Talking History

April 11, 2005 1:18 PM

Talking History is a radio show where historians talk about their latest work. The archives include MP3 and (sometimes) Realplayer streams, with discussions on topics like the Influenza Pandemic of 1918, George Washington and his slaves, and the history of "Boston Marriages" (today called same sex-unions). Some programs feature interesting archival audio, such as this speech by Elijah Muhammad.
posted by LarryC (8 comments total)

Wow - I had no idea that Elijah Muhammed was such a lousy public speaker. Maybe this was an off day? From the reading I've done and the unavoidable hip-hop references to him and his organization, I had always thought he was a real charismatic firebrand.
Be that as it may, the founding pseudohistory of the Nation of Islam (as explained in the autobiography of Malcolm X) was, and is, reprehensible racist hogwash.
posted by BigLankyBastard at 2:03 PM on April 11, 2005

Oh, this is nice, and thank you so much. I had no idea sucha thing existed.

You got any more?
posted by IndigoJones at 5:24 PM on April 11, 2005

[This is excellent]
posted by ursus_comiter at 5:42 PM on April 11, 2005

You got any more?

Thanks for asking! Two, that maybe should have been folded into the original FPP:

Booknotes, the recently ended CSPAN program where Brian Lamb interviewed authors, has an extensive archive (with transcripts as well as streaming video). I like this interview with Jon Kukla on the Louisiana Purchase.

WGN-AM in Chicago has an extensive archive of Milt Rosenberg's 90 minute interviews and panel discussions. Some are with historians, like Brian Hosmer discussing his book on the Lakota. Rosenberg interviews other authors as well, including the man MetaFilter loves to hate, Bjorn Lomberg. The interviews are in Real Audio, and you can listen to the full interviews or just excerpted highlights.
posted by LarryC at 7:18 PM on April 11, 2005

This is the best MeFi FPP in weeks (months?).

"Nazi Eyes on Canada" with Orson Welles is gold (Albany, 2005 archive).
posted by stbalbach at 7:43 PM on April 11, 2005

Great post. I'm going to enjoy these.
posted by Galvatron at 11:16 PM on April 11, 2005

What a great resource! If you like that and are looking for mp3s, BBC has a show called 'In Our Time' that explores 'the history of ideas' and seems to focus on math and history.
posted by john m at 4:49 AM on April 12, 2005

Great post. Upon my first scan, I thought this was about NPR's update of Edward R. Murrow's This I Believe.
posted by grateful at 7:02 AM on April 12, 2005