In this podcast from the Kansas Museum of History, the curators examine a classic folly in the world of exercise equipment: the belt vibrator. The podcast also includes an overview of the history of the creation of the machine and a brief discussion of its usefulness as a weight-loss device.
From the Kansas State Historical Society website:
"One of the most popular syndicated comic strips in the mid-20th century was Walt Kelly's "Pogo." It offered a satirical take on society and politics. This original strip from 1954 introduced readers to a mythical Kansas bird, the Jayhawk."
From the Kansas State Historical Society website:
"Baseball has long been known as America's pastime, but like many of our country's institutions, it has a history of racial segregation. Today we consider a program from a 1950s game between two Negro Leagues teams."
From PBS:
William "Buffalo Bill" Cody's legendary exploits helped create the myth of the American West—one that endures today. In 1883, he transformed himself into a master showman, creating and starring in a world-famous traveling show that brought the "real" Wild West to life. Part circus, part history, "Buffalo Bill's Wild West" toured for three decades, playing to enthusiastic crowds across the United States and Europe. Richard Ben Cramer narrates this American Experience documentary.
From PBS:
Baseball great Roberto Clemente's talent and inimitable style drew legions of fans, but as this American Experience production reveals, he was more than an exceptional baseball player. He was also a committed humanitarian who challenged racial discrimination and worked for social justice.
From PBS:
Despite his boxy build, stumpy legs, scraggly tail, and ungainly gait, Seabiscuit was one of the most remarkable thoroughbred racehorses in history. His fabulously wealthy owner Charles Howard, his famously silent and stubborn trainer Tom Smith, and the two hard-bitten, gifted jockeys who rode him to glory turned Seabiscuit into a national hero.
This American Experience looks at the success of the 1930s racehorse Seabiscuit, and at Depression-era society.
PBS' documentary series American Experience looks at the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. Amelia Earhart disappeared in 1937 while she was attempting to circumnavigate the world by airplane.
From the Bowery Boys website:
"It's time for our third annual 'ghost stories' episode, our mix of historical facts and spooky legends from the annals of New York's past. For this round of scary tales, we visit a famous 19th century townhouse haunted by a lonely spinster, a West Village speakeasy with some guests who still haven't gone home, and the site of a former restaurant that might be possessed with the spirit of a famous folk singer. ALSO: we go back all the way to New Amsterdam for an old legend involving Peter Stuyvesant, a turbulent river, and the Devil himself!"
From the Library of Congress website:
"In the early 1960s, the multitalented musician, filmmaker, and photographer John Cohen journeyed to eastern Kentucky to document the songs of church-goers, miners, and farmers, and the rural community that produced and sustained their uniquely American sound. The result was The High Lonesome Sound, a classic 1963 documentary film than evocatively illustrates how music and religion help Appalachian people maintain their dignity and traditions in the face of change and hardship. Featuring master traditional musician Roscoe Holcomb, Cohen's film also documented how different musical strands are synthesized in the playing of an individual performer. In this presentation, Cohen discussed the making of his influential documentary, its initial reception, and its continued impact in the shaping of documentary filmmaking and ethnographic research on traditional culture both in the United States and abroad."
Kansas Museum of History curators talk about the history of a worn metal desk in the museum's collection. The desk was used as a prop on the 1970s television show The Mary Tyler Moore Show.