Shows
What'sHerNameTHE SHAMAN QUEEN HimikoIn the 3rd century, a mysterious queen ruled the Kingdom of Yamatai (modern-day Japan) with a wise and steady hand. Her reign lasted almost 70 years - but what can we really know about her, when her people never wrote anything down? Anthropologist Laura Miller introduces Olivia to this elusive ancient queen.
Read more about Queen Himiko's continuing "rebirth" as a powerful cultural icon in Laura Miller's fascinating articles "Searching for Charisma: Queen Himiko" and "Rebranding Himiko: The Shaman Queen of Ancient History."
Music featured in this episode provided by Sotetsu Tanabe, Shigeo...2025-07-2146 min
What'sHerNameTHE PEACE WEAVER Eva Palmer SikelianosWhat if we could reopen a primordial spiritual portal, and summon peace on earth? For Eva Palmer Sikelianos in 1920s Greece, world peace wasn't a lofty dream-- it was an achievable goal. The key, Eva believed, was ancient Greek art, returned to Delphi. She had a bold plan, and if she could pull it off, she just might save the world.
Join Katie on location at the Benaki Museum in Athens, with Maria Dimitriadou, Historical Archives Curator.
____________________
Fancy an EVA SIKELIANOS MUG reminding you of her poignant motto?
Check out our...2025-07-0757 min
What'sHerNameTHE SAUSAGE MAKER Johanna O'Brien150 years ago, Irish farmer Johanna O'Brien created a secret recipe for black pudding. Today, her sausage is beloved by Michelin-star chefs across the world (and the recipe is still secret!).
Join Katie on location with Rory Copplestone at Clonakilty Blackpudding in Cork, to hear about a penniless girl who survived the Great Famine, built a thriving farm, and in her sunset years, created one of Ireland's iconic flavors.
____________________
Travel with us: What'sHerName TOURS are open now!
Music for this episode is from Andy Reiner and...2025-05-0550 min
What'sHerNameTHE IDEALIST Mary Ware DennettMary Ware Dennett was one of the most important and influential activist for women's rights, contraception, free speech and sex education in early 20th century America. So why does her nemesis Margaret Sanger get all the attention? Returning guest Stephanie Gorton helps Olivia unravel the mystery of this fascinating, forward-thinking woman.Music featured in this episode provided by Asher Fulero, Kevin Macleod, The Mini Vandals, Late Night Feeler, Jeff Cuno, Cooper Cannell, Dan Bodan, and the American Quartet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...2025-03-0851 min
What'sHerNameTHE STRONGWOMAN Katie SandwinaWhen world-famous strongman Eugen Sandow finally met his match, nobody expected it to be at the hands of an 18 year old girl. But whether it was bending metal bars, beating horses in a tug-of-war, or hefting her own husband over her head with one arm, German strongwoman Katie Sandwina would continue to shatter records (and Victorian gender norms) for another forty years. Guest Haley Shapley, author of Strong Like Her, introduces Olivia to this astonishing, unexpected heroine.Your wish is our command! THE GREAT SANDWINA hoodies and tanks are HERE! 2025-02-0858 min
What'sHerNameTHE ADVENTURERS The Wilmot SistersHow did two ordinary 18th century Anglo-Irish sisters end up gallivanting around the European continent, fraternizing with all the most radical and revolutionary minds of the Enlightenment, and becoming BFFs with a Russian Princess? Guest Dr. Alexis Wolf introduces Olivia to the astonishing lives of Katherine and Martha Wilmot.Music for this episode provided by Amanda Setlik Wilson, Killarney, and Tatyana Kalmokova. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2025-01-0953 min
What'sHerNameCHRISTMAS IN MAINE Sarah Orne JewettTravel to snowy Victorian Maine in this year's Christmas Special, as Katie reads from the memoirs of Sarah Orne Jewett. An immensely famous and beloved novelist in her day, Sarah wrote wholesome tales of the country folk of Maine, where as a child she had accompanied her physician father on his rounds. Find a massive collection of Sarah Orne Jewett's works collected by the Sarah Orne Jewett Text Project HERE. Our What'sHerName SHOP is open! Every purchase supports our mission to get these women's stories out into the world...2024-12-1649 min
What'sHerNameTHE FILMMAKERS The McDonagh SistersThroughout the 1920s, three sisters dominated the Australian film scene. The phenomenal filmmaking team of Isabel, Phyllis, and Paulette McDonagh reigned supreme as the undisputed Queens of Silent Cinema... until the talkies arrived to turn everything upside down. Award-winning author Mandy Sayer tells Olivia all about Those Dashing McDonagh Sisters, whose lives were every bit as dramatic (and as complicated) as any Hollywood film.Music featured in this episode provided by Amanda Setlik Wilson, Aaron Kenny, and E's Jammy Jams. Learn more about your ad...2024-09-051h 01
What'sHerNameTHE FIRST LADY Pat NixonFor decades, her remarkable achievements as United States First Lady have been overshadowed by her husband's big mistakes. Returning guest Heath Hardage Lee is back to help change that! Olivia introduces us to the remarkable and unfairly forgotten Pat Nixon.Music in this episode provided by The Westerlies, Aaron Kenny, Josh Lippi and the Overtimers, The Mini Vandals, Cooper Cannell, Doug Maxwell, Quincas Moereira, and the US Marine Corps Band. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-08-0955 min
What'sHerNameTHE INDOMITABLE SPIRIT Artemisia GentileschiArtemisia Gentileschi was one of the most famed and respected painters in 17th century Europe, but after she died, her story - and many of her works - were lost, and over the years, Artemisia has become better known for what was done to her than for what she did. Award-winning artist Lindsay Huss helps us try to change that.(Content warning: discussions of physical and sexual violence) Music for this episode provided by Marc Nelson, Advent Chamber Orchestra, Catrin Finch, John Harrison, and the Wichita State University Chamber Players2024-07-1355 min
What'sHerNameBONUS: A Night of Celebration LiveWhat'sHerName goes live! To launch our new book, What's Her Name, A History of the World in 80 Lost Women, former episode guests convene in London from all over the world for a Night of Celebration! In rapid-fire succession, brilliant 3-minute performances of poetry, song, story and dance take us chronologically through the history of the world. The magic is punctuated throughout with short readings by Katie and Olivia from the new book. The packed house at the Vagina Museum, with the most enthusiastic audience, made for a heartwarming night we'll never forget!
...2024-06-261h 35
What'sHerNameTHE BYZANTINE Irene of AthensFrom arriving at the port of Constantinople as a teenage bride to the heir to the Byzantine Throne, to exiling - and blinding - her own son, Constantine IV, to boldly crowning herself the first Empress Regnant of the Byzantine Empire, Irene of Athens' life was a wildly unpredictable ride through one of the most tumultuous and fascinating periods of medieval history.Olivia interviews archaeologist and historian Judith Herrin, author of Women in Purple: Rulers of Medieval Byzantium and Unrivalled Influence: Women and Empire in Byzantium. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...2024-05-1659 min
What'sHerNameTHE BUTTERFLY IN THE SUN Mata HariA charming Indonesian orphan danced her way to fame and fortune... except literally everything about Mata Hari was a lie. She said she wanted to live like a butterfly in the sun. So could she really have been guilty of espionage?
Katie takes us to Leiden to marvel at the incredible life of Mata Hari.
Music featured in this episode provided by Doug Maxwell, Jesse Gallagher, Patrick Patrikios, Amulets, Offenbach, Jimena Contreras, BizBaz Studio, Wayne Jones, Quincas Moreira, ELPHNT and E’s Jammy Jams.
Want to help us “make history”? Become...2024-05-011h 01
What'sHerNameTHE EQUESTRIAN Anna Sewell"This was one woman with a very little life, who made the most enormous difference." Celia Brayfield shares with Katie the story of Anna Sewell who, on her death bed, wrote a story and changed the world. Black Beauty was no mere "horse book." It catapulted the cause of animal rights and became one of the bestselling books of all time. But Anna Sewell -a quiet, humble Quaker- didn't change the world by preaching: she changed the world by listening. You can find Celia Brayfield's new book, Writing Black Beauty, in our bookshop and support...2024-02-2859 min
What'sHerNameTHE GUNG-HO ORIGINAL Helen Foster SnowIn 1931, a young American aspiring writer set off for what she thought would be a one-year adventure in China. Hoping to gain life experience so she could eventually write the Great American Novel - she would instead become famous as the "Voice of China" to the west, and improve the lives of millions of people in the process. Olivia talks with Helen Foster Snow's great-nephew Adam Foster and her friend and translator Professor An Wei in this unexpected and inspiring episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-01-1059 min
What'sHerNameTHE WILD CHILD Alice RooseveltWhen Alice Roosevelt's dad became President of the United States, her family became the center of attention for the entire country (and the world) - and that was just how she liked it. Whether smoking on the White House roof, racing her bright red motorcar through the streets of Washington DC, or wearing her snake Emily Spinach as jewelry while attending Congressional Balls - Alice scandalized her parents and delighted the nation. But that was just the beginning.Olivia interviews Shelley Fraser Mickle, author of the new book White House Wild Child: How Alice Roosevelt Broke All...2023-12-0259 min
What'sHerNameTHE BOSTON BRAHMIN Ethel Gibson AllenCome with us to peak Gilded Age America! We'll watch a charmingly unconventional love story unfold, cure yellow fever, stare at some incredible wallpaper and explore fascinating reasons why women should NOT vote. Katie takes us on location to Ethel Gibson Allen's Boston mansion, now the Gibson House Museum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2023-11-1558 min
What'sHerNameTHE QUEEN OF HAITI Marie-Louise ChristopheSay you join a revolution in the name of liberty and equality. Then someone hands you a crown. Could you do more good, with that power? Or will everything fall apart? Come with us to Haiti and across Europe in the twisty-turny tale of THE QUEEN OF HAITI, Marie-Louise Christophe.Katie's guest is Vanessa Riley, author of Queen of Exiles.To learn more about the sound recordings by anthropologist Alan Lomax, check out CulturalEquity.org, and the American Folklife Center. We featured "Valtz Creole" by Musique Creole Group, and a number of voodoo ceremony recordings.2023-09-1351 min
What'sHerNameTHE CLEANING LADY Seraphine of SenlisHow did a lifelong cleaning lady become one of the most beloved painters in French history? In 1905, the voice of the Virgin Mary told orphaned, uneducated maid Seraphine to paint, and she obeyed. Her small French town was on the front line of both world wars, and through it all she painted her kaleidoscopic view. She gave her paintings to everyone in town...who promptly tossed them in the fireplace. She died penniless and unknown, but when a film about her aired on French television a couple years ago, everything changed. Travel with Katie in Senlis for a vivid...2023-07-1259 min
What'sHerNameTHE WESTERN WOMAN Rattlesnake Kate SlaughterbackThe day "Rattlesnake Kate" Slaughterback (armed with only a rifle, 4 bullets, and a "No Hunting" sign) successfully shot, slashed and smashed her way through hundreds of rattlesnakes to save herself and her son, a legend was born. But that's just the beginning of her story...Olivia is on location at the Greeley History Museum with Grammy-nominated musician and composer Neyla Pekarek (formerly of The Lumineers), whose musical Rattlesnake Kate premiered in 2022 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.Kate Slaughterback's letters were read by Emma Porter, and "Rattlesnake Kate's Passionate Love" was performed by...2023-06-291h 03
What'sHerNameTHE ACCUSED Clara FordWhen Clara Ford - a poor, Black, cross-dressing, pipe smoking, single mother - was arrested for the murder of dashing, young, white Frank Westwood, nobody expected her to avoid the noose. So how did this unexpected heroine talk her way out of the death sentence - even after she confessed?Olivia takes us to 19th century Toronto for a wild True Crime adventure with Carolyn Whitzman, author of the fascinating new book Clara at the Door With a Revolver. Join us as we uncover the truth (or do we?) of this unexpected and unbelievable trial....2023-04-271h 01
What'sHerNameTHE DISCOVERY NaiaIn a deep dark underwater cave, Mexican divers in 2007 found a mountain of prehistoric animal bones…and one human skeleton. It was Naia– the oldest skeleton ever discovered in the Americas. What can her bones tell us about our human origins? And more than that, what do they tell us about what it means to be human? Come with us on location to Dos Palmas cenote in Mexico, as Katie interviews returning guest Gabo Cemé.Music featured in this episode by Kevin McLeod, ELPHNT, Jimena Contreras, Patrick Patrikios, and Amulets.Want to help us “make history...2023-04-1254 min
What'sHerNameTHE SUN QUEEN Maria TelkesHer pioneering work on solar heat and solar energy would change science forever – but it was her passionate dedication to humanity that made her a true visionary. Meet the remarkable Maria Telkes, subject of the amazing American Experience documentary The Sun Queen, with Olivia’s guests: Writer/Producer Gene Tempest and Director Amanda Pollack.Music featured in this episode provided by: Amanda Setlik Wilson, The Mini Vandals, Esther Abrami, I Think I Can Help You, and Joel Cummins.Want to help us “make history”? Become a Patron or Donate here! Learn more abo...2023-03-291h 00
What'sHerNameTHE PIRATE QUEEN OF CONNACHT Grace O'MalleyHer story was long consigned to legend and fantasy. An Irish pirate queen who commanded a fleet of ships from Spain to Scotland…in the 1500s?! Not likely. But in the 1990s, historian Anne Chambers found a trove of documents in a dusty old chest at Westport House, and the tales of Grace O’Malley were proven to be marvelously, fantastically, true. Join Katie on location in Ireland for a swashbuckling tale like no other!Music featured in this episode included Kevin MacLeod, Doug Maxwell, David Lim, Half Pelican, and Fiddlesticks.Want to help us “make his...2023-03-1550 min
What'sHerNameTHE WARDEN Maria van NispenWe often hear about history’s various Golden Ages, but what about when good times were over? Maria van Nispen, a bricklayer’s daughter, came of age during the Dutch “Disaster Year,” 1672. Justice, stability, even the Republic itself seemed lost. If you can’t change the world, change yourself…Travel with Katie to Leiden archives to unearth this remarkable tale with guest Susan Suer.Music featured in this episode includes Jimena Contreras, Doug Maxwell, Sir Cubworth, Emmit Fenn, Wahneta Meixsell and Hanu Dixit.Want to help us “make history”? Become a Patron or Donate here!...2023-01-2542 min
What'sHerNameTHE INAUGURAL BALLER Lusia HarrisWhen Lusia Harris convinced her parents to let her try out for High School basketball, she never could've anticipated she'd end up scoring the first basket in Olympic Women’s Basketball history. Facing unprecedented hurdles at every step of her career, she broke records, made history, and changed women’s sports forever... and that’s just the beginning!Olivia interviews guest Andrew Maraniss, author of Inaugural Ballers: The True Story of the First Us Women's Olympic Basketball Team (a 2002 Book of the Year by Kirkus. Andrew Maraniss is a New York Times bestselling author of sports and social...2023-01-1142 min
What'sHerNameTHE QUEEN OF THE WEST Dale EvansShe always wanted to make it to Broadway. Instead she became Hollywood’s most iconic cowgirl, roping and riding (and most importantly – singing!) her way into the hearts of millions of fans. So when your life is one giant triumph – but not the triumph you aimed for – what do you do? Olivia interviews Theresa Kaminski, author of the wonderful new biography Queen of the West: The Life and Times of Dale Evans.Music featured in this episode included: Aaron Kenny, Jesse Gallagher, Zacharaiah Hickman, Chris Haugen, E's Jammy Jams, Dan Leibowitz, and selections from songs by Roy Rogers a...2022-12-011h 00
What'sHerNameTHE BRIDGE Brigid of KildareIllustration of St Brigid by Kathleen Verschoyleused by permission of the Portland Public Library, Portland Maine.
St. Brigid tended an eternal flame in Kildare, Ireland, while caring for people, animals, and the earth. And though she lived 1500 years ago, her story is seeing a huge resurgence in the 21st century.
Come on location with Katie to the Solas Bhride Centre in Kildare to meet Brigidine nun, Sister Rita Minehan. We promise a balm for your weary soul!
Here’s a great tutorial video on how to create your own Saint Brigid’s cro...2022-11-1556 min
What'sHerNameTHE BRIDGE Brigid of KildareSt. Brigid tended an eternal flame in Kildare, Ireland, while caring for people, animals, and the earth. And though she lived 1500 years ago, her story is seeing a huge resurgence in the 21st century.
Come on location with Katie to the Solas Bhride Centre in Kildare to meet Brigidine nun, Sister Rita Minehan. We promise a balm for your weary soul!
_________________________
We're going back to Kildare for St. Brigid's Day 2026 and YOU'RE INVITED!
Music featured in this episode included: “Karitas” by Maria Jonas; and “Come Thou Fount of Every...2022-11-1456 min
What'sHerNameTHE NURSE Mary SeacoleWhat would it look like to live a life without fear? Mary Seacole’s story may hold the answer! She spent her life rushing from one catastrophe to the next, doing anything she could to ease human suffering – without a single thought for her own safety. From disease-infested Panamanian goldmines to the horrific battlefield hospitals of Crimea – Mary spent her life being “relentlessly useful” …but how on earth did she do it?Olivia interviews historian Helen Rappaport, author of the fascinating new book In Search of Mary Seacole. Thank you to Penguin Audio for allowing us to use selectio...2022-11-031h 00
What'sHerNameTHE POISONER Goeie MieThe most prolific poisoner of all time couldn’t possibly have been a woman. Right??! Goeie Mie, “Good Maria,” was such a kindly nurse that desperate folks in 19th-century Leiden called her when they were sick, knowing she’d come even if they couldn’t pay. But they got worse, and worse, and usually died in misery.
Goeie Mie had life insurance on all of them.
Travel on location to Leiden, The Netherlands with Katie in this spooky Halloween Special!
___________________
Goeie Mie Gin has branched out to more drinks is now called Tru...2022-10-1740 min
What'sHerNameTHE QUEEN OF CHOCOLATE Luisa SpagnoliLuisa Spagnoli overcame childhood poverty – and the infamously misogynistic fascism of Mussolini’s Italy – to become one of the most famous and influential chocolatiers (and fashion designers!) in European history. But how did she do it?!
Olivia interviews Dr. Diana Garvin, author of Feeding Fascism.
__________________
Travel with us in the footsteps of Luisa Spagnoli! We're headed to the Perugina chocolate factory and so much more on our LOST WOMEN OF ITALY TOUR -- now open for registration!
Diana Garvin is an Assistant Professor of Italian at the University of Orego...2022-07-0758 min
What'sHerNameTHE HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN 100 WOMEN: 100th Episode SpecialFor too long, the story of human history has been a story of men. But how would the story change if we put the ‘lost women’ center stage? In our 100th Episode Special, we tell the whole history of the world, in one sweeping narrative, through all 100 What’sHerName women!Find links to every episode of What'sHerName on our website, or order Katie and Olivia's new book The Book of Sisters from our Bookshop or anywhere books are sold.Music featured in this episode was provided by Tower of Light, Aaron Kenny, ELFNT, Savfk, Kevin MacLeo...2022-06-211h 46
What'sHerNameTHE TEACHER Lois Meek StolzWhen Lois Meek Stolz became a teacher, “children as small silent robots”-style education ruled the day. But her innovative vision, empathy for her students, and bold refusal to “do what had always been done” helped change American education forever – but that was only the beginning! Meet the “model teacher” who became one of the most influential Child Development experts in a century… and then was completely forgotten. Olivia interviews Elizabeth More, Historian and Director of Programs at the Jewish Women’s Archive.Guest Betsy More is a historian and Director of Programs at the Jewish Women’s Archive, a nationa...2022-05-3146 min
What'sHerNameTHE GLEANER Judith Sargent MurrayIn 1790, Judith Sargent Murray became the first American to publicly argue that men and women were equal. Hailing from seafaring Gloucester Massachusetts, she educated herself, weathered some of life’s cruelest storms, and published hundreds of bold, brave essays. She expected to rock the boat, steering her new American nation toward equality. And America went…meh. Why? Join Katie on location at Sargent House Museum in Gloucester.Guest Jen Turner is a doctoral candidate in history at UMass Amherst and a long time adjunct faculty member in the history department at Bridgewater State University. She is also a mus...2022-05-1749 min
What'sHerNameTHE CONSTANT SCANDAL Valeska GertEven in the wildly eccentric cabaret culture of 1920s Berlin,Valeska Gert stood out. And though it would take nearly fifty years for society to “catch up” with Valeska’s vision – this unique and irrepressible dancer would eventually (and against all odds) become revered as the “Mother of Punk”! Olivia interviews dancer and dance historian Janet Collard.Watch Janet Collard’s show Performing Valeska here, and see newly-discovered footage of Valeska Gert performing “Tanz in Orange” here.Guest Janet Collard (she/her/hers) is a dancer, actor, singer, and choreographer from the San Francisco Bay Area. She has a BF...2022-05-0353 min
What'sHerNameTHE GOOD WIFE Elizabeth Bray AllenWhat makes a good wife? In 1700s Virginia, there was one clear path for colonial women: Marry. Have children. Preserve the family wealth. Fail at this, and you’ve failed at life. But what if the family wealth you were tasked to preserve was an old mansion…and a slave plantation? Katie takes us on location to Bacon’s Castle, one of America’s oldest houses.You can read Elizabeth Bray Allen’s will here, and take a 3D tour of the entire house here! You can also see more photos and information about the house and the family...2022-03-2244 min
What'sHerNameTHE PHOTOJOURNALIST Elizabeth BeckerWhen 21 year-old Catherine Leroy hopped on a plane in Paris, headed for Vietnam, she had no idea what she was getting herself into. Despite having no experience of either war or photography, Leroy was determined to make her mark as a world-class combat photojournalist. And somehow, against all odds – and against massive opposition from most of her male colleagues, top-ranking military officers, and the press itself – she did it. But at what cost? Olivia brings us the story of this incredible, indomitable woman with guest Elizabeth Becker, author of You Don’t Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story...2022-03-0849 min
What'sHerNameTHE MOTHER OF FORENSIC SCIENCE Frances Glessner LeeFrances Glessner Lee was 52 years old when she discovered the mission that would become her legacy – to “convict the guilty, clear the innocent, and find the truth.” After five decades as a prominent social hostess (and innovative part-time artist) this indomitable woman took on centuries of entrenched medical and legal tradition to become the Mother of Forensic Science. And she did it – at least partially – with dollhouses?! Olivia speaks to guest Bruce Goldfarb, author of 18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Invented Modern Forensics.Experience a 360 degree virtual tour of the Nutshell Studies courtesy of the Smi...2022-02-0856 min
What'sHerNameVERSAILLES CHRISTMASTIDE Mary Stuart BoydMary Stuart Boyd spent Christmas 1900 in Versailles, not on a festive tour of the grand palace, but to stay with her 13-year-old son, quarantined there with scarlet fever. Her Versailles experience seems worlds away from today’s tourist mobs. The author of eight novels and three travel narratives, her delightful insights leave us amazed that no one’s ever heard of her. This year’s Christmas Special is read by Sophie Greenhalgh-Cook from Not For the Dinner Table.Music featured in this episode provided by Aaron Kenny, Esther Abrami, and Marc Nelson.Want to help us “ma...2021-12-2143 min
What'sHerNameTHE SCREENWRITER Frances MarionFrances Marion was one of the most important, influential, and well-paid screenwriters in Hollywood. Her films moved audiences to tears and brought out the best in every actor for whom she ever wrote. And when the switch to ‘talking pictures’ left most other silent film writers in the dust, Frances continued to astonish, creating dozens of the most famous and beloved films of the first half of the 20th century. So how come nobody remembers her name? Author Pam Munter takes Olivia on a whirlwind tour of the dramatic, cinema-worthy life of this remarkable woman.Guest Pam Munt...2021-12-0752 min
What'sHerNameTHE ORGANIZER Celia SánchezCelia Sánchez Manduley was probably the most important woman in the Cuban Revolution – yet outside of Cuba, almost nobody knows her name. The first woman to fire a shot in the revolution, and the brains behind the revolution’s complex logistics, she is known in Cuba as the powerful heart of a movement to “make people’s lives better.”Discover this astonishing story with our guest, Tiffany Sippial. Director of the Honors College and Professor of History at Auburn University, Tiffany Sippial published an award-winning book on Cuba in 2013 with the University of North Carolina Press and publish...2021-11-0845 min
What'sHerNameTHE FIRST ACCUSED TitubaSome say Tituba was the easy target in 1692, as an enslaved woman of color. But surprise! She confessed to witchcraft, offering elaborate descriptions of a widespread Satanic conspiracy. Her tales launched Salem, Massachusetts into an unparalleled witch mania. No one was safe…except Tituba herself. How did she start it all, and how did she escape? Join Katie on location in Salem, Massachusetts for this year’s Halloween special.Our guest, army vet, playwright, and military historian David Tullis guides off-the-beaten-track tours of Salem and works as a historical pewtersmith.Music featured in this episode by A...2021-10-2548 min
What'sHerNameBONUS EPISODE: Lost Women of England Tour 2021Come along with us on a virtual version of our September 2021 “Lost Women of England” Tour! Hear highlights from the trip, with context, commentary and other fun bonus content from Katie and Olivia, and “armchair travel” your way around the history of England with us in this special bonus episode.(Watch a video version of this episode with photos and visuals of the locations we’re discussing on our YouTube channel.) To join our next Women’s History Tour, watch this space for announcements on our upcoming Tours!Want to help us “make history”? Become a Patron or Dona...2021-09-2743 min
What'sHerNameGONE TO THE ENEMY EveWhat if you got to witness the birth of the American Revolution personally? If you got to hear the founding fathers debating liberty, rights, and the pursuit of happiness around the dining table? Eve heard and saw it all…because she was enslaved by one of the founding fathers. Eve kept her ears open, her eyes down, and then, she made her move. Join Katie on location in Williamsburg, Virginia for the astonishing story of Eve, GONE TO THE ENEMY.You can take an amazing virtual tour of the entire site complete with re-enactors!Illustration of...2021-08-0942 min
What'sHerNameTHE QUEEN OF THE COMSTOCK Eilley BowersYou’ve heard of the Gold Rush. You’ve maybe even heard of the Comstock Lode. But have you heard of the penniless Scottish lass who headed west, and while running a boarding house, struck the richest silver mine in American history? Eilley Bowers became one of the country’s wealthiest women. But Fortune is fickle, and the West was Wild! Join Katie on location with Tammy Buzick at Bowers Mansion near Carson City, Nevada for this surprising, cinematic tale.Music for this episode was provided by Half Pelican, Andy Reiner and Jon Sousa, and Ch...2021-07-1244 min
What'sHerNameTHE ROUND-THE-WORLD CYCLIST Annie LondonderryIn 1895, Annie Cohen embarked on a quest to become the first woman ever to cycle around the world. Did she make it? Yes! Were the newspapers engrossed in her story? Yes! Did she actually… um, cycle? Sometimes! By sheer grit, Annie made her life into something (literally) unbelievable. Peter Zheutlin, author of two books about Annie, tells Katie the tale of a woman who “didn’t run away to join the circus; she became the circus.” Newsreel and newspaper footage performed by James Henderson, Marc Nelson, and Sam Henderson.Guest Peter Zheutlin is a freelance journalis...2021-05-0346 min
What'sHerNameTHE ROADBUILDER K'awiil1400 years ago, traveling through the Maya rainforest was terrifying and deadly (think snakes, jaguars, and crocodiles). Now, new LiDAR scans have revealed a network of elevated ancient roads so sophisticated, some folks give aliens the credit. But the truth is much more interesting! K’awiil, visionary ruler of Coba, one of the great cities of the Maya Golden Age, built the first roads in the Americas. But did she do it to conquer her neighbors, or to help them? Join Katie on location in Coba, Mexico, with our guest Ezequiel May.Want to learn more? Here's an in...2021-03-2942 min
What'sHerNameTHE CAGED BIRD Florence PriceIn an abandoned house in Illinois, an astonishing treasure trove of handwritten sheet music was discovered in 2009. That cache was the life’s work of composer Florence Price, the first African-American woman to have her work performed by major orchestras. But Price’s story is so much bigger – and so much wilder! – than even that headline-grabbing discovery could show. Her astonishing contributions to classical music are finally getting the attention – and the praise – they deserve.Our guests are Dr. Guthrie Ramsey and Dr. Karen Walwyn, with music by Chineke! Orchestra, Dr. Ollie Watts Davis, Dr. Casey Robards, The Women’s P...2021-01-1851 min
What'sHerNameTHE ILLUSTRATOR Tasha TudorTasha Tudor’s charming and warm-hearted illustrations of over 100 books, plus her nostalgic advent calendars and Christmas cards, earned her devoted fans around the world. But her way of life fascinated people as much as her illustrations. Even though she lived to 2008, she lived with conscious intention as if it were 1830. Her life was rooted in simplicity, creativity, and taking it slow. In this Christmas Special, we read from her Christmas classic, Take Joy! – joining her family in a nostalgic month-long celebration of her favorite time of year.Music featured in this episode was provided by Marc Nels...2020-12-0737 min
What'sHerNameTHE LITTLE WOMAN May Alcott NierikerMay Alcott failed spectacularly countless times before becoming a great artist. Immortalized by her sister as the vain, vivacious Amy in Little Women, the real youngest “March” sister, May, was a conscientious, creative, and courageous artist whose enthusiastic energy lifted everyone around her. Travel with Katie to Orchard House, where the Alcotts lived 175 years ago, and see the world as May saw it: beautiful, joyful, and full of possibility.Guest Jan Turnquist is the executive director of Orchard House, and director and co-executive producer of the Emmy award-winning documentary Orchard House: Home of the Little Women.Mus...2020-11-0956 min
What'sHerNameTHE SPIRIT XtabayOnce upon a time in the Maya Yucatan, a kind, beautiful lady was murdered and left at the base of a tree. But that was just the beginning! Join Katie on-location in Valladolid, Mexico, as her guest Jesus Cetzal recounts the age-old story of Xtabay, who has been exacting her revenge in the Yucatan for centuries. Late at night, she lures drunken men to her ceiba tree, then drags them down into the Underworld!Guest Jesus Antonio Cupul Cetzal is native Maya from the little town of Yalcoba, Mexico. He studies in Valladolid, Yucatan, but everything he...2020-10-1241 min
What'sHerNameTHE LAST QUEEN OF JUDEA ShelamzionIt’s often assumed that women are scarce in the Hebrew Bible because they simply weren’t allowed to be major players back then. But the life of Shelamzion (aka Salome Alexandra) proves that wrong. She ruled ancient Judea in a period of extreme ideological polarization (um, hello). She stood up to her brutal husband to protect her people; then she stood up to her people to protect her enemies. Her reign was a Golden Age in Judea, so how come nobody’s ever heard of her?Our guest is Lauren Jacobs, a multi – award winning author, whose hi...2020-10-0143 min
What'sHerNameTHE FLOWER IN THE WATER Zazil-haDid Zazil-Ha know that her rebellious love affair would save not just her kingdom, but the entire Yucatec Maya for a generation? Together with her shipwrecked Spanish husband, Zazil-Ha built a life beyond anything the 16th-century world could imagine. Preparing her people for a Spanish invasion, she created a future for the Maya that was radically new. And in the process, she became the brave, strong mother of the mestizo race. Katie interviews Gabriel Cemé, on location in Yucatan, Mexico.A complete transcript of this episode is available here.Guest Gabriel Cemé is native Maya of...2020-09-1449 min
What'sHerNameTHE RESISTANCE Truus and Freddie OversteegenFreddie and Truus Oversteegen were just 14 and 16 years old when the Nazis invaded their hometown of Haarlem. Determined to do their part, the sisters joined the Dutch Resistance and began bombing trains, smuggling out Jewish children, and running refugee safehouses. But their most dangerous work by far was also the most unlikely for two young girls to ever take on: assassinating Nazi officers in broad daylight.Olivia interviews guest Sophie Poldermans, author of Seducing and Killing Nazis, to discover this astounding true story of courage, camaraderie, and the fight to stay human in inhuman times....2020-08-3155 min
What'sHerNameTHE REBORN Jemima Wilkinson & Publick Universal FriendJemima Wilkinson, born in 1752, was a devout Quaker and skilled medical practitioner in colonial Rhode Island. When a typhus outbreak in 1776 left her feverish and near death, she experienced a series of dramatic religious visions. When the fever finally cleared, the person who rose from Wilkinson’s sickbed declared that Jemima Wilkinson was gone (dead?) and had been replaced by Publick Universal Friend, a genderless evangelist who would become a wildly influential and popular preacher throughout New England. Publick Universal Friend would launch a completely unique (and distinctly American) religious movement, and Friend’s teachings and social influence would perm...2020-06-2242 min
What'sHerNameTHE PEACEMAKER Queen MatildaFor a thousand years, March 14th has been celebrated as St. Matilda’s Day in Quedlinburg, Germany. She was celebrated as a Peacemaker in her time, and has been a unifying figure ever since. Discover with us the remarkable story of Queen Matilda, who inspires Protestants and Catholics to gather together to celebrate her, even today. (Hint: she wielded words to end violence, and once talked a deer into puking up a wine bottle.)Our guest Dr Thomas Wozniak was born in Quedlinburg and grew up as an active Catholic under the communist regime of the GDR. Wh...2020-06-0844 min
What'sHerNameTHE ABSENCE Maria Branwell BrontëMaria Branwell Brontë most famously exists as an absence — the mother whose biggest, or only, influence resides in her “not being there there” during the lives of her famous daughters Charlotte, Emily and Anne. For 200 years scholars believed there wasn’t enough material for a biography of Maria. But author Sharon Wright believed there had to be more to find, if only she “went looking properly.” And what she found is truly remarkable.Olivia interviews returning guest Sharon Wright as we meet The Mother of the Brontës.Guest Sharon Wright is a British journalist, playwright and...2020-05-2548 min
What'sHerNameTHE STORYTELLER Mae Timbimboo ParryMae Timbimboo was just eight years old when she entered a US federal boarding school designed to “kill the Indian to save the child.” The government hoped Native children like Mae would “assimilate” into Euro-American culture, but that certainly didn’t work on Mae. Instead, she harnessed her education to give voice to her people’s history. She told the world that they had the 1863 “Battle of Bear River” all wrong: it was a massacre. Our guest Darren Parry, Chairman of the Northwest Shoshone Nation, explores the power of storytelling in the life of his ancestor.Mae Timbimboo Parry’...2020-05-1147 min
What'sHerNameTHE ANCESTORS Mother's Day SpecialWhat’sHerName presents our very first Mother’s Day Special! Come “meet the ancestors” as six What’sHerName listeners introduce some truly remarkable women from their own family history!From Ukraine to Japan, Uzbekistan to Mexico, we’re traveling around the world, and through 275 years, to discover these amazing ancestors in this special double episode. Our guests are What’sHerName listeners Irit Namatinya, Susan Stone, Lisa Williamson, Adrienne, Sachiko Burton, and Michelle Thorley.Rosalia and her daughter Sophia survived Nazi invasion, a train explosion, a month in a swamp, and famine and disease in a rural Russian...2020-04-271h 18
What'sHerNameTHE SURGEON James BarryWhat would you sacrifice for a chance to chase your dream? Two hundred years ago in Ireland, penniless Margaret Bulkley shed her identity to live a big, bold, loud life as army surgeon James Barry, and took that secret (almost) to the grave. And by keeping his secret, Barry helped — even saved — suffering people across the world.Hear this incredible story recorded on location at the Old Operating Theater Museum and Herb Garret in London with our guest, Dr. Monica A Walker.Guest Monica A. Walker has a Ph.D. in the History of Art from...2020-04-1352 min
What'sHerNameTHE WOMAN IN RED Anita GaribaldiAnita Garibaldi is celebrated as a national heroine in three countries and on two continents. Yet the true stories of her remarkable, almost unbelievable life have seldom been told, and her legacy has been claimed, and used, by generations of men since her death in 1849. Hear the astonishing life of the “mother of Italy,” Brazilian gaucho revolutionary Anita Garibaldi.Our guest is Diana Giovinazzo, author of the forthcoming novel The Woman in Red and co-creator of Wine, Women and Words, a weekly literary podcast featuring interviews with authors over a glass of wine. Diana is active within her l...2020-03-3049 min
What'sHerNameTHE VIKING Coppergate WomanDive into the stinky filth of everyday Viking life as Katie presents Olivia with a mystery. It’s not so much a Whodunnit as a WhoWASit: the skeleton of a woman found in a shallow grave on the banks of York’s River Foss. What can her bones, and all the other delightfully disgusting bits of evidence from Viking York, tell us about the mysterious Coppergate Woman?Katie is on location at the Jorvik Viking Center in York, England, with guest Dr. Chris Tuckley. Chris Tuckley received his PhD at the Institute for Medieval Studies, University of Leed...2020-02-2445 min
What'sHerNameTHE MOTHER OlympiasIf you’ve heard anything at all about the Ancient Macedonian Queen Olympias, it’s probably that she’s the mother of Alexander the Great. If you’ve heard anything else about her, it’s probably about her, uh…fondness…for snakes. But there’s so much more to this remarkable woman than just sons and snake cults! Join us for the story of Olympias, a woman of remarkable courage, brilliance, loyalty, innovation, and confidence as we travel back in time with guest Kate Armstrong, host of the wonderful women’s history podcast The Exploress.Guest Kate J. Armstrong is a...2020-02-1051 min
What'sHerNameTHE SORCERER GunnhildLong ago, in the far north of Lapland, a young woman learned the secrets of sorcery from two warlocks. At least that’s what the Icelandic sagas say. The woman would become Gunnhild, infamous Viking sorcerer whose dark magic served her lifelong pursuit of vengeance and power. Viking burials have been found that contain all the trappings of magic, so we know that the Vikings believed her immense power was real. But Gunnhild never got her own saga: she only appears in supporting roles, in sagas about men. What can we extract from the sagas about Gunnhild’s life, and...2020-01-2744 min
What'sHerNameTHE FREE WOMAN Harriet JacobsWhen Harriet Jacobs’ enslaver threatened to sell her children away to the plantation unless she accepted his sexual abuse, she decided the only way to keep them safe was to run. But with no resources and no way to get north, where could she go instead? The answer is an astonishing one. Jacobs’ story is one of the most dramatic and remarkable ‘slave narratives’ in United States history, yet for over 100 years, everyone believed it was fiction. Discover the incredible life and astonishing history of Harriet Jacobs, author of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and a powerful...2020-01-1345 min
What'sHerNameTHE ROPEMAKER Mary Pattison IrwinIn the moment when Mary Pattison locked eyes with dashing American solider John Irwin across the ballroom at the St. Patrick’s Day Ball in 1784, her destiny was set. Married by the end of the gala and on a ship to the brand new nation of the USA two weeks later, she would set up the first “Rope Walk,” rope manufacturer in the small frontier town of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her foresight, skill and ambition would assure her family’s place as one of the “pillars of the city” but history would erase her name and give her husband the credit. But...2019-12-3036 min
What'sHerNameWHITE HOUSE HOLIDAY Mary Donelson WilcoxLate in life, Mary Donelson Wilcox recalled a magical childhood Christmas she spent at the White House with her elderly uncle, President Andrew Jackson. Her captivating memoirs paint a picture of a surprisingly global White House, with servants from around the world, and a surprisingly warm and playful President Jackson. Mary offers us a rare glimpse at Christmas in the early 19th century–when stockings, Santa Claus, and focusing the holiday on children were all delightfully novel ideas.A digitized copy of Wilcox’s memoir is available free here. Text for this broadcast has been edited for cont...2019-12-1633 min
What'sHerNameTHE WOMAN IN THE CHALK Cranborne WomanEvidence of human life in the Stone Age is incredibly rare, so when Martin Green uncovered a Neolithic burial site on his Dorset farm, the whole world took notice. The skeletons inside were astonishingly well-preserved: one woman and three children were nestled in together. What can these bones tell us about life in Stone-Age Britain for the mysterious “Cranborne Woman”? Our guest Professor Janet Montgomery has developed lab techniques that reveal surprising biographical details, showing that even 5,000 years ago, this woman’s saga was a familiar human tale.More information on the dig site and the discovery of Cra...2019-12-0244 min
What'sHerNameTHE ACCIDENTAL ACTIVIST Sybil StockdaleIn 1965, Sybil Stockdale was a mild-mannered Navy wife in Southern California. But after her husband’s plane was shot down over Vietnam, she would become one of the most important and effective activists in American history. Her organization, The National League of Families, fought for nearly a decade to bring home nearly one thousand POWs who were being held by North Vietnam in conditions of extreme deprivation and torture. Throwing out their military handbooks’ useless advice on shrimp forks and hairstyles, these remarkable women used the powerful new medium of television to leverage their own position, became covert operatives who...2019-11-1841 min
What'sHerNameTHE WITCH Mother ShiptonIt was a dark and stormy night, many centuries ago. In a cave on the edge of a haunted wood, a monstrous baby was born, and instead of crying, she cackled! No one would have expected the baby to thrive, but she grew to become Mother Shipton, England’s most famous witch. Hear the amazing story of the deformed, friendless child who took on the most powerful men in the kingdom, and won!Travel with Katie on location at Mother Shipton’s Cave (with a pool that turns things to stone!) with guest Jay Stelling for our Hall...2019-10-0743 min
What'sHerNameTHE PHARAOH TawosretHer story might be one of ambition and regicide, or one of a woman manipulated by an evil puppetmaster. Or it might be both! Travel with us back in time three thousand years, where our guest, Egyptologist Kara Cooney, introduces us to that most enigmatic (and overlooked) New Kingdom pharaoh, Tawosret.A complete transcript of this episode is available here.Dr. Kathlyn (Kara) Cooney is a professor of Egyptian Art and Architecture at UCLA. Her latest book, When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt, explores the lives of six remarkable female pharaohs. She...2019-09-2343 min
What'sHerNameTHE PAPER DAUGHTER How JiuHow Jiu was never supposed to go to America. But in an incredible twist of fate during China’s Civil War in 1928, she set sail for San Francisco, never to return to her family again. Only 18 years old and traveling under a false identity, How Jiu had to pass a gueling test before she was allowed to enter the United States. Hear the surprising story of the Chinese immigration experience, recorded on location at Angel Island’s historic Immigration Station in the San Francisco Bay.Want to learn more about How Jiu’s experience and those of other...2019-09-0944 min
What'sHerNameTHE EMPEROR Wu Zhao (Wu Zetian)Over 2000 years of history, China had exactly one female emperor. Wu Zhao (also known as Wu Zetian) rose from fifth-ranked concubine (a glorified maid) to supreme ruler, effectively governing China for over fifty years. Her reign was one of the most peaceful and productive periods of the Tang Dynasty, so why does history remember her as a bloodthirsty, sexually depraved tyrant? Learn about this enigmatic, fascinating woman with our guest, Wu Zhao biographer and Professor of Chinese History, N. Harry Rothschild. Consultation and voiceovers for this episode provided by Dr. Xiao Jing Miao, Research Fellow at Oxford U...2019-08-2647 min
What'sHerNameTHE ADMIRAL BouboulinaThe first flag of the Greek Revolution was raised by Laskarina Bouboulina on the mast of her ship, The Agamemnon, in 1821. Commanding a fleet of ships from her island of Spetses, she blockaded the greatest strongholds of the Ottoman Empire in the name of liberty. She personally led her troops into battle, wielding a sword and ferocious will. Bouboulina’s story is legendary in Greece, on par with George Washington’s in America.Our guest is Vassiliki Opsimouli who worked as tour guide at Bouboulina’s Museum on Spetses. They have generous provided our listeners with this brochu...2019-08-1238 min
What'sHerNameTHE FARMER Cherokee America RogersMargaret Verble ‘found’ Cherokee America Rogers in a cemetery while visiting her grandfather’s grave. This “jaw-dropping” name sparked a journey into her own family history, the neglected stories of the Civil War in Indian Territory, and her newest novel, Cherokee America. Discover the remarkable woman behind this remarkable name, and the under-told and misunderstood history of Cherokee women in the nineteenth century. Margaret Verble, author of Maud’s Line and Cherokee America, and enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, introduces Olivia to her story.A full transcript of this episode is available here.Guest Marga...2019-07-2927 min
What'sHerNameTHE ORACLE PythiaAncient kings and rulers from across the world traveled to the remote mountain town Delphi, Greece, to visit a nameless elderly peasant woman. They made the trek because she alone could see the future, and channeled the voice of god. Her words made world leaders change the course of their lives, but no one ever documented who she really was. Travel with us on location to Delphi, Greece, to reenact an ancient visit to Pythia, the oracle of Delphi.Katie is on location with guest Dimitrios Georgaras, who has been “listening to the harmony” at Delphi for fort...2019-07-1547 min
What'sHerNameTHE PSYCHOANALYST Sabina SpielreinSabina Spielrein was one of the first female psychoanalysts, “invented” child psychology, and innovated some of the most famous concepts now attributed to Jung and Freud.So why don’t we know her name? Learn how an accident of translation (and some sexism and antisemitism on the side) erased this powerhouse from our bookshelves and our classrooms — and why it’s more than time to bring her back! Olivia interviews Angela Sells, author of Sabina Spielrein: The Woman and the Myth. Dr Sells has generously shared her Timeline of Events in Spielrein’s life with our readers. A complete t...2019-07-0137 min
What'sHerNameTHE POET Hester PulterIn 1996, a graduate student working in a library in England discovered the manuscript of a novel and 120 poems by completely unknown 17th century woman writer. Hester Pulter had been hiding in plain sight for four centuries. Now a dedicated team of scholars is sharing her work with the world.“Then being enfranchised, free as my verse,I shall surround this spacious universe,Until by other atoms thrust and hurledWe give a being to another world.”Hear the story of this astonishing discovery, and the astonishing woma...2019-05-0643 min
What'sHerNameTHE WHITE ROSE Sophie SchollIn Nazi Germany, resistance was not just forbidden, it was deadly. But in 1942, a group of young college students went from enthusiastic supporters of the Third Reich to some of its most vocal opponents, publishing thousands of leaflets calling Hitler a criminal, and attempting to start a student revolt. Though their dream of a revolution never became reality, their courageous stance in the face of evil has become legendary in Germany, and their story continues to inspire and influence generations of young people around the world. Olivia interviews author Kip Wilson, whose wonderful new YA novel-in-verse White Rose tells...2019-03-2542 min
What'sHerNameTHE MUSE Carolyn CassadyCarolyn Cassady was an artist, costume designer, writer, and critical influence on the members of the Beat Generation. Her marriage to Neal Cassady and her friendships with Jack Kerouac and other prominent members of the Beats have long overshadowed her own life and accomplishments, but with the recent publication of new manuscripts discovered after her death that is finally beginning to change. An astonishingly talented and prolific creative force, Carolyn Cassady’s legacy of determination, strength, and uniquely creative work is finally being recognized as she emerges from the shadow of “the guys.” Our guests are Cathy Cassady, eldest daught...2019-02-1144 min
What'sHerNameTHE SCULPTOR Edmonia LewisWhat if you had a vision for your life, but absolutely everyone around you told you it was impossible? Edmonia Lewis lived a life so improbable, that if we didn’t have the actual evidence that she really existed, we’d never believe it! The orphaned daughter of a Native American mother and Caribbean father in mid 19th century America, she set out on the most unlikely path: to become a famed classical sculptor in Rome, all while people of her race were literally enslaved in her homeland. Her journey to gain the education that was denied her, to buy...2019-01-2840 min
What'sHerNameTHE EMPRESS Nur JahanNur Jahan was the only Empress in the history of the Mughal Empire. Reigning as an equal with her husband Jahangir, she was the only woman to issue executive orders, mint coins, or lead an army — and her tiger-hunting skills were legendary. Though she was one of the most influential leaders in 17th century Asia, for centuries her legacy has been reduced to a love story that ends where her real adventure began–at her marriage to Emperor Jahangir. With our guest Dr. Ruby Lal, author of the new book Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan, we discover the i...2018-11-1935 min
What'sHerNameWITCHES & MEDIUMS & GHOSTS, OH MY!Our 2018 Halloween Special brings back four of our most popular guests with four new stories of hauntings, mysterious deaths, witch hunts, and seances to bring you many spooky returns of the season!In 1612, ten people were hanged as witches in Lancashire, England, sentenced to death because of the testimony of a 9 year old girl. The eight women and two men Jennet Device accused included her mother, grandmother, sister and brother, and the trial of Old Demdike and her “coven” would become infamous around the world. Guest Mary Sharratt retold the story of the Pendle Witches in her nove...2018-10-2253 min
What'sHerNameTHE TRUE LOVE Dorothy OsborneIn this episode, a 17th-century tale of true love and extreme patience. Dorothy Osborne and William Temple fell deeply in love, but her family forbade the match. For years, while Dorothy’s creepily overbearing brother presented her with suitor after suitor of his own choosing, Dorothy and William faithfully sent each other secret love letters. Dorothy’s letters survive, and reveal the story of her escape from the clutches of her possessive brother in pursuit of “happily ever after.” Katie interviews Professor Bernard Capp, foremost expert on 17th-century Britain and author of the new book, The Ties That Bind.A d...2018-09-2438 min
What'sHerNameTHE SINGLE LADY Marjorie HillisMarjorie Hillis’ surprise bestseller Live Alone and Like It was a sensation when it was published in 1936. Determined to shift the narrative around singleness and encourage women to make active choices about their lives, Hillis used the insights gained in her decades as an editor for Vogue to empower single women to enjoy their single years instead of viewing them as an embarrassment. Her innovative ideas about relationships, female empowerment, friendship and career are still relevant today, and her witty, irresistible writing made her books mandatory reads for everyone in the 30s, men and women, married and single alike. Di...2018-09-1034 min
What'sHerNameTHE MARTYRS Perpetua and FelicitasWhen your heart tells you to do one thing, and your parents tell you to do another, what do you do? 22-year-old Perpetua faced this dilemma 1,800 years ago in ancient Carthage. She faced a grisly death in an ancient Roman arena with her slave, Felicitas, at her side. Their tale is full of bizarre twists, gladiators, preemie babies, religious visions, and even a “most ferocious cow.” Katie interviews Eliza Rosenberg, Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow in Religious Studies at Utah State University, where she teaches courses in world religions, biblical studies, Judaism, Christianity, and Greek.Browse a truly comprehensive coll...2018-08-2736 min
What'sHerNameTHE LADY NOVELIST Constance Fenimore WoolsonConstance Fenimore Woolson was one of the most popular writers of the 19th century. Though her life was full of drama, excitement and fame, for nearly a hundred years she’s been known only for the story of her death. Our guest, Dr. Anne Boyd Rioux, is changing that with her biography of Woolson, Portrait of a Lady Novelist. We join forces to help put this astonishingly brilliant writer “back in the canon.”Olivia interviews Anne Boyd Rioux, author of Constance Fenimore Woolson: Portrait of a Lady Novelist.Guest Anne Boyd Rioux is the author or edi...2018-08-1339 min
What'sHerNameTHE ASTRONOMER Caroline HerschelCaroline Herschel lived a real-life Cinderella story. Except instead of marrying a handsome prince, she became a world-renowned astronomer! Her brutal childhood of servitude and misery stunted her growth, disfigured her face and blinded her in one eye. But Caroline Herschel’s story is an incredibly beautiful tale of triumph and achievement. Her astonishing work in Astronomy (she discovered a planet, for one!) led to international renown. And she lived happily ever after.Join Katie with Joseph Middleton on location at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath, England. This episode also features excerpts from Caroline Herschel’s me...2018-07-3045 min
What'sHerNameTHE COMPOSER Alma MahlerAlma Schindler Mahler was a brilliant composer, pianist, and “influencer” who has largely been remembered only for the men with whom she had relationships. Her musical compositions are finally beginning to be recognized for their brilliance and performed on stage in the past few years, and her reputation as a “femme fatale” is long overdue for an overhaul. The “It Girl” of turn of the century Vienna, Alma Schindler was a famed wit, a renowned beauty, and a gifted pianist whose highest ambition, despite the restrictions put on her musical education, was to be a composer. After giving up her own work...2018-07-1637 min
What'sHerNameTHE BAKER Sally LunnSally Lunn was born in France, but moved to Bath, England in 1680 to escape religious persecution. She brought with her a special skill: baking delicious brioche-style bread. Developing her own unique recipe, she sold her buns in the streets of Bath, soon becoming famous for the “Sally Lunn Bun.”Fast-forward 350 years to the 1930s: a baker in Bath with a love of archaeology decided to excavate the ground beneath his own house. What he uncovered resurrected the story of Sally Lunn and revealed in microcosm the whole history of Britain! Come along on a tour of the oldest house in B...2018-07-0233 min
What'sHerNameTHE SAXON Hrotsvitha of GandersheimLiving in Saxony 1100 years ago, in a culture much like the Vikings, Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim probably witnessed violence against women all the time. Violence was a part of society, and she retreated to an intellectual life. But there, too, she found violence against women in the ancient Roman plays she was reading. If she couldn’t change society, at least she could change the plays! She rewrote them, altering the plots so that the women emerged victorious! Katie interviews Mark Damen, Professor of Classics at Utah State University and translator of several of Hrotsvitha’s plays.Guest Mark...2018-06-0439 min
What'sHerNameTHE MAID OF MONTEREY Maria Ruiz de BurtonMaria Ruiz de Burton was a writer, entrepreneur and businesswoman, and the first Mexican-American woman to publish a novel in English. Born in 1832 in Baja California, Mexico to a prominent Spanish family, Maria Amparo Ruiz was fifteen when the Mexican-American war ended and California became part of the United States. She married the commander of the American forces that invaded Baja shortly after the end of the war, and his career took them all over the United States, giving her an insider view at every level of American society. Her sentimental novels disguised pointed critiques of American culture and...2018-04-1635 min
What'sHerNameTHE REVOLUTIONARY ACTRESS Sahib Gizzatullina A classic story of a young woman defying her parents to follow her heart, but with a fascinating Russian twist! Sahib Gizzatullina lived for the stage, introducing Russian audiences to theater for the first time in their lives. She and her penniless traveling theater troupe experienced all the passion, heartbreak, and drama that you’d expect from a roving band of actors. But they did it during Russia’s most turbulent time: through the reign–and murder–of Tzar Nicholas II, through both world wars, the Bolshevik revolution and the rise of the USSR.Katie interviews guest Danielle...2018-04-0938 min
What'sHerNameTHE PHILOSOPHER Margaret CavendishFour hundred years ago, Margaret Cavendish dared to contemplate the biggest philosophical questions of her day. Brilliant and bold, she wrote 21 books despite being dismissed or mocked by the almost entirely male intellectual community. A famously eccentric dresser, she and her husband hosted high-society parties at their fantastical castle, but she was also paralyzed by bashfulness and dreaded talking to people. She hoped that her intellectual works would lead to eternal fame, but she remained quite ignored until recent scholars dug her books out of the shadows.Guest Dr. Rachel Robison-Greene earned her PhD from the University...2018-01-2944 min
What'sHerNameTHE UNSINKABLE Margaret "Molly" BrownMargaret "Molly" Brown is often cited as the quintessential American rags-to-riches story. Born to poor Irish immigrants in Missouri, Margaret went on to become one of the wealthiest women in the country. She cemented her place in history through her heroism on the disastrous maiden voyage of the Titanic, but her life story is a compelling and unusual tale of character, compassion and just the right amount of bull-headedness. Her story is fully worthy of the many films, books and musicals which have born her name (even if that isn’t really her name, and most don’t in any...2018-01-2243 min
What'sHerNameTHE PRINCESS Te Puea HerangiTe Puea Herangi was one of the most important and influential Maori leaders of the 20th century. Born into the family of the Maori King, she was a tireless activist for her people. Her work to assure economic prosperity in the Waikato region, her fierce battles for justice for Maori communities harmed by illegal land seizures, and her passionate dedication to Maori cultural revival assure that she will long be remembered as a critical voice in New Zealand history. Olivia interviews Dr. Gina Colvin.Guest Gina Colvin is New Zealand Māori of Ngāti Porou and Ng...2018-01-1543 min
What'sHerNameTHE BOOK MISSIONARY Mary Lemist TitcombMary Lemist Titcomb was a pioneering librarian at the turn of the 20th century, when public libraries were first appearing in America. Believing strongly in the power of books, especially for children in far-flung places, she invented America’s first Bookmobile: a horse-drawn, specially constructed book-wagon to bring books to remote farms in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Her triumphs over prejudice and disaster resulted in nationwide bookmobile programs that continue to affect the lives of millions globally.*Correction–in this episode Glenn stated that Titcomb was only four feet tall. She misspoke, Titcomb was actually five feet tall...2018-01-0834 min
What'sHerNameTHE SAINT Margaret ClitherowMargaret Clitherow’s life – and death – were shaped by the religious upheavals of the Protestant Reformation in Elizabethan (16th century) England. A devoted Catholic in a time and place where Catholicism was illegal, she played a powerful role in a kind of “spy” network secretly harboring Catholic priests in the city of York. When a young boy living in her household exposed her secrets, she was imprisoned and then executed by the gruesome method of being pressed to death. She is now Saint Margaret Clitherow, one of only 3 female martyrs of the English Reformation–the other 197 are male.Katie inte...2018-01-0135 min
What'sHerNameWhat'sHerName trailerCommitted to reclaiming forgotten history, What’sHerName podcast tells the stories of fascinating women you’ve never heard of (but should have). Hosted and produced by academic sisters Dr. Katie Nelson and Olivia Meikle, What'sHerName brings back the “lost” women of history through compelling interviews with guest historians, writers, and scholars. Fascinating and funny, thought-provoking and thoughtful, What’sHerName restores women’s voices to the conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2017-12-3100 min