Josephine Baker’s career was centered in Europe because of the racism she faced in the US. She became the most successful entertainer in her beloved France, transforming over time from an exotic dancer into a film star and opera singer. She was the first black woman to star in a major motion picture, the 1927 silent film Siren of the Tropics; and, at the height of her career, it is believed she was the wealthiest black woman alive. Far more than just an entertainer, during WWII Josephine was active in the French Resistance. Known as the “creole goddess,” she used her celebrity to gain access to high-ranking Axis officials and told her resistance colleagues who thought her actions were sometimes too bold, “Oh, nobody will think I’m a spy.” Back in the US several times after the war, she became involved with the Civil Rights Movement and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She also spoke alongside Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1963 March on Washington.Support Ballsy History

If you think that a group of warriors living in the late 8th to the late 11th centuries would stink to high heaven because of all the rowing and decapitating, you'd be wrong. Vikings were actually very hygienic—bathing weekly and changing their clothes frequently. Culturally, they faced pressure to look put together that manifested through frequent wardrobe changes. Still, one of their habits might just make your teeth hurt.Support Ballsy History

If the list of female scientists you can think of starts and ends with Marie Curie, it’s not just you. It’s more likely “The Matilda Effect.” Like a self-fulfilling prophecy, Matilda recognizes that, on a personal level, undermining a person’s achievements affects their future performance. But on a societal level, discounting and underestimating the contributions of women prevents them from succeeding. And what about all those lost stories of women? We’ll be sharing a few that deserve a chance to grab their glory with you today. Support Ballsy History

Today on our show we’ll learn about Mabel Stark, one of the first female animal trainers. She was active for over sixty years and survived eighteen maulings during her career. In fact, it is notable that she lived through so many attacks considering the depth of her wounds—and the fact that penicillin was not commonly available until the late 1930s. During the 1920's she moved from circus to circus and husband to husband, avoiding the jaws of the Big Cats and possibly fate itself. But her love of big cats proved to be her ultimate undoing.Support Ballsy History

Today on our show we’ll learn about Cesare Lombroso’s biological theories of crime and the ways "the father of criminology" was the first person to make crime and criminals a specific area of study. Now, more than one hundred years after his death, there has been an upswing in studying the biological causes of criminal behavior once again. People will never tire of trying to determine the roots of a criminal’s actions.Support Ballsy History

Charlotta was a staunch advocate for civil liberties, women's rights, and immigration. Because of her civil rights work, her life was threatened numerous times. Additionally, the FBI placed her under surveillance, leading to files several binders thick—and they labelled her a communist. She had a long career as editor and publisher of the West Coast’s oldest Black newspaper, The California Eagle, and used her platform to push for hospitals to hire black nurses and to fight against racist housing covenants. Her work and life helped create a path for many others to follow.Support Ballsy History

The first recorded incident of insects used in a criminal investigation was in 13th-century China when a farmer was found murdered and all the suspects were told to place their sickles on the ground. One had blood on it that was invisible to the naked eye, but that was enough—it attracted blow flies which resulted in confession by the murderer. Forensic entomology is the study of insects in criminal investigations and it helps provide a longer term window into when a person died than body temperature and rigor mortis. In fact, insect colonizers can be used to estimate the time interval between death and corpse discovery, movement of the body, the manner and cause of death, and possible association to suspects at the death scene. Not bad for a bunch of tiny bugs.Support Ballsy History

Spiritualism began during the 1840s in Hydesville, NY and adherents believe spirits of the dead can and do want to communicate with the living. By 1897, Spiritualism had more than 8 million followers, including: Queen Victoria, Mary Todd Lincoln, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Victorian seances were presided over by mediums who could dictate the spirits’ message by means of rapping or knocking. Talking Boards, also known as witch, spirit, oracle or channeling boards were sometimes used. As talking boards became more mainstream and needed no medium, they soon found their way into many American homes.Support Ballsy HistoryLinks:The First State Bed of Henry VII & Elizabeth of York on Vimeo — An investigation into the fascinating discovery of the first State Bed of Henry VII & Elizabeth of York. We recently completed production on a long-form documentary, presented by author and TV personality Jonathan Foyle, about “The Bed Of Roses”. This fascinating bed is one of the most significant examples of Tudor furniture in existence today, and it’s iconography sheds new light on our understating of the Tudor Monarchy. The film represents the culmination of many years of in depth research where a team of experts, including Jonathan and the beds current owner, have decoded the bed’s story via its iconography and symbolism. The will be used extensively to tell the story of the bed to academics, historians and anyone with interest in the Tudor period.

In 2014, builders converting the Redland House Hotel dismantled a bed during renovations and were ready to leave it out for trash pick up when it was suggested maybe the wooden four poster ought to go up for auction. So they left it in the car park ready for collection by the auctioneers—and everyone was completely oblivious about its true value. What nobody predicted at the time was this was actually the earliest royal bed in the country and one of the most significant artifacts of early Tudor history. How on Earth did such a significant piece of history wind up not only lost, but nearly destroyed?Support Ballsy History

If you’ve ever sat in a darkened movie theater chances are you’ve also balanced a bag of popcorn on your lap while indulging in fistfulls of the salty snack people love so much. Ornate movie palaces with crystal chandeliers, marble-lined hallways, billiards rooms, and even drop-off daycare centers drew wealthier customers and were initially intolerant of messy and disruptive snacks. In fact, this—the original clandestine movie snack—didn’t make it out into the open until once movies became “talkies” with the film’s sound covering the noises of people eating. But, let’s roll time back even further and learn about maize being cultivated 8,000 years ago and how this evolved into such a tasty treat. Support Ballsy History