Shows / Her Half of History
Her Half of History
Women's history doesn't have be boring or depressing. I tell the stories of extraordinary women in history, including queens, slaves, spies, scientists, artists, wives, mothers, and more. But most women didn't leave us enough material for a biography, so I also tell you what it was like to be an ordinary woman, including what they wore, how they did housework, how they worked, and how they played.
In short, what were the women doing all that time while men were writing the standard history…
Episodes
Her Half of HistoryXiuhtlaltzin, Last Queen of the Toltec (Mexico) (ep. 12.6)
The history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica is hard for historians because the best sources were all destroyed. Those that remain are of dubious historicity, but…
Her Half of HistoryJinseong, Last Queen of Silla (Korea) (ep. 12.5)
The kingdom of Silla in ancient Korea had three queen regnants (a very good score, compared with most other countries of its time). Two reigned in Silla's…
Her Half of HistoryJinseong, Last Queen of Silla (Korea) (ep. 12.5)
The kingdom of Silla in ancient Korea had three queen regnants (a very good score, compared with most other countries of its time). Two reigned in Silla's…
Her Half of HistoryZenobia, Last Empress of Palmyra (Syria) (ep. 12.4)
Zenobia is one of the great enemies of Rome. From the oasis city of Palmyra (in modern-day Syria), she rose up in rebellion and conquered a great empire from…
Her Half of HistoryZenobia, Last Empress of Palmyra (Syria) (ep. 12.4)
Zenobia is one of the great enemies of Rome. From the oasis city of Palmyra (in modern-day Syria), she rose up in rebellion and conquered a great empire from…
Her Half of HistoryBoudica, Last Queen of the Iceni (ep. 12.3)
Rome stole her country, publicly flogged her, and raped her daughters. The woman known variously as Boudica, Boudicca, Boadicea, Bonducca, and a dozen other…
Her Half of HistoryBoudica, Last Queen of the Iceni (ep. 12.3)
Rome stole her country, publicly flogged her, and raped her daughters. The woman known variously as Boudica, Boudicca, Boadicea, Bonducca, and a dozen other…
Her Half of HistoryCleopatra, Last Pharaoh of Egypt (rebroadcast) (ep. 12.2)
Cleopatra inherited a joint throne, but pushed first one and then a second brother out of it to rule alone. In a world where rising Roman dominance was a fact…
Her Half of HistoryCleopatra, Last Pharaoh of Egypt (rebroadcast) (ep. 12.2)
Cleopatra inherited a joint throne, but pushed first one and then a second brother out of it to rule alone. In a world where rising Roman dominance was a fact…
Her Half of HistorySalome Alexandra, Last Queen of Judea (ep. 12.1)
She had many names: Salome, Alexandra, Shelamzion, and Schlomtzion, but the last monarch of an independent kingdom of Judea was a Queen Regnant. She ruled from…
Her Half of HistorySalome Alexandra, Last Queen of Judea (ep. 12.1)
She had many names: Salome, Alexandra, Shelamzion, and Schlomtzion, but the last monarch of an independent kingdom of Judea was a Queen Regnant. She ruled from…
Her Half of HistoryThe Last Queen, for Now (by Cheryl Ciucevich)
If you follow the royal news, you may be aware that we had a queen abdicate last month. Or possibly, you missed it because it wasn’t in the British royal…
Her Half of HistoryThe Last Queen, for Now (by Cheryl Ciucevich)
If you follow the royal news, you may be aware that we had a queen abdicate last month. Or possibly, you missed it because it wasn’t in the British royal…
Her Half of HistoryLaVern Baker (by The Dead Ladies Show)
It's Black History Month, and we're looking at LaVern Baker, the pioneering R&B singer LaVern Baker. Today's episode is a guest episode from the fabulously…
Her Half of HistoryLaVern Baker (by The Dead Ladies Show)
It's Black History Month, and we're looking at LaVern Baker, the pioneering R&B singer LaVern Baker. Today's episode is a guest episode from the fabulously…
- Her Half of History
Interview with Kelly Chase from the History Detective Podcast
Kelly Chase of the History Detective Podcast interviewed me last year about how and why my podcast is produced. Here is our conversation about podcasting and…
Her Half of HistoryInterview with Kelly Chase from the History Detective Podcast
Kelly Chase of the History Detective Podcast interviewed me last year about how and why my podcast is produced. Here is our conversation about podcasting and…
Her Half of HistoryThe Discovery of Teenagers (ep. 11.13)
For most of human history, teenagers have been lumped in with children or with adults, depending on which way was most convenient at the time. People between…
Her Half of HistoryThe Discovery of Teenagers (ep. 11.13)
For most of human history, teenagers have been lumped in with children or with adults, depending on which way was most convenient at the time. People between…
Her Half of HistoryComing of Age: A History of Puberty (ep. 11.12)
Girls have always been reaching puberty, but what that meant for her has varied. In this episode we look at the age of menarche (when girls start their period)…
Her Half of HistoryComing of Age: A History of Puberty (ep. 11.12)
Girls have always been reaching puberty, but what that meant for her has varied. In this episode we look at the age of menarche (when girls start their period)…
Her Half of HistoryGirls at Work in the Industrial Age (ep. 11.11)
The Industrial Revolution did not invent child labor, but it changed how people viewed it. A growing middle and upper class provided their kids with long…
Her Half of HistoryGirls at Work in the Industrial Age (ep. 11.11)
The Industrial Revolution did not invent child labor, but it changed how people viewed it. A growing middle and upper class provided their kids with long…
Her Half of HistoryGirls at Work (ep. 11.10)
Child labor has existed since the beginning of humanity. Poor girls, both slave and free, worked as cleaned, carried water, cared for other children, and…
Her Half of HistoryGirls at Work (ep. 11.10)
Child labor has existed since the beginning of humanity. Poor girls, both slave and free, worked as cleaned, carried water, cared for other children, and…
Her Half of HistoryThe History of St Lucia's Day
St Lucia’s Day is December 13th. It is celebrated in a number of countries, but today is specifically about the Swedish celebration. You may have seen a…
Her Half of HistoryThe History of St Lucia's Day
St Lucia’s Day is December 13th. It is celebrated in a number of countries, but today is specifically about the Swedish celebration. You may have seen a…
Her Half of HistoryGirls at School (ep. 11.9)
The underlying question behind educating girls is: Why? Why are you educating them? Throughout history, there have been varying answers to that question, and…
Her Half of HistoryGirls at School (ep. 11.9)
The underlying question behind educating girls is: Why? Why are you educating them? Throughout history, there have been varying answers to that question, and…
Her Half of HistoryThe Reading Girl (after 1860) (ep. 11.8)
The 1860s blew new life into children's literature, especially for girls. Alice in Wonderland (1865) has been called the first modern children's book, and one…
Her Half of HistoryThe Reading Girl (after 1860) (ep. 11.8)
The 1860s blew new life into children's literature, especially for girls. Alice in Wonderland (1865) has been called the first modern children's book, and one…
Her Half of HistoryThe Reading Girl (up to 1860) (ep. 11.7)
Is there anything better than books? Today I’m not talking about the compulsory part of books at school (that’s a later episode in this series), I’m talking…
Her Half of HistoryThe Reading Girl (up to 1860) (ep. 11.7)
Is there anything better than books? Today I’m not talking about the compulsory part of books at school (that’s a later episode in this series), I’m talking…
- Her Half of History
The Clothes Make the Girl (ep. 11.6)
Why pink? And when did girls start dressing in pink, for that matter? (Hint: a lot more recently than you probably imagine.) This episode also covers whether…
Her Half of HistoryThe Clothes Make the Girl (ep. 11.6)
Why pink? And when did girls start dressing in pink, for that matter? (Hint: a lot more recently than you probably imagine.) This episode also covers whether…
Her Half of HistoryThe Fox Sisters (a haunted history)
In 1848, the Fox family prepared to go to bed as usual, but the darkness was punctuated by mysterious rapping noises for which they could find no source…
- Her Half of History
The Fox Sisters (a haunted history)
In 1848, the Fox family prepared to go to bed as usual, but the darkness was punctuated by mysterious rapping noises for which they could find no source…
Her Half of HistoryFrom Knucklebones to Bicycles (a history of girls at play) (ep. 11.5)
Games and pastimes mostly don’t get a mention in the records that are more concerned with the death of kings and the collection of taxes. If we manage to know…
- Her Half of History
From Knucklebones to Bicycles (a history of girls at play) (ep. 11.5)
Games and pastimes mostly don’t get a mention in the records that are more concerned with the death of kings and the collection of taxes. If we manage to know…
- Her Half of History
From Venus to Barbie (a history of dolls) (ep. 11.4)
Of all the words I did not think I would have to define, doll probably tops the list. We all know what the quintessential girls’ toy is, right? Only it turns…
Her Half of HistoryFrom Venus to Barbie (a history of dolls) (ep. 11.4)
Of all the words I did not think I would have to define, doll probably tops the list. We all know what the quintessential girls’ toy is, right? Only it turns…
- Her Half of History
Of Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales (ep. 11.3)
Historical mothers did not have a lot of pink and purple merchandise for their baby girls, but they did have words. Lullabies, nursery rhymes, and fairy tales…
Her Half of HistoryOf Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales (ep. 11.3)
Historical mothers did not have a lot of pink and purple merchandise for their baby girls, but they did have words. Lullabies, nursery rhymes, and fairy tales…
Her Half of HistoryThe Discovery of Childhood (ep. 11.2)
Childhood doesn't sound like it needs discovering, right? Surely everyone, up to and including a large number of animal species, are aware of children. But the…
- Her Half of History
The Discovery of Childhood (ep. 11.2)
Childhood doesn't sound like it needs discovering, right? Surely everyone, up to and including a large number of animal species, are aware of children. But the…
- Her Half of History
It's a Girl! (the history of being born female) (ep. 11.1)
In the days before ultrasounds, expectant mothers still wanted to know if they were having a boy or a girl, and experts from Aristotle to celibate male monks…
- Her Half of History
It's a Girl! (the history of being born female) (ep. 11.1)
In the days before ultrasounds, expectant mothers still wanted to know if they were having a boy or a girl, and experts from Aristotle to celibate male monks…
- Her Half of History
Captain Carolyn Kurtz (by Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs)
Today I have an episode by fellow Into History podcaster Rich Napolitano, of the Shipwrecks and Seadogs podcast. He looks at maritime history across the world…
- Her Half of History
Captain Carolyn Kurtz (by Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs)
Today I have an episode by fellow Into History podcaster Rich Napolitano, of the Shipwrecks and Seadogs podcast. He looks at maritime history across the world…
- Her Half of History
Annie Oakley (by Wild West Extravaganza)
On the Wild West Extravaganza podcast, Josh tells the stories of the tumultuous American Old West, including characters like Billy the Kid, Jesse James, Wyatt…
Her Half of HistoryAnnie Oakley (by Wild West Extravaganza)
On the Wild West Extravaganza podcast, Josh tells the stories of the tumultuous American Old West, including characters like Billy the Kid, Jesse James, Wyatt…
- Her Half of History
Helen Keller (by Kate Twitchell King)
Today's episode is by guest writer Kate Twitchell King, who researched Helen Keller, a deaf-blind American, born in 1880. There are many books, many films, and…
- Her Half of History
Helen Keller (by Kate Twitchell King)
Today's episode is by guest writer Kate Twitchell King, who researched Helen Keller, a deaf-blind American, born in 1880. There are many books, many films, and…
- Her Half of History
Elizabeth Freeman (with People Hidden in History)
August 21st will mark 242 years since an incredible woman named Elizabeth Freeman sued her owner for freedom and won. In celebration, I am going to play today…
Her Half of HistoryDouble Feature: Nellie Bly and Queen Victoria (by History Daily)
History is made every day, and the History Daily podcast is too. For today's episode, I am bringing you two of their episodes: Nellie Bly Races Around the…
Her Half of HistoryArtemisia Gentileschi (with A History of Italy)
I am currently on a research break working on Series 11, but instead of going dark during this time, I have lined up a variety of content for you. This week I…
Her Half of HistoryGeorgia O'Keeffe, an American Painter (ep. 10.14)
Georgia O'Keeffe is the hardest to classify of all the painters I have covered. Her work is neither abstract, nor realistic, nor surreal. She is simply a…
Her Half of HistoryAnnouncement: Into History Podcast Network
I’m happy to announce Her Half of History is now part of the Into History podcast network, a brand-new subscription channel of podcasts made by history lovers…
- Her Half of History
Frida Kahlo, a Mexican Painter (ep. 10.13)
Are you a Fridolatrist? A fan of Fridamania? An admirer of the unibrow, the surrealism, and the shocking way in which Frida Kahlo portrayed the most private…
Her Half of HistoryRequiem for Paula Modersohn-Becker (by Rainer Maria Rilke)
One year to the day after Paula Modersohn-Becker died, her friend, the celebrated poet Rainer Maria Rilke, sat down to write a Requiem for her, and today’s…