Libsyn Directory

Conversations: Would you eat black vomit to fight off Yellow Fever? w/ Kathryn Olivarius

Release Date: 06/13/2025

The Last Stands of Custer, Crazy Horse, & Sitting Bull, w/ Tom Clavin

History Shorts

In this timely episode, we sit down with #1 New York Times bestselling author Tom Clavin to discuss his gripping new book Vengeance: The Last Stands of Custer, Crazy Horse, and Sitting Bull. Marking the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn (the Battle of the Greasy Grass), Tom delivers a fresh, balanced retelling through 95 vivid vignettes. We explore the vengeance cycles, leadership clashes, myths vs. reality, and the devastating long-term impact on the Plains Indians — from stunning Native victory to the tragedy at Wounded Knee. SUPPORT THE SHOW: ...

Merrill's Marauders

History Shorts

Hollywood remembers Merrill's Marauders as fearless jungle fighters. The reality was far harsher. In this episode of History Shorts, we follow the elite American unit that marched roughly 750 miles behind Japanese lines through the jungles of Burma during World War II. Battling impossible terrain, monsoon rains, malaria, dysentery, exhaustion, and constant combat, the Marauders pushed toward the strategic airfield at Myitkyina under conditions few soldiers have ever endured. SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY:

Stalin's Cannibal Island

History Shorts

In the spring of 1933, thousands of Soviet citizens were dumped onto a small island in Siberia with virtually nothing—no food, no tools, no shelter, and no realistic chance of survival. In this episode of History Shorts, we uncover the horrifying story of Nazino Island, later known as "Cannibal Island." Intended as part of Joseph Stalin's vast deportation system, the experiment quickly descended into unimaginable chaos. Starvation, disease, violence, exposure, and documented cases of cannibalism claimed thousands of lives in just a matter of weeks, while armed guards prevented escape. For...

Are We Heading Toward Great Power War? w/ Odd Arne Westad

History Shorts

Today I’m honored to be joined by one of the world’s foremost historians of modern international relations, Professor Odd Arne Westad. He is a Professor of History at Yale University, and the author of several landmark books, including the acclaimed The Cold War: A World History. His latest book, The Coming Storm: Power, Conflict, and Warnings from History, is a timely and urgent warning about the rising dangers of Great Power competition in our multipolar world. Today we’ll discuss the striking parallels with the period before 1914, the major flashpoints that worry him most, the impact...

The Age of Pericles

History Shorts

The Parthenon remains one of the greatest architectural achievements in human history. But what did it really cost? In this episode of History Shorts, we explore the Age of Pericles—the remarkable period that transformed Athens into the cultural center of the ancient world. Democracy flourished, philosophers challenged old ideas, playwrights reshaped theater, and magnificent temples rose above the Acropolis. Yet this golden age rested on imperial tribute collected from Athens' allies, an economy sustained by enslaved labor, and a society that denied political rights to women. SUPPORT...

The Last Hours of Alexander Hamilton

History Shorts

Most people know Alexander Hamilton died after his infamous duel with Aaron Burr. Fewer know he survived for another 31 agonizing hours. In this episode of History Shorts, we follow Hamilton from the moment the bullet struck him on July 11, 1804, through his final day of life. With the projectile lodged near his spine and 19th-century medicine offering little hope, Hamilton remained conscious, spoke with his family, received communion, and reflected on the very practice of dueling—a custom he had publicly condemned even as he felt compelled to participate in it. SUPPORT THE...

The 1637 Mystic Massacre

History Shorts

Before sunrise on May 26, 1637, English colonists and their Native allies surrounded a fortified Pequot village near Mystic, Connecticut. Their orders were simple—and devastating: set it on fire. Within hours, hundreds of Pequot men, women, and children were dead, many trapped inside the burning village. One colonial leader described the destruction as "a wonderful work of God," a chilling reminder of how differently the event was remembered by those who carried it out. In this episode of History Shorts, we revisit one of the bloodiest episodes of early colonial America, examining how the...

Inside the National WWII Museum w/ Cory Graff

History Shorts

What does World War II still have to teach us in a world where fewer and fewer people remember it firsthand? In this episode of History Shorts: Conversations, host Peter Zablocki sits down with Cory Graff, teh Curator and Restoration Manager at The National WWII Museum, for a wide-ranging discussion about memory, sacrifice, leadership, and the enduring legacy of the most consequential conflict in modern history. Together, they explore how museums preserve the stories of ordinary men and women who lived through extraordinary times, the artifacts that bring history to life, and the challenges of...

Mansa Musa and the Pilgrimage that Broke an Economy

History Shorts

In 1324, the richest man in history set out on a pilgrimage—and accidentally shook the global economy. In this episode of History Shorts, we follow the extraordinary journey of Mansa Musa, the legendary ruler of the Mali Empire. Traveling to Mecca with a caravan said to number in the tens of thousands, Musa carried so much gold that his generosity transformed every city he visited. In Cairo alone, the flood of gold was so immense that it depressed its value for years, disrupting markets and creating one of history's most remarkable economic consequences. SUPPORT THE SHOW: ...

The Last Revolutionary War Soldier: Daniel Frederick Bakeman

History Shorts

When most people think of the American Revolution, they picture powdered wigs, battlefield heroics, and the birth of a new nation. Few realize that the last verified soldier of that conflict lived long enough to witness railroads, photography, the Civil War, and the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. In this episode of History Shorts, we explore the remarkable life of Daniel Frederick Bakeman, the man widely recognized as the final surviving veteran of the Revolutionary War. Born years after the Declaration of Independence, Bakeman served as a militia teamster during the war’s closing years,...

More Episodes

We want to hear from you! Help shape the future of History Shorts by taking our quick 2-minute survey: Take a 2-Minute Listener Survey! Your feedback means the world to us, and you might get a shoutout in a future episode!

In this episode of History Shorts, we’re joined by Dr. Kathryn Olivarius, historian and author of Necropolis: Disease, Power, and Capitalism in the Cotton Kingdom. Her work unveils the chilling and lesser-known reality of how yellow fever shaped the antebellum South, not just as a disease, but as a tool of power, privilege, and control.

We explore how elites in New Orleans and other parts of the Deep South leveraged immunity to the deadly virus as a form of capital, how public health was weaponized to uphold slavery and white supremacy, and what this forgotten epidemic tells us about the intersections of disease, race, and economics, then and now.

In this conversation, we cover:

The concept of “immunocapital” and why surviving yellow fever was a form of social currency
How disease policy in New Orleans bolstered plantation slavery and racial hierarchy
Parallels between past and present epidemics—COVID-19, social privilege, and health disparity
What it means to build a society that accepts death among the poor as the cost of doing business

SUBSCRIBE, LEAVE A REVIEW, OR A RATING!

SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast

LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/

BUY Kathryn's book!

EPISODE SPONSOR: https://www.thecollector.com/

Peter's This Week's Top Picks from The Collector:

TOPICS