The History Chicks : A Women's History Podcast

To leave you with a bit of lagniappe for Women's History Month, we broke our usual format to sit down for a talk with Anne Sebba, author of the new book The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival. Anne tells us about some of the women in the only entirely female orchestra in any Nazi prison camp. She talks about her process of learning about these women, organizing their stories into this book, and about other biographies she's written in the past, about the past. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Puppet? Manipulating social climber? Misunderstood? Deeply in love? However you see her, the fact remains that a king abdicated his throne, defied his family, and lived in exile to marry the twice divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. It sounds like a fairytale, but how does their happily ever after work out? This mega-episode combines both parts of our 2017 coverage of this controversial woman. This episode is brought to you in part by: Laundry Sauce: 20% off when you use code CHICKS, and make laundry day the best day of the week. Honeylove: Treat yourself to the most comfortable shapewear on earth and save 20% at honeylove.com/historychicks Lume: Smell fresher, stay drier, and boost your confidence with code CHICKS at lumedeodorant.com You can always show your excellent taste in podcasts at our merch shop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We continue the story of Nobel Prize winning environmentalist Dr Wangari Maathai, who defied convention, financial hurdles, and the violent opposition of her own government to make her Green Belt Movement into an enduring worldwide force for societal good. She and her colleagues planted almost 40 million trees and empowered tens of thousands of women across the world to discover their own power to improve their own communities… from the ground up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wangari Maathai understood the vital connections between living things and the Earth; of local communities and the wider world. It is true that many trees make a mighty forest, and Maathai's Green Belt Movement made it clear to us all that the most important change for the greater good is one that each individual makes in their own backyard... a philosophy which would earn her the Nobel Peace Prize. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much of the New Orleans Voodoo Queen's legend is myth? (Hint: A lot) Happy Mardi Gras and, more importantly, Happy Women's History Month! This episode is sponsored by: Madam Ram: The woman who took on a man's world and won! Based on a true story! Listen wherever you get your podcasts! Wildgrain: The first bake from frozen subscription box for artisanal breads, pastries, and pastas! Get $30 off your first box with code CHICKS at WILDGRAIN.COM/CHICKS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sojourner Truth was an enslaved woman, a freewoman, a preacher, a speaker, an abolitionist, and a women's rights advocate in the Civil War-era United States. Like a lot of women's history, Sojourner's truth may have been edited long ago, but we can help to set it right. This episode is brought to you in part by: Blissy: Get better sleep, hair, and skin and use code HISTORYCHICKS to get an additional 30% off at BLISSY.com/HISTORYCHICKS Honeylove: Start the new year off right with Honeylove bras and shapewear-get 20% off at HONEYLOVE.com/HISTORYCHICKS Lume: Stay fresher, drier,boost your confidence and save 15% off all Lume products with code CHICKS at LUMEDEODORANT.COM Rocket Money: Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals at ROCKETMONEY.com/HISTORYCHICKS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Georgia Gilmore was one of the unsung heroes of history during the Civil Rights movement in America; a prime example of how one person's contributions can change the course of a country. Her tireless fundraising efforts were critical to the success of the Montgomery bus boycott, and Presidents met with activists under her roof, comforted by Georgia's amazing food and her hearty welcome for everyone - black and white. She was unafraid to take on the establishment when she saw an injustice, working until her very last day on earth for the cause of equality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josephine and Eugénie, related by marriage, and separated by only a generation, both rose from relative obscurity to become the Empress of France during tumultuous times. The paths of these very different women never crossed, but they both were stars in their own time and left their unique marks on history. Please join us on our Field Trip to Italy, October 2-11, 2025. Registration is now open at Like Minds Travel. We hope to see you there! This episode is sponsored by: Honeylove: Get 20% off the most comfortable shapewear at Honeylove.com/HISTORYCHICKS Rocket Money: Cancel unwanted subscriptions and meet financial goals at RocketMoney.com/HISTORYCHICKS Osea: Give your skin a glow-up and get 10% off with code CHICKS at OseaMalibu.com Smalls: The food your cat deserves at 50% off and free shipping on your first order at Smalls.com with code CHICKS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, we are again shining the spotlight on the remarkable life of Fannie Lou Hamer. As a small child, her hard labor was key to her family’s survival. She grew up to become a fiery civil rights activist who would not be silenced by intimidation, violence, or the personal wishes of the President of the United States himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charity Adams Earley was the first, and highest ranking, African-American officer in the Women's Army Corps. During WW2, she led the 6888 - The Central Postal Directory Battalion, which was sent to Europe to make sure that years of backlogged letters and packages were delivered at last to the waiting soldiers. Her work showed the importance of diversity, teamwork, and strong leadership in overcoming barriers of race and gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This story of Christmas' unsung hero has been our holiday tradition since 2014! We change bits of it every year, so no two years are exactly the same! If you have little ears with you, you may want to preview it so no secrets are spoiled! Happiest of holidays to you, we'll see you in 2025! Speaking of seeing us in 2025, we would love for you to travel with us on our Field Trip to Philadelphia June 18-22, 2025 OR if you are local-ish and would like to join our Meet-up dinner party at the Betsy Ross House on June 21st, head on over to Like Minds Travel for information and to register! We hope to see you there! Like Minds Travel: Philadelphia Field Trip Meet-up Dinner Party Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katharine Graham was the head of the Washington Post empire during a turbulent time in American history. After a personal tragedy catapulted her into the public eye (and the eye of the hurricane), she took on the doubters and became the most powerful woman in media history. She was an icon of resilience and determination, as well as embodying the belief that a cantankerous, vibrant, and free press is crucial to the very principles of democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Thanksgiving and National Native American Heritage Month here in the United States so, this week, we continue our tradition of sharing this episode from 2017. Pocahontas' real story is much different than the romanticized versions of her life! At this time of year, here, when American History is told and retold over turkey and Ubiquitous Green Bean Casserole, we want to do our part to contribute to that conversation (even if we aren't involved in the "Is It Dressing or Stuffing" debate with you all.) US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs- for information and links about Native American Heritage Month and more. Looking to help support the show? Click the tasteful DONATE button on the right-hand side of our website, under the search bar! Thank you for all that you do for us! TheHistoryChicks.com Holiday shopping? We have a merch shop! Visit us at TeePublic! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We took fifty friends with us on our latest women's history tour to the City of Light! From a private nighttime tour of Versailles to a luncheon at Veuve Clicquot, through pastries shaped like apples at A. LaCroix patisserie and an ocean of glorious onion soup, we filled our suitcases with treasures and our hearts with joy. But perhaps the best souvenirs we all brought home were the lifelong friends we made along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us on this Halloween bonus episode as we revisit our 2019 coverage of Sarah Winchester! The Winchester Mystery House has intrigued people for almost a century. Its story has always been a dramatic one, full of ghosts, guns, and desperation - but perhaps there is a simpler explanation buried within the life of Sarah Winchester herself. We would love for you to join us on our Paris Field Trip in April, 2025! Spaces are filling fast, so for more information and to register, please visit Like Minds Travel! We hope to see you there! This episode is sponsored in part by: Factor Meals, use code hc50 to get 50% off your first box, and 20% off your next month at factormeals.com/hc50 Lume Deodorant, use code CHICKS for 15% off your first purchase at lumedeodorant.com Quince, get cozy with Quince's high-quality essentials and free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/chicks Honeylove, treat yourself to the best bras on the market and save 20% at honeylove.com/chicks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us as we discuss our recent field trip to the city that never sleeps! Fifty friends joined us for a women's history extravaganza (and thirty more dropped by for a celebration on the water)! From the gritty realities of the Tenement Museum to the excesses of America's Gilded Age - the sobering truths of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire to the glittering lights of Broadway, we'll tell you what moved us and surprised us with help from the friends who traveled with us on our whirlwind tour of New York City. Would you like to go on a Field Trip with us? Registration for our Field Trip to Paris, 2025 is now open! Visit Like Minds Travel for information and to register! This episode is sponsored in part by: Factor Meals, visit Factormeals.com/hc50, and use promo code hc50 for 50% off your first box! Lume deodorant, use promo code CHICKS at lumedeodorant.com for 15% off all products Lolavie haircare, use promo code CHICKS15 at checkout for 15% off at lolavie.com Blissy, for a 60-night free trial and 30% off when you shop for silk pillowcases, bonnets, and more at Blissy.com/HISTORYCHICKS, and use promocode HISTORYCHICKS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's election season here in the US, so we're revisiting the life of the very first woman to run for the American Presidency in 1872. Victoria Woodhull crafted a life for herself from very raw materials when she traveled from an abusive childhood to an aristocratic end and, throughout it all, was a woman ahead of her time. This episode is sponsored by: Branch Basics/historychicks, non-toxic cleaning products.15 % off with code HISTORYCHICKS Quince, Cozy clothing with premium fabrics and finishes with free shipping and 365-day returns Oak Essentials, clean, spa-quality skincare essential.15% off with code HISTORYCHICKS15 LolaVie, your hair will thank you. 15%off with code CHICKS15. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They said it couldn't be done; that the deck, and the odds, were stacked against her, but Trudy Ederle listened only to her heart during her record-breaking swim across the English Channel. She was the first woman to accomplish this feat - and her record would hold for another 24 years. Gertrude Ederle made women's history. This episode is supported in part by: Blissy, Mulberry silk products, use code HISTORYCHICKS Factor,2 minute, chef-crafted, fresh meals, use code HC50 Honeylove, find your perfect, comfortable bra and shapewear fit and let them know we sent you 3-Day Blinds, buy 1 get one 50%, head to 3DayBlinds.com/CHICKS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We reached back a few years to again shine the spotlight on this remarkable woman. Fannie Lou Hamer began life as a small child whose hard labor was key to her family’s survival. She grew up to become a fiery civil rights activist who would not be silenced by intimidation, violence, or the personal wishes of the President of the United States himself. This episode is sponsored in part by: Factor Meals: 50% off your first box with code hc50 Osea skin care: 10% off your first order with code CHICKS at OSEAMalibu.com Lume Deodorant: 15% off all Lume products with code CHICKS LolaVie hair care: 15% off with code CHICKS15 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Roebling stepped in to facilitate the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge after her husband, its chief engineer, fell victim to a mysterious illness. Though her contributions were kept shadowed at the time, later generations have come to realize how critical she was to the project's completion. There are just a few tickets left to join us in NYC on 9/14/24 for our Field Trip Dinner Cruise! Sign up at Like Minds Travel! This episode is sponsored in part by: Factor Meals: Use code hc50 for 50% off your first box of fresh, delicious meals in 2 minutes at FactorMeals.com/hc50 LolaVie hair care: Use code CHICKS at LolaVie.com for 15% off Quince: For timeless, high-quality clothing, jewelry, handbags, and more and get free shipping and 365-day returns at Quince.com/CHICKS Honeylove: Get 20% off shapewear, bras, and a whole lot more at honeylove.com/HISTORYCHICKS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices