Her Half of History

In the United States, Martin Luther King, Jr., gets a holiday partly because he challenged Americans to live up to their own ideals and extend freedom and equality to people of all races. Partly because he delivered this challenge peacefully, with no violence. Partly because he paid for this cause with his life. And partly because he had a great wife, who stood by him. Coretta Scott King was also an activist, also risked danger, also spoke, protested, and lobbied. And America changed. Racism is not dead, sadly, but African Americans have far more opportunities than Coretta had in her youth, in part due to her efforts. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my Patreon page for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quite possibly no invention in modern history has done more to change women's lives than the pill so important it can just be called: The Pill. Safe, reliable, relatively easy birth control was a game changer for many (but not all) women. Visit the ⁠website⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my ⁠Patreon page⁠ for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠Buy⁠ ⁠Me a Coffee⁠. Join ⁠Into History⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit ⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠Threads⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The problem of what to cook for dinner has been with women for millennia, but for most women in history, the options were limited by modern standards. They ate fresh, local ,and minimally processed. Not because they were healthy and environmentally conscious, but because they had no other ingredients available. Canned goods were invented for the military, not for housewives. But after a great deal of invention, regulation, and advertising, they became a standard part of cooking dinner. Visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Historically, women carred an awful lot of water. It was so commonplace that it rarely gets mentioned in the historical record, so the details are scarce. But the search for water sparked invention 10500 years ago when the oldest wells were dug and has continued to inspire countless inventions ever since. Visit the ⁠⁠website⁠⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠⁠⁠Patreon page⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235⁠⁠⁠) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join ⁠⁠Into History⁠⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit ⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Until the very recent past, your chances of surviving childhood were iffy. Your chances of losing one or more of your own children were high. The invention of vaccines dramatically improved children's health, but getting there was a challenge for both scientists and policy makers. Vaccine hesitancy is nothing new. The fact that so many of us have never experienced any of the major diseases ranks among the top human achievements of all time. Visit the ⁠website⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠⁠Patreon page⁠⁠ (⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235⁠⁠) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join ⁠Into History⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit ⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠Threads⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the 19th century, a larger middle-class and better educational opportunities meant that many women had the necessary skills to work in an office. But somehow they never got the job. Instead, they were told they were "superfluous" and "redundant" if they did not get married. The typewriter was the machine that got women in the office door. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠Patreon page⁠ (⁠https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235⁠) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The four biggest natural fibers are wool, cotton, flax, and silk, but none of them naturally come long, continuous, or strong. To make any textile at all, the fibers have to be twisted into thread or yarn by a process called spinning. Historical women all over the world had this as their primary assignment, and it was unbelievably time consuming. Right up until machines could do it better. Then the spinners all lost their jobs. Visit the ⁠website⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠Patreon page⁠ for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join ⁠Into History⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit ⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠Threads⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For centuries, one of the biggest causes of maternal death was puerperal fever or postpartum infection. Doctors proposed many theories and many remedies, but they were totally unprepared to accept the truth: doctors were spreading the infection themselves. And all they needed to do was some solid hand washing between each patient. The feature image is by Rasheedhrasheed, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my Patreon page for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Susan B Anthony was in her seventies by the time the bicycle was widely available to women, but she admired it all the same and said “a girl never looks so independent, so much as if she felt as good as a boy, as on her wheel." She was, in Susan’s words, “the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood.” Anthony meant that quite literally because until the 1890s, most women did not have the freedom to go beyond walking distance of their own homes. The bicycle changed everything. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my Patreon page for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm starting this new series on Inventions that Changed Women's Lives at the very beginning—so early that it predates written history. In this episode, I dive into the origins of agriculture and ask the (possibly) surprising question: Was it actually a bad idea? For many women, life as a hunter-gatherer may have been easier, freer, and more equal than what came after. But it's true that sources are sketchy, hindsight is 20/20, and even women in patriarchal societies tend to like things like public infrastructure, writing, monumental architecture, and food surpluses, all of which come after agriculture. Civilization as we know it is a mixed bag. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my Patreon page for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jiang Qing spent part of her life as an actress, part of it as an almost invisible housewife, part of it as a powerful leader in the Cultural Revolution, and part of it in jail taking the blame for actions that Mao certainly knew about and may have given orders for. Madame Mao is now notorious as the White-Boned Demon, and certainly she deserves some blame. But just how much blame she deserves is very difficult to know from the available sources. It's time to vote for the topic of Series 15! Polls are open until June 19, 2025, on my website⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my Patreon page for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zelda Fitzgerald basically defined the iconic image of a flapper from America's Jazz Age. She was immortalized in fiction by her husband, F. Scott Fitzgerald, who is (debatably) the great American novelist. Sadly, the way he portrayed the sadness behind the glitter and glitz was all too real as well. Zelda was beautiful, witty, charming, and talented, but mental illness, alcohol, financial worries, and misogyny all took their toll. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frank Lloyd Wright is among the most famous architects of all time, but the drawings which made him famous weren't necessarily drawn by him. Marion Mahony had more qualifications than he did and ultimately believed that he had stolen her work. Nevertheless, she had a successful career as an architect, mainly in Australia. Please vote for me in the Women Podcasters Awards! (https://bit.ly/43gK8Pt) I'm in the History category. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts, plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Einstein met his first wife in college, where they were both studying math and physics. How much Mileva contributed to his groundbreaking papers is regularly debated. This episode explains what we know, and what we (sadly) don't know about her efforts. Please vote for me in the Women Podcasters Awards! I'm in the History category. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gandhi is among the most documented figures of the 20th century. Most of these sources reveal astonishingly little about his wife Kasturba. But he actually credited her with teaching him the principles of nonviolent resistance. This episode tells the story of her transformation from an ordinary Hindu girl to a woman leading protests against the British Empire. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Schumann is a big name in classical music. However, in his own lifetime, Robert Schumann wasn't “the” Schumann. His wife was the famous one. Clara Schumann was an internationally known virtuoso who delighted audiences for 60 years, including the periods before, during, and after her eight pregnancies, Robert's illness, and eventual death. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Music used in this episode include the following free or licensed tracks: · Robert Schumann's Kinderszenen, Op. 15: Träumerei · Clara Schumann's Soirees Musicales Opus 6: Ii. Notturno , performed by David Ezra Okonsar · Robert Schumann's Album for the Young, Op. 68, No. 10 "The Happy Farmer," performed by Trygve Larsen from Pixabay · Clara Schumann’s Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, Opus 20, performed by David Ezra Okonsar · Clara Schumann's Soirees Musicales Opus 6: I. Toccatina, performed by David Ezra Okonsar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Wright brothers invented the world's first powered flying machine. Sure, they were geniuses, but even geniuses need a little help. Their sister Katharine managed the bicycle business, managed the media, managed the public, and more than pulled her weight in the family. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When her husband died, Jo was left with a small child, no job, not much money, and a lot of canvases that weren't worth very much. It was the effort of a lifetime, but Jo transformed van Gogh's artwork from something few people wanted to an international sensation. If you're listening before the end of March, 2025 there's still time to get in on the Women's History Month Giveaway. Take a look at Patreon or my website below to show your support for women's history. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads or Instagram as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vincent van Gogh is one of history's best known artists, but he wasn't during his own lifetime. His rise to fame came slowly through the efforts of the woman who inherited the vast majority of his paintings. Jo van Gogh-Bonger was a Dutch girl who considered herself not very well educated about art, and yet she managed to weave her way through the art world and bring us Vincent's exquisite beauty. If you're listening before the end of March, 2025 there's still time to get in on the Women's History Month Giveaway. Take a look at Patreon or my website below to show your support for women's history. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads or Instagram as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alfred Nobel's original plans for his famous prize included physics, chemistry, medicine, and literature. But not peace. He thought the peace movement was ridiculous, a bunch of dreamers with no workable plan. But his friend Bertha von Suttner was the most famous person in the peace movement, and she played a big role in changing his mind. To celebrate Women's History Month, please support the show on my Patreon page (https://bit.ly/4iqyLKv) for bonus episodes, polls, and my undying gratitude. Or make a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee (https://bit.ly/4krigzK). If you do any of the above before the end of March 31, 2025, you'll be entered into a drawing for a $30 gift certificate to the Her Half of History Store. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit Evergreen Podcasts to listen to more great shows. Follow me on Threads or Instagram as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices