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American Esoterica

American history, bite-sized. These are the stories that may have slipped through the cracks - the odd detours that have shaped our history and culture in small, but sometimes significant, ways.

history

All Episodes

14:03

Episode 91 - Homer

American Esoterica ·

2026/03/26

Our scientists determined that racism was stupid at least as far back as 1896. Here's the story of the test case that became the ultimate stain on the Supreme Court and the country.

en

11:22

Episode 90 - The Baddest Man in Mississippi

American Esoterica ·

2026/03/12

When the baddest man in Madison County did a world of good.

en

10:33

Episode 89 - Fight

American Esoterica ·

2026/02/12

This is a story of a tank. And the vehicle he drove.

en

12:22

Episode 88 - Flight

American Esoterica ·

2026/01/29

WE FEEL THE NEED... Look, this is a self-indulgent mess of an episode that exists solely to talk about how cool planes are. You in, or not?

en

12:02

Episode 87 - Prized

American Esoterica ·

2026/01/15

We learn about history in black and white terms, but the most pivotal moments emerge from the gray. Introducing Arrrbraham Lincoln, almost-pirate.

en

8:07

Episode 86 - On This Day

American Esoterica ·

2025/11/23

It could have been a day like any other...but it wasn't.

en

7:18

Episode 85 - Farce Wars: The Farce A-Bacons

American Esoterica ·

2025/11/06

A pig, Robert's Rules of Order, Vancouver, and George Pickett. And the dumbest pseudo-war until the next one in this series.

en

8:22

Episode 84 - Murder in Lafayette Square: King's End

American Esoterica ·

2025/10/23

There is still YET ANOTHER killing in Lafayette Square to discuss, but this story could've gone in a far worse direction. Come for the oddly pleasant death-dealing, stay for the host yelling at his dog for chewing on the studio acoustic panels.

en

7:58

Episode 83 - The Great Fire

American Esoterica ·

2025/10/09

Forget what you think you know about the deadliest fire in American history.

en

7:33

Episode 82 - A House Divided

American Esoterica ·

2025/09/11

The real story that likely inspired a fake story, and it's way more heartbreaking. This one is a three-hankie episode.

en

08:14

Episode 81 - What Exit, Your Highness?

American Esoterica ·

2025/08/28

We actually had genuine royalty in this country once, and no, I don't mean Beyoncé (or Queen Bey, as those of us who are true fans call her). And in New Jersey, of all places.

en

10:01

Episode 80 - JFK, Not Blown Away

American Esoterica ·

2025/08/14

Remember that time that somebody almost assassinated JFK? Probably not.

en

08:19

Episode 79 - Thirteen-ish Colonies

American Esoterica ·

2025/07/31

A baker's dozen colonies? A regular dozen? Fourteen? Fifteen? Twenty-six? HOW MANY COLONIES WERE THERE?

en

11:32

Episode 78 - A Second, Non-Consecutive Term of...

American Esoterica ·

2025/07/03

Here's another round of lightning-fast-ish presidential trivia, from the devil to the Beast and everything in-between.

en

08:53

Episode 77 - Holy Toledo

American Esoterica ·

2025/06/19

The tip of Lake Michigan is just the tip of the iceberg that spins out into a war between the states. Two states, that is.

en

14:31

Episode 76 - How We Went Nuts for Country

American Esoterica ·

2025/06/06

THIS ONE'S GOT IT ALL, FOLKS - hucksters, country music, goat testicles, pirate radio, patent medicines, wire fraud, William Jennings Bryan...you name it! This is the bizarre story of how rural America fell in love with country music.

en

06:45

Episode 75 - Counter Proposal

American Esoterica ·

2025/05/22

Meet Herman Hollerith - the founder of your digital world and archnemesis to The Count on Sesame Street.

en

02:59

HOT NUGGET OF HISTORY - Sorry, Mom

American Esoterica ·

2025/05/11

We all know that THE story about George Washington isn't true, but what if what we've been wrong about all this time is that the story is KINDA true-ish?

en

05:46

Episode 74 - Book Nook

American Esoterica ·

2025/05/10

Sometimes American cultural greatness runs in very concentrated pockets.

en

13:57

Episode 73 - Foolin', Too

American Esoterica ·

2025/04/24

"Fool me once, shame on...shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again..." - George W. Bush.

en

98 results

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