her story.

Cuddly as a cactus and charming as an eel, he?s your new favorite snarky talk show host. Join The Grinch (and his faithful dog Max) each week as he rants against Christmas cheer and roasts celebrity guests like chestnuts on an open fire. Starring Saturday Night Live?s James Austin Johnson as the notorious curmudgeon and broadcasting straight from Who-Ville, will The Grinch send these famous folks back down Mt. Crumpit, or will they soften his stance against Christmas and grow his heart three sizes? Grab your hot cocoa and cozy slippers and listen along to find out! Listen to ?Tis The Grinch Holiday Talk Show: https://wondery.com/shows/the-grinch/

Stephen Bishop was an enslaved man who became one of the most famous tour guides in the world. His unusual grave stands near Mammoth Cave National Park. Josie Laures joined a team to spend months in isolation in a cave, in the name of science!

Episode 84 is more tales of walking. Meet competitive and record setting pedestrians like Robert Barclay Allardice, Ada Anderson, Edward Payson Weston, and Haitian-American walking super-star Frank Hart. Also hear about two pedestrians who built entire homes with things found on their walks. Simeon Ellerton in England, and Ferdinand Cheval in France.

Episode 83 features the stories of two unusual men who walked a lot. One was a mysterious man in Northeastern America who spoke to nearly no one for years, despite walking a monthlong circular path. He was known as The Old Leatherman. Also, hear the story of Oxekula a man who boarded a boat from Russia, bound for America despite not knowing a soul, nor a lick of English. His mysterious journey through coastal Virginia caught everyone off guard since no one could understand his unusual language. Thanks to Hello Fresh for their support. Go to HelloFresh.com/50pastandcurious and use code 50pastandcurious for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months

Episode 82 features the story of the Transcontinental Railroad, including the famous Golden Spike. Also in this episode is the story of Joseph Kekuku, a boy from Hawaii who changed music after being inspired by a random occurrence, possibly involving another railroad spike. If you'd like to learn more about Kekuku and the role of Hawaii in music through the steel guitar, I recommend the book Kika Kila, by John Troutman. It was very important to creating this episode.

Episode 81: The Washington Monument is just one of many Obelisks in the world. Somehow several originals from Egypt have wound up all over the globe. And they inspired a stinky imitation in Australia, known as Thornton's Scent Bottle. The Washington Monument is the tallest, but it took DECADES for it to be completed - for a bunch of reasons. Don't forget to help out with our Survey - Here's the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/thepast. We really appreciate it! Thank you to our sponsor Kids? Chemical Solutions and their chemistry comic book series filled with colorful characters and exciting storylines. Order now at www.kidschemicalsolutions.com Thanks HelloFresh! Go to hellofresh.com/pastandcurious50 and use code pastandcurious50 for 50% off plus free shipping!

Episode 80: Fabian Garcia, changed agriculture (and people's taste) with his ground breaking New Mexico No. 9 Chile, which is the genetic ancestor of nearly every chile grown in southwest America today. His dedication and intelligence with plants changed lives, livelihoods, and culture. Elliot Michener, on the other hand, was a career criminal whose life was changed for the better when he was put in charge of a garden on Alcatraz Island. Thank you to our sponsor Kids? Chemical Solutions and their chemistry comic book series filled with colorful characters and exciting storylines. Order now at www.kidschemicalsolutions.com

Maria Mitchell was the first American to discover a new comet, which brought her great fame, but her career in the 1800s as a professor at Vassar College left her greatest legacy. In the next century, Ann Hodges was not looking to get involved in objects from space, but one of them crashed into her house anyway. The Past and The Curious is an Airwave Media Podcast

Melly Victor of Stoopkid Stories joins us for the story of Ella Fitzgerald's first performance at the famous Apollo Theatre. Also, we talk about the history of tuning, how the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I also tried to standardize musical tuning, and how singers hurt their voices to keep up with instrumentalists raising the relative pitch.

The Virginia became a major attraction when it got stuck in a cornfield, which is a place a boat does not belong. Also, The Meachums escaped slavery, and educated hundreds of children in a school known as the Floating Freedom School. Their school in a steamboat was untouched by an unjust Missouri law while in the middle of the river.

The Wright Brothers became the first to fly a controlled powered aircraft with a pilot onboard, but just a few days before, Smithsonian Secretary James Langley almost beat them. His failure didn't stop the Smithsonian from claiming the first flight. But Orville and Wilber weren't the only two who fought for their place in history. Their sister Katharine did too.

Here's two more underwear stories that aren't in the the book I See Lincoln's Underpants (which is now available!) First Benedict Arnold betrays the American Army but gets caught thanks to something hiding in someone's underwear. Also When NASA planned to get someone to the moon, they needed a special Space Suit, and the only designers and makers up to the challenge had only made underwear for Playtex before the marvelous work of technology.

The last installment of The Underwear Chronicles - to celebrate the release of I See Lincoln's Underpants now available from booksellers! Al Capone grew up somewhere in the middle of a big family. Hand me downs were a way of life, so it makes sense that as an adult he was eager to have not just his own underpants, but his own fancy underpants. After arriving in Chicago from his native Brooklyn, he worked his way up to being the most powerful mob boss in town. He was famous all over the country, but he never really worried about going to jail.? In the end he brought down by some salesmen, including the man who sold him underwear.

In the 2000s an anonymous American man found an egg worth millions. It was a Faberge Imperial Egg and it's story is fascinating. This episode traces the origin of the Faberge Eggs, and also the story of how it wound up in a kitchen in America?s Midwest. Also, as the Gold Rush boomed in the 1800s there were not enough actually, edible eggs to feed all the new faces in California. As a result, an Egg War developed over unusual eggs laid by murres on an island chain off the the coast of San Francisco

Episode 73: Ralph Baer fled Nazi Germany and settled in America where he eventually created the first home video game console, known as the Magnavox Odyssey. Not long after Ralph's creation, Jerry Lawson, a Black computer engineer, built on that idea and lead the team that created the first video game cartridge. Both men have very interesting lives, and are a huge part of gaming history. Things they did changed your life!

The penultimate episode of The Underwear Chronicles (soon to be the book I See Lincoln's Underpants) revisits inventor and leader Garrett Morgan. We've covered Garrett Before, but not like this! The Paris, Kentucky-born man would change the world in profound ways! He was absolutely amazing. Be sure to check thepastandthecurious.com for details about the I See Lincoln's Underwear book.

Episode 72: Edgar Allan Poe is about as famous as an author can be, but that might be owed largely to Rufus Wilmot Griswold. Rufus didn't really like Poe and wrote a scathing obituary and biography on the man, creating the dark figure many of us think Poe to be. In addition the story of Poe and Rufus, Mick does a dramatic reading of "The Raven" a poem which made Edgar Allan Poe a literary superstar.

Episode twelve of the Fourteen episode series features Buzz Aldrin. Buzz had a great nickname and pair of underwear to match it, but things didn't work out the way they were supposed to when he became the second man to walk on the moon - and the first to pee there. Please consider filling out the Kids Listen Survey to help creators who focus on the kids and family categories. Find it at KidsListen.org

Harry Houdini almost quit and sold his tricks and secrets in 1899. It was good that he didn?t because in the 1900s he became a household name as the greatest escape artist in the world. It was a chance encounter that changed it all. Likewise, Anna Mary Moses was 78 years old when her life changed and set her on a path to becoming one of the most famous painters in America. During her 80s and 90s she created art that wound up in hundreds of thousands of homes!

A scientist who lost his arm in the American Civil War wants to conquer The Grand Canyon. He needs a life-saving assist from his friends underwear. From the Upcoming Book "I See Lincoln's Underpants" due in the winter of 2022-23.

Slipping on banana peels was really a thing! Even Theodore Roosevelt got involved! Also, Black explorer Matthew Henson was quite possibly the first man to step on the North Pole. He also crossed paths with Mr. Roosevelt.

From Mick's upcoming book (end of 2022) "I See Lincoln's Underpants," this chapter focuses on Queen Victoria's life, preferred underwear, and also a pesky boy who takes to breaking and entering in Buckingham Palace.

A special mashup with our friends from Cool Facts About Animals. Mick tells the tale of the Great Serum Run of 1925 in two parts. When a Diphtheria epidemic threatens the small and far-off town of Nome Alaska, the only hope to get medicine to the sick is dogs. Many help, but two Siberian Huskies named Togo and Balto are most remembered by history. In between part one and part two of the story, the crew from Cool Facts About Animals shares ten interesting facts about sled dogs.

Who knew an ancient man frozen in his underwear could trigger international conflict? Otzi's accidental discovery was quite a find for science, and many are grateful that a glacier gobbled him up thousands of years ago!

Two kids, at two time and two places, find two remarkable things. One starts the first Gold Rush in America and the other leads to a Cold War spy ring! The stories of Conrad Reed and Jimmy Bozart - and more!

Despite being the namesake of an article of clothing that we commonly think of as underwear, Amelia Bloomer did not invent bloomers. To further the cause of Women?s Rights and to fight for the right to vote?(in?addition to prohibition), Amelia Bloomer ran a newspaper called The Lily.? When one of her friends showed up for a visit in a new outfit one day, history was made. Tired of the restrictive and oppressive clothing women were expected to wear in the 1800s, Amelia fell head over heels for the??tunic?and pantalette combo,? as it was known. When she published the instructions to make them in The Lily, her subscriptions went through the roof. ? Soon, the knee-length skirt and leg coverings underneath allowed for a new range of motion and freedom for women all over. One of the most remarkable things this allowed women to do was ride bicycles, which Susan B Anthony herself said, did ?more?to emancipate women than any one thing in the world.? Bloomers didn?t lead directly to the 19th Amendment, but the underwear played a strong supporting role.

Annette Kellerman was a swimmer from Australia who rose to stardom for her speed and grace, but also changed the world of swimsuits. She once performed in front of England's Royal family, thanks to some clever underwear re-engineering.

Violet Jessop survived not one, not two, but three shipwrecks involving White Star Line's incredible Olympic-class ships, including the Titanic. The Effie Afton was not so lucky. This steamboat was part of the struggle between railroads and riverboats, and she crashed into the only bridge on the Mississippi River, two weeks after it opened.

Charles Lee was George Washington's "Frenemy," and his duplicitous behavior got him caught with his pants down.

Tetsuya "Ted" Fujita played an important role in understanding the impact of the atomic bombs of WWII. He brought that knowledge to America and applied it to understanding, and protecting people from, tornados. Also, Charles Hatfield was a "Rainmaker" whose stinky mix of chemicals may or may not have brought more rain to San Diego than ever before. Things did not go as planned.

Abraham Lincoln wore some pretty plain underwear. We know because they made a few "surprise appearances." NEWSFLASH: The Underwear Chronicles are gonna be a book nd our Kickstarter is open through March of 2022. Jump on it, if you like the Underwear Chronicles!

The year 1913 saw the births of two incredible Black Americans. One was Samuel Wilbert Tucker, a Civil Rights pioneer and all-around incredible person. The other was James Cleveland Owens, who came to be known as Jesse. A few years before Samuel arranged for one of the first Civil Rights sit-ins in history, Jesse broke five atheletic World Records, just days after badly injuring his back in a fall down the stairs.

Satchel Paige went from burlap hand-me-downs to silk patterned boxers. Along the way we came one of the most dynamic baseball players in history.

Eugene Schieffelin filled American skies with Starlings, who replaced the Passenger Pigeons that once (literally) darkened the skies. John James Audubon's obsession helped him create a very expensive book. This episode is about birds, and a whole lot more. Featuring Greg and Abigail Maupin, Mick Sullivan and that's about it.

Buster Keaton could take a fall like no one else, and that skill carried him from the Vaudeville stages to the movie screen. He made people laugh, dazzled them with stunts, and fought a fire in his undies.

Chance has given us some great toys. Explore the accident that led to Silly Putty, the chance repurposing that led to Silly Putty, a few men who stumbled upon them, and two women who figured out what the substances should really be used for. This episode sponsored by RUBBER!

The famed Queen of France had several run-ins with underwear. She also had run-ins with smallpox, ladies-in-waiting, an awkward young prince, catty couriers, and ultimately, the guillotine. If nothing else, this episode will help you appreciate your privacy.

Train stations are busy places and two notable men had very remarkable (and dramatic)encounters in stations during the 1860s. Thomas Edison met a mentor, and Robert Lincoln met a Shakespearean actor named Booth. Also features a You Have 30 Seconds segment on the Beale Papers and more!

Jean-Pierre Blanchard (1753-1809) and John Jeffries (1744-1819) Aeronauts, International Record Setters, Nearly Naked Travelers In the first release from our monthly true tale of underwear history, we meet two early aeronauts who became the first to fly internationally. And the first to fly internationally in their underwear.

Marina Raskova set world flying records, survived an epic plane crash, and was a trailblazer for generations of female pilots in Russia. With her help, The Night Witches became the most feared fliers of World War 2. Adelaide Herrmann was The Queen of Magic. Both with her husband Alexander and on her own, she amazed audiences with a special kind of magic. Featuring the voices of Greg and Abigail Maupin. All music, writing, production by Mick Sullivan,

Professor TSC Lowe (who was not a professor at all) had visions for a transatlantic balloon flight. He never succeeded in that but he did wind up as the Chief Aeronaut of the Balloon Corps during the American Civil War. His vision laid the ground work for Ferdinand Von Zeppelin?s later accomplishments. John Cleves Symmes Jr. popularized a theory known as the Hollow Earth Theory. He believed that the earth was hollow and contained other habitable worlds. Was he right? He was worse than right. He was wrong. All music, as usual, by Mick Sullivan. The writing and voices too.

The 1939 World's Fair brought a special visitor from England: an original copy of Magna Carta, but with World War II in full swing, America couldn't send it back. So the had to babysit the priceless document, which got more complicated than they expected. ALSO Marie Curie's books will not be safe to touch for another 1500 years, so librarians in Paris have to keep people safe from the documents. Learn about Marie, her discoveries, and plenty more in this episode!

Origin stories, comic mis-starts, and medal-winning moments are highlighted in this episode featuring two unlikely international star athletes. Canada's Bobbie Rosenfeld overcame, among other things, small pox and very large pants to run her way into history - not just as an athlete, but a wonderful teammate. Muhammad Ali drank garlic water and chased the bus in his own pursuit of greatness. Spoiler alert: it worked.

Henry Knox is a name not many people know, but he was a pretty amazing bookseller turned soldier during the Revolutionary War. Released in honor of July 4th - but you can listen anywhere and anytime - still a good story about in interesting moment!