March is Women’s History Month, and what better way to celebrate and pay tribute to the accomplishments and struggles of women than by listening to some quality women-led podcasts? These five podcasts dive into the depths of history to uncover incredible stories of women and men committing crimes, inventing something cool, leading uprisings, plotting revenge, falling in love, and changing the world. Smart and well-researched, you’re guaranteed to learn something new from any one of these shows, whether you’re into royal political intrigue, notorious killers, inspiring stories of resilience and leadership, or if you’ve just always wanted to know about the history of pockets.
Holly and Tracy, the hosts of Stuff You Missed In History Class, leave no stone unturned to bring us the weirdest, coolest stuff from history that teachers just can’t get around to in schools. The history of blood transfusions and scurvy, the woman who survived several shipwrecks, the Nazca Lines, how waffles happened, even an event called “the Eggnog Riot:” These episodes provide well-researched, fascinating deep dives into the darkest corners of history to unearth compelling stories from unsung heroes (and villains) through the ages.
Royals are endlessly fascinating; they hold so much power that even small mistakes or decisions can have enormous consequences for their subjects – and create huge ripples in history. Author Dana Schwartz brings their stories to life on Noble Blood, examining royals who were secret agents, imposter princes, vengeful queens, and concubines who conquered kings with not only an eye for detail but with well-paced storytelling that keeps you hanging on for more. And with episodes on aristocratic cults, bungled assassinations, and secret lovers, you’ll be royally entertained from beginning to end.
On Criminalia, hosts Holly and Marie take a look at true crime through history to see what we can learn about – and from – the criminals of the past. In the first season, pick your poisoner as they focus on lady poisoners, from depraved serial killers to women desperate to escape abusive marriages, to uncover the full stories of their lives and victims. In the second season, they examine stalkers like a teenager who broke into Queen Victoria’s royal residence or a woman who was dangerously obsessed with Charles Dickens.
Lauren Vogelbaum hosts American Shadows, another fascinating history podcast that looks for the overlooked and forgotten stories of America’s past. Like the story of Robert Smalls, who stole a Confederate ship to gain his freedom – and ended up living in the mansion he was once enslaved in. Have you heard about the conspiracy to steal Abraham Lincoln’s body? Or the man who ignored a hurricane? What was life like on British prison ships during the Revolutionary War? Old West outlaws, political intrigue, murder and fraud: Lauren dives into the shadows to shed a little light.
April and Cassidy are fashion historians exploring the who, what, when of why we wear on Dressed: The History of Fashion. Did you know that Leotard and Cardigan were men before they were items of clothing? That men wore high heels first? Why was the color purple associated with malaria? And when exactly did women stop wearing corsets? Plus, they look at the fashion history being made now, interview fashion-makers and other historians, break down the ballgowns on Bridgerton, share their favorite fashion history sources, and so much more. Clothes-minded? Time to get Dressed.
If you want to be sure you're listening to the podcasts everyone else is checking out, iHeartRadio has you covered. Every Monday, iHeartRadio releases a chart showing the most popular podcasts of the week. Stay up to date on what's trending by checking out the chart here. There's even a chart just for radio podcasts here, featuring all your favorite iHeartRadio personalities like Bobby Bones, Elvis Duran, Steve Harvey and dozens of others.
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