Historical Figures

Most people know Mark Twain as one of America’s most popular writers and humorists. Some even know that as a young man, he was a Riverboat pilot. But did you know that during the Civil War, he volunteered for the war effort to fight for the South?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jackie Robinson was the first black man in America  to cross “the color line” and play baseball in the major leagues. But when he was in his early teens, Jackie joined a street gang and had numerous run-ins with the law.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jesse James was one of the most iconic American outlaws of all time. He made a name for himself robbing trains, banks, and stealing horses. Is it possible that his abandonment by male role models during childhood gave rise to Jesse James's extreme bad boy persona?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all know Thomas Edison for his inventions of the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the incandescent light bulb. But did you know that when he was a teenager, he published his own newspaper from a train baggage car?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Her self-portraits are well known: thick eyebrows, a striking stare, and a mysterious smile. But Frida Kahlo’s paintings weren’t just works of art; they portrayed life’s emotions and her own revolutionary ideals. The spirit of revolution defined her art, her life, and her ever-present legacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Born on July 18, 1918 in Mvezo, South Africa, Nelson Mandela grew up to be an influential activist and political leader. Despite being jailed for decades because he joined the fight against apartheid, Mandela became the first black president of South Africa and one of the most celebrated political leaders of all time.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even as a child, Oscar Wilde dreamed of becoming famous. We dive deep into the life of the now notorious playwright, artist, and celebrated author. He is celebrated for his passionate writing, sharp wit, and taste for art.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hernan Cortes was born in 1485 in Medellin, Spain. From an early age, he sought adventure and romance, which led him to trouble throughout his life. He grew to be one of the first Spanish conquistadors who brought European culture to the Americas. His legacy lives on as both a hero of the Spanish Empire... and as a violent conqueror who slaughtered thousands of indigenous peoples in his quest for money and power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

She was a student, an author, an activist. She met thirteen presidents, and won the Presidential Medal of Freedom. But Helen Keller was much more than just a symbol for people who are deaf or blind. Her life was filled with both triumphs and tragedies, and with the aid of her mentor, Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller became a legacy that still serves as an inspiration to all.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John D. Rockefeller came from humble beginnings in Ohio. He had dreams to achieve the impossible: become the wealthiest man in the world. John accomplished this goal, but used controversial methods to do so. Was he a genius? Or was he a tyrant?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a women’s rights activist well known for her work in the women’s movement. But Elizabeth lived a complicated life, and left a controversial legacy.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Father of free market economics, Adam Smith was one of many great philosophers of the 18th century Enlightenment period. His philosophies helped change the economy, putting an end to the long-standing feudal system. But outside of his well-known works, such as The Wealth of Nations, Smith remained private, even burning the paper trail of his life before he died.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Born in Italy on March 6, 1475, Michelangelo was destined to create outstanding and genius works of art. Although his family was of a lower class and discouraged him from pursuing a more noble career in the arts, Michelangelo followed his passion for art even as a young boy. And despite being well known for his paintings in the Sistine Chapel and his architecture, Michelangelo considered himself a sculptor above all else.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Nicolaus Copernicus was born in 1473, scholars believed that the earth stood still, and the sun circled around it. Copernicus devoted his life to understanding the structure of our solar system, and found mathematical proof that the earth, in fact, orbits around the sun. Although he didn’t live to see his influence on astronomy, his findings opened the door to space travel, the discovery of other planets and galaxies...and even the chance of finding life outside of earth.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jimmy Hoffa, born in Indiana in 1913, helped create the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and aimed to pave the way to the American Dream for laborers. But he also led a mysterious life, mingling with mobs and making enemies with dangerous men. This risky networking may have led to Hoffa’s disappearance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

George Gallup is responsible for polling as we know it today. He was a pioneer of survey sampling and inventor of the Gallup poll. But since he was young, he was an entrepreneur. We look deeper into his passions for journalism and psychology, and how Gallup’s polling impacted—and continues to impact—society today.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Orville and Wilbur Wright are famous for their developments in aeronautics. What began in Dayton, Ohio as entertainment later became a scientific passion for the brothers. The Wright Brothers risked their lives, again and again, to make their dream of human flight a reality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The critically acclaimed psychologist Sigmund Freud spent years publishing famous papers, stirring up controversy in his field of study, and creating the ideas of psychoanalysis and the infamous Oedipus Complex. Vanessa and Carter explore Freud’s colorful life, his finding of an international psychology movement, and his near persecution during the Holocaust.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A man of contradictions, Pancho Villa was a prominent military leader in the Mexican Revolution who lived his life as a criminal, a hero...and a Hollywood star. Join Carter and Vanessa as they explore the successes and failures that defined Villa’s life and legacy, which is still prominent today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Confucius was an ancient Chinese philosopher, teacher and politician whose wisdom and teachings are still followed to this day. Despite chaos and war during his life more than 2500 years ago, Confucius promoted harmonious ideals that resonated with people for centuries to come. China’s leaders did not always welcome his teachings, but today, he is often regarded as a hero.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices