History Personified

Oct 23, 2017

01:05:38

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were, for years, at opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to their approach to solving civil rights problems experienced by African-Americans. Malcolm, a disciple of Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam, preached that blacks should seek to attain their rights "by any means necessary," including violence, while King subscribed to the Mahatma Gandhi version of non-violent protesting. In their later years, they saw eye-to-eye more, mostly due to Malcolm's evolving views. But what effect did all of this have on the American civil rights movement?

Professor David Howard-Pitney joins the show to discuss all of this and more.

The episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and your favorite podcast app. Remember to download, enjoy, and share!

*Special note: This will be the second-to-last episode of "History Personified." After a 20-month run, it's time. Listen to the beginning of this episode for more details. Thank you for all the support!*

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Oct 14, 2017

00:47:38

*Special thanks to Steve Blizin of the "Drift Ramble" Old West storytelling podcast for taking care of the audio issues with this episode*

The Goat Castle murder case is a tale of eccentrics, a recluse, a killing, an attempted robbery, goats, other livestock, African-Americans in the Jim Crow south, racism, and a push for justice that resulted in injustice. Author Karen L. Cox joins the show to delve into the details, painting a picture of 1930's Mississippi that will shock, disappoint, and interest you. Don't miss this intriguing tale!

The episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and your favorite podcast app. Remember to download, enjoy, and share!

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Oct 07, 2017

00:39:03

After a little more time off to move to Tennessee and get settled in, "History Personified" is back, and we're looking at a long-forgotten, politically-motivated true crime history event...are you ready?

On Nov. 20th, 1987, the federal Bureau of Prisons said it would deport about 2,500 Cubans detained in federal penitentiaries. These men had been in the U.S. since arriving after the Mariel boat lift, and had been incarcerated for various offenses, including some jailed for not having proper documentation. On Nov. 21st, the Federal Detention Center in Oakdale, Louisiana was overtaken by Cuban prisoners there.

Nov. 23rd saw the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta taken over next. Prisoners captured guards and set fire to the 63 year-old structure. On Dec. 4, before daylight, the detainees released 89 people, freeing the last of more than 100 people taken nearly two weeks earlier. The uprising remains the longest takeover of a federal prison in U.S. history.

What happened during the uprising? And where does an Aryan Brotherhood prison gang leader fit in? We discuss all this and more with author Mark S. Hamm, who wrote The Abandoned Ones: The Imprisonment and Uprising of the Mariel Boat People. Don't forget to download, enjoy, and share!

The episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and your favorite podcast app. Remember to download, enjoy, and share!

#truecrime #history #podcast

Sep 16, 2017

00:41:42

On this week's episode of "History Personified," I take a deep look at the intriguing relationship between American Founding Fathers John Adams and Thomas Jefferson with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gordon S. Wood.

Adams and Jefferson came from very different backgrounds. Adams was from Massachusetts, and his family was blue collar and working class. Jefferson, meanwhile, was a Southerner whose family was much more aristocratic. They both became involved in the burgeoning American government, and worked together on the Declaration of Independence. A deepening political divide led to a rift that took years to heal, but what resulted was some of the most intriguing personal correspondence in American history.

The episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and your favorite podcast app. Remember to download, enjoy, and share!

Sep 09, 2017

00:38:02

On this week's episode, we interview author/biographer Mike Guardia about the life and career of Lt. Gen. Hal Moore. Gen. Moore is best known as the lieutenant colonel in command of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, at the Battle of Ia Drang in 1965, during the Vietnam War. He would later be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, which is the U.S. military's second highest decoration for valor. In addition, Gen. Moore would be portrayed by Mel Gibson in the celebrated war film, "We Were Soldiers."

Gen. Moore passed away in February of 2017 at age 94, but, before that, he collaborated on the recently released book co-written with Guardia, entitled Hal Moore on Leadership: Winning When Outgunned and Outmanned. On this episode, which completes a two-part series on the Vietnam War's Battle of Ia Drang, Guardia discusses Gen. Moore's life and times.

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Sep 04, 2017

00:44:12

Journalist Joe Galloway was a journalist who covered the Vietnam War early on, and specifically the Battle of Ia Drang. But he didn't just write about it...he was right there in the thick of the action. In fact, in 1998, he was awarded a Bronze Star for helping to rescue a badly wounded soldier while under enemy fire. To say that Galloway has a unique perspective on the Vietnam War would be an understatement.

In the first of this two-part series on the Battle of Ia Drang, I speak with Mr. Galloway about his experiences in Vietnam, as well as his involvement with the 1998 blockbuster, "We Were Soldiers," in which he was portrayed by Barry Pepper. We chat about this thoughts on the accuracy of the movie, as well as his involvement with Ken Burns' upcoming documentary series on the Vietnam War.

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Jul 30, 2017

00:40:42

Ted Kaczynski, who would become known as the Unabomber, was a mathematical genius who could seemingly never find his place in society. Angry, isolated, and truly alone, he embarked on a campaign of terror utilizing his calling card, the mail bombing. One of the people most responsible for bringing him down was then-FBI agent Jim Fitzgerald.

A "History Personified" alum, Fitz is bringing the story behind the new Discovery Channel eight-part mini-series, "Manhunt: Unabomber," starring Sam Worthington (as Jim Fitzgerald), Paul Bettany, Chris Noth, and Jane Lynch. The debut takes place Tuesday, August 1st at 9 PM, and Fitz is back on our show to discuss the story behind the Unabomber, his involvement in bringing him to justice, whether or not he's had contact with him since, and more.

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Jul 21, 2017

00:42:57

Abraham Lincoln is known as "The Great Emancipator," and is credited with freeing American slaves in 1863. But just five years earlier, Lincoln, in a debate, said regarding blacks, "He is not my equal in many respects." Regardless of the context of that statement, and others made during that time, Lincoln would be viewed as a racist by today's standards.

During Lincoln's debates with Stephen A. Douglas, as they vied for an Illinois senatorial seat, both candidates made statements that would be seen as inflammatory at best today. What else was said? And, besides those statements, what made the debates so memorable? Was Lincoln a racist? We discuss all this and more with Harold Holzer, one of the world's foremost experts on Lincoln.

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Jul 14, 2017

00:52:43

Ronald Reagan is viewed as one of the most influential U.S. Presidents in history. Loved by many, hated by many, results and consequences from his policies are still being felt in America today. What is his legacy now? How will he be viewed in the years to come?

On part II of our series on the life and presidency of Ronald Reagan, we conclude with the Oval Office years of "The Great Communicator." Author/historian H.W. Brands discusses Reagan's early years, including the release of the U.S. hostages in Iran, the assassination attempt survival, and the air controller's strike. We touch on the War on Drugs and the rise of AIDS, as well as the Iran-Contra affair, before ending with Reagan's final years. It's an intriguing look at a man who accomplished so much in his lifetime.

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#politics #truecrime #history #podcast