WEIRD HISTORY
Photo: Unknown/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0. Was the real Lone Ranger African American? Most likely, yes – and his name was Bass Reeves. By Melissa Sartore – Bass Reeves was born into slavery in 1838 in Arkansas but later became one of the most successful and …
By Genevieve Carlton – On September 29, 1929, the USSR had its last Sunday for 11 years. In an effort to boost productivity and eliminate religion, Josef Stalin instituted a new Soviet calendar, known as the Soviet Eternal Calendar. Under the Soviet Union’s …
Dubbed “America’s Cowboy Philosopher,” Rogers was a vaudeville, newspaper, radio and movie star By Sarah Wells – In today’s media landscape, we’re used to seeing Jacks and Janes of all trades — celebrities writing memoirs, starring in movies or expressing their 2 a.m. thoughts …
By Genevieve Carlton – Everyone’s heard of Lucille Ball and I Love Lucy. But not as many people are familiar with Desilu Studios, and even fewer know the true story behind Lucille Ball and Star Trek. In fact, according to an influential studio executive, Star Trek never would …
By Melissa Sartore – Why did the US want Hawaii? With even a glance at its sensual beaches and lush jungles, it’s no surprise that the scenic islands have always been desirable. But as with any story of settlement, the development of Hawaii didn’t come …
“We know that a lot of innovation is coming out during that time period.” By Nina Pullano – Over a thousand years ago, the Maya civilization was dealing with an unpredictable climate. In response to natural obstacles including overpopulation and drought, the Maya …
It gave them access to water, drainage, and ready building materials. By Sarah Wells – Machu Picchu, the 600-year-old Incan citadel in modern-day Perú, is notoriously hard to get to. Built on a narrow ridge in the Andes Mountains, this UNESCO world heritage …
In more than a dozen countries as far apart as Portugal and Russia, ‘Smith’ is the most popular occupational surname. By Frank Jacobs – Image: Marcin Ciura. ‘Smith’ is not just the most common surname in many English-speaking countries In local translations, …
A new study casts doubt on historical lore. By Sarah Sloat – The saying goes that history is written by the victors. But sometimes that history is written inaccurately by the disease-bearing colonizers who defeated the original (and supposed) victors. Case in point: …
No wonder the dinosaurs didn’t survive. By Passant Rabie – The day a massive asteroid hit our planet about 65 million years ago may have been the most chaotic day on Earth, and we’re not just talking about the mass extinction part. New …
