How Joyce Chen Helped The US Fall In Love With Chinese Food

This week in 1917, the birthday of Joyce Chen, restaurateur, cookbook author, TV host and one of the biggest reasons why Chinese food became a big hit in the United States.

Jackie Ormes Brought Black Characters To The Comics Page

Today in 1911, the birthday of Jackie Ormes, the first Black woman to have syndicated comic strips in newspapers.

Kitty Burke Once Batted In A Major League Game

Today in 1935, singer Kitty Burke got up from the crowd at a major league game and took an at-bat. To date, she's the only woman to bat in the majors. 

By |2024-12-15T09:38:09-05:00July 31, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , |

In India, Telegrams Were Still Around Until 2013

Today in 2013, the last traditional telegram message went out, decades after telephones and smartphones and text messages and so on. So why were there still telegrams here in the 21st Century?

By |2024-12-05T07:55:24-05:00July 14, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Irna Phillips Brought The World Of Soap Operas To Life

Today in 1952, the first TV episode of the soap opera Guiding Light. It was one of many hit shows led by a writer and producer sometimes called the “queen of soaps,” Irna Phillips.

If It Had Been Up To Billie Jean King, Astronaut Sally Ride Might Have Been A Pro Tennis Player

Today in 1951, Sally Ride was born. She was a worldwide sensation in the 1980s as the first American woman in space, but before that, she was a talented youth tennis player who once caught the attention of the legendary Billie Jean King.

Claire Weekes Came Up With Six Words To Help With Anxiety

Today in 1903, the birthday of Dr. Claire Weekes, who helped the world understand that sometimes the way to stop a spell of anxiety in its tracks… is, in a way, to stop trying to stop it. 

By |2024-12-16T07:05:17-05:00April 11, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , |

Susanna Madora Salter Became The First American Woman Mayor Kind Of By Surprise

Today was the birthday in 1860 of the first woman to serve as a mayor in the United States, Susanna Madora Salter, of Argonia, Kansas. She wasn’t looking to make history and didn’t even run for the job, but then sometimes you choose the moment, and other times the moment chooses you.

By |2024-12-16T08:12:17-05:00March 2, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , |

Ora Washington, The “Queen Of Two Courts,” Ruled Tennis And Basketball Alike

For National Play Tennis Day, the story of Ora Washington, one of the great early stars of women's tennis who also happened to be one of the great early stars of women's basketball.

How Lusia Harris Became The “Queen Of Basketball”

Today in 1955, the birthday of a basketball champion named Lusia “Lucy” Harris. Though "basketball champion" may not be quite the right term for her: she’s also been called the Queen of Basketball.

Go to Top