Episode 159: Empress Sisi of Austria, Part One

Sisi as a newlywed circa 1855 

Empress Sisi’s story often reads like a fairytale…usually because a lot of the coverage of her life is fiction. The basics do parallel those tales: a vivacious, beautiful young woman is chosen from all the lands as the love of the Austrian emperor. As a beloved Empress, she adds fresh energy to Viennese court while riding horses, maintaining her youthful energy, being a fashion icon, and raising a family.

But the reality behind that lovely facade is a little darker, a little sadder, and did not end in a “happily ever after.” (more…)

Episode 157: Lady Bird Johnson

 

 

 

 

Lady Bird’s official White House portrait by Elizabeth Shoumatoff   Library of Congress

While researching Zephyr Wright, we both learned quite a bit about her employer, Lady Bird Johnson. Since we knew a lot about her (and our libraries were still closed) we thought we would share the story of this intelligent woman who had her own interests and accomplishments outside the work she did with her husband, President Lyndon B. Johnson.

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Episode 155: Aunt Jemima

 

 

Nancy Green was the first of several women who played the role to sell pancake mix 

In 1889, Aunt Jemima crossed from the footlights to the grocery store, where she’s been a fixture for 131 years. On the eve of her departure, we give you the dark history of this American icon – and the stories of a few women who made her come alive.

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Episode 154: Fannie Lou Hamer

Fannie giving her testimony in 1964 at the Democratic National Convention…despite the president’s attempts to silence her.

Fannie Lou Hamer was called the “Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement” and, sometimes, “The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement” and both are very appropriate. (more…)

Episode 153: Catherine the Great, *Part Two of an entirely true story

 

 

Elle Fanning will mature and look exactly like the real Catherine. Maybe. Probably not.

Are you watching Hulu’s series, The Great, and wondering what the real story of Catherine the Great is?  We’ll finish up her life in this episode, so you can do your own comparing and contrasting. We left Catherine at the end of Part One alone, sad, and directionless. The perfect time for a woman to make some life changes, right?

Oh yeah.

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