Black-and-white portrait photograph of artist Marie Laurencin seated indoors, resting her hand near her chin and looking toward the camera. Overlaid text reads “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” with a blue circular badge labeled “Classics: Marie Laurencin” and the show’s illustrated profile icon in the corner.

This 2019 episode explores the difficult-to-study work of Laurencin. In addition to her work not quite falling in line with the artists who were her contemporaries, her personal papers are difficult to access, are censored, and have strict limitations put on their use.
omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Purple podcast graphic with a stylized illustrated portrait on the right and a circular badge reading “Behind the Scenes Minis” on the left. The title “Censorship Cats” appears in large text, with Stuff You Missed in History Class branding at the bottom.

Tracy talks about how the show's recording schedule meant that this week's Monday episode got revised repeatedly to reflect current events. Holly talks about the way theater performances during portions of heavy censorship in France incorporated audience participation.
omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Historic illustration of a large battle scene in a wooded area, with armed fighters clashing using bows, spears, and swords. Overlaid text reads “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” and a blue circle on the right says “Classics: Pueblo Revolt,” with the show’s illustrated profile icon in the corner.

This 2014 episode covers the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, in which Native Americans rose up against Spanish colonists and missionaries at the turn of the 17th century.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Black-and-white illustration labeled “Fort Mose (mo-say) 1760” showing a walled settlement with small buildings inside, overlaid with Stuff You Missed in History Class branding and a blue circle reading “Francisco Menéndez & Fort Mose.”

Fort Mose was the first officially sanctioned settlement for free Black people in what’s now the United States. It was established as a place where people who escaped enslavement in the U.S. could live in the Spanish territory of Florida.
Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Podcast artwork for Stuff You Missed in History Class showing an early metal Melitta coffee filter with a perforated top and wooden handle, with a blue circle reading “Melitta Bentz and the Coffee Filter.”

Melitta Bentz invented the coffee filter in 1908 and changed coffee culture forever. Through the decades and after reckoning with its relationship with the Third Reich, the company she founded in her Dresden apartment endures today.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Podcast artwork for Stuff You Missed in History Class featuring a black-and-white illustration of a police officer labeled “COINTELPRO” standing in front of framed portraits, with a blue circle reading “Classics: COINTELPRO Part 2.”

Part two of this 2020 episode looks at some of the specifics of the COINTELPROs that targeted black liberation organizations and the New Left, as well as how these programs were finally exposed to the public.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Purple “Behind the Scenes Minis” graphic from Stuff You Missed in History Class featuring a stylized illustrated portrait on the right and the episode title “Whoopsy Whimsy” in large text on the left.

Holly shares a story of accidentally taking ephedrine. Tracy shares her delight at a pronunciation of the word catastrophe.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Historic illustration of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake showing buildings collapsing, fires burning, and a large wave crashing toward people fleeing along the waterfront, with “Stuff You Missed in History Class” branding and a circular label reading “Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.”

On November 1, 1755, a massive earthquake took place on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Lisbon, Portugal. The destruction in Portugal led to one of the first coordinated government responses to a natural disaster.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Close-up of a vintage tube labeled “Pervitin” with several small white tablets scattered in front, overlaid with “Stuff You Missed in History Class” branding and a circular caption reading “Benzedrine, Pervitin, and WWII.”

The use of stimulants during WWII is no secret, but in the last decade, there has been a lot of discussion and analysis of it. Just how significant was drug use in Nazi Germany, and how did the Allies compare?

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Black-and-white portrait of a middle-aged man in a suit and striped tie standing indoors, with “Stuff You Missed in History Class” text at the top and a circular label reading “Classics: COINTELPRO Part 1.”

Part 1 of this 2020 two-parter covers background on the FBI and on the origins of its counterintelligence programs, as well as one specific operation, called COINTELPRO-White Hate.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Purple graphic with a stylized illustrated portrait on the right and a circular badge reading “Behind the Scenes Minis” at the top left. Large text in the center reads “It’s Not Unprecedented,” with “Stuff You Missed in History Class” branding along the bottom.

Tracy shares her desire to see the rest of the letter that was quoted in this week's episodes on Anthony Burns. Talk also turns to the fact that many of the things that are surprising people today are, in fact, precedented.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

A black-and-white historical illustration shows several men leaning out of a window watching a large crowd gathered outside a columned building, with soldiers and people filling the street below. Overlaid text at the top reads “Stuff You Missed in History Class.” A blue circular badge on the right reads “The Rendition of Anthony Burns, Part 2,” with a small illustrated profile icon in the upper right corner.

Our second episode on the life of Anthony Burns begins with his detention in Boston, which outraged Massachusetts abolitionists. Even after Burns was returned to Virginia to be enslaved once again, his supporters in Boston continued to work for his freedom.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

A detailed black-and-white engraved portrait of Anthony Burns shown from the chest up, facing slightly to the right, wearing a jacket, high-collared shirt, and bow tie. The background is lightly textured with fine lines. Overlaid text at the top reads “Stuff You Missed in History Class.” A blue circular badge on the right reads “The Rendition of Anthony Burns, Part 1,” with a small illustrated profile icon in the upper right corner.

The story of Anthony Burns is one that resonates in our current times. Part one covers his early enslaved life, his escape from enslavement, and his arrest under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

A painted portrait of Samuel Pepys in period clothing, shown from the waist up against a dark background, holding a folded sheet of music or paper. Overlaid text at the top reads “Stuff You Missed in History Class.” A blue circular badge on the right reads “Classics: Samuel Pepys,” and a small illustrated profile icon appears in the upper right corner.

This 2019 episode takes a closer look the famous diary of Samuel Pepys, and also at who Pepys was beyond his famous chronicle of life in 17th-century London.

Listen here:https://omny.fm/shows/stuff-you-missed-in-history-class/symhc-classics-samuel-pepys

A purple graphic for a podcast mini-episode. On the left, a dark blue circle reads “Behind the Scenes Minis” in bold white text. On the right is a stylized illustrated portrait in shades of purple. Centered text reads “Pollution Olympics.” At the bottom is the “Stuff You Missed in History Class” logo.

Tracy talks about her selection of "Fumifugium" as a show topic. Holly shares a mischievous story about Helen Preece.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

A brightly colored vintage French poster advertising international fencing competitions, featuring a woman in a black dress holding a fencing mask and crossed swords against a yellow background. French text lists events for foil, épée, and sabre. Overlaid at the top is “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” and a circular badge on the right reads “Notable Early Women Olympians,” with the show’s illustrated profile icon in the upper corner.

Despite Pierre de Coubertin's vision of the Olympics being for male athletes only, women did participate in the games starting in 1900. But the road to equal participation was long and filled with disappointments.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Close-up of an aged, yellowed title page from a 17th-century pamphlet with ornate serif lettering reading “Fumifugium… The Inconvenience of the Air and Smoak of London Dissipated.” Overlaid at the top is the text “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” and a circular badge on the right reads “John Evelyn’s ‘Fumifugium,’” with the show’s illustrated profile icon in the upper corner.

"Fumifugium" was a treatise on air pollution written in 1661. In addition to warning about the dangers of coal smoke, John Evelyn wrote this work to improve the reputation of King Charles II.
Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Vintage-style illustration of an elderly bearded man in robes standing in a dim, candlelit laboratory, gesturing beside glass vessels and alchemical equipment glowing softly. Overlaid text reads “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” with a circular label that says “Classics: Hennig Brand,” and the show’s illustrated profile icon in the top right.

This 2019 episode shares how Hennig Brand discovered phosphorous by boiling pee. But he was really thought the secret to the philosopher’s stone might be found in urine.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Purple podcast graphic with a stylized illustrated portrait on the right and a circular badge reading “Behind the Scenes Minis” at top left. Large centered text reads “Odd Baby Train,” and small branding text at the bottom says “Stuff You Missed in History Class.”

Tracy talks about amusing old illustrations of babies in utero. Holly shares anecdotes about George Stephenson's life that rarely make it into discussions of his life.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Podcast-style graphic featuring a painted portrait of a middle-aged man in dark formal clothing against a dark background, seated with one arm resting forward. Overlaid text at the top reads “Stuff You Missed in History Class.” A blue circular label on the right reads “George Stephenson, Father of Railways,” and a small circular show logo appears in the upper-right corner.

George Stephenson started life in extremely humble circumstances, but his ingenuity and pursuit of education led him to an impressive legacy. He invented a miner’s lamp, but is most well known for his work on locomotives and railways.

omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Black-and-white historical photograph showing a nurse shining a therapeutic lamp over two infants sitting on a padded table, both wearing protective goggles. The image reflects early 20th-century medical treatment. At the top is the text “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” and a blue circular label on the right reads “Rickets,” with the show’s logo in the upper-right corner.

Nutritional rickets is caused by a vitamin D deficiency, and people figured out two ways to treat it before we even knew what vitamin D was.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Vintage illustrated scene showing a group of people crowding into a doorway while carrying a large coffin, startling the occupants inside. The image has a muted, hand-painted look. At the top is the text “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” and a blue circular label on the right reads “Classics: Three Legendary Pranks,” with the show’s logo in the upper-right corner.

This 2021 episode covers three prank stories, including a joke that became a living legend, a large-scale prank that created havoc, and a televised hoax that reminds us all of the importance of critical thinking.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Purple promotional graphic with a stylized illustrated portrait of a historical woman on the right. A large dark-blue circle on the left reads “Behind the Scenes Minis.” White text below says “Embroidery Love Letter.” The “Stuff You Missed in History Class” logo appears at the bottom.

Holly talks about the various inspirations for her love of embroidery. Tracy shares her experiences with movies and her cat while embroidering.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

A richly colored medieval embroidered panel displayed flat against a light background, featuring gold-thread figures, angels, and religious scenes arranged in decorative bands on deep red fabric. Overlay text reads “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” with a circular label saying “Embroidery History Sampler, Part 2” and the show’s illustrated logo in the upper corner.

The second part of the discussion of embroidery history covers blackwork and Opus Anglicanum, then embroidery samplers and beetle-wing embroidery.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

A long medieval embroidery displayed in a museum case, showing stitched scenes of figures, animals, and carts in muted reds, greens, and golds. Overlay text reads “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” with a circular label saying “Embroidery History Sampler, Part 1” and the show’s illustrated logo in the corner.

The first installment of this two-parter covers ancient embroidery around the world, and then focuses on European embroidery, Chinese dragon robes, and the Bayeux Tapestry.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Historic painted portrait of a man in a dark coat with brass buttons and a white cravat, set against a brown background. Overlay text reads “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” with a circular label saying “Classics: Paul Cuffe” and the show’s illustrated logo in the corner.

This 2020 episode covers Paul Cuffe, who protested taxation, built wealth for himself in whaling, became a Quaker and used his fortune for the betterment of others. He also advocated creating a colony in Africa for of African ancestry to immigrate to.
Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Purple graphic with a stylized illustrated portrait on the right and a dark blue circle on the left reading “Behind the Scenes Minis.” White text says “This Monkey’s Gone To Heaven,” with the Stuff You Missed in History Class logo at the bottom.

Tracy talks about the events that happened in the gap between writing the latest Unearthed episode and recording it. Holly shares thoughts about art heists.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Close-up photo of weathered antlers scattered across dark, rocky ground. Overlaid text reads “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” with a circular badge that says “Unearthed! Year-End 2025, Part 2.”

Discussion of things literally or figuratively unearthed in the last quarter of 2025 continues. It begins with potpourri then covers tools, Neanderthals, edibles and potables, art, shipwrecks, medical finds, and repatriations.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Close-up photo of gloved hands carefully lifting the brittle pages of a deteriorated medieval manuscript with faded handwritten text. Overlaid text reads “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” with a circular badge that says “Unearthed! Year-End 2025, Part 1.”

The show's coverage of things literally or figuratively unearthed in the last quarter of 2025 begins with updates, books and letters, animals, and just one exhumation.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...

Purple graphic for a “Behind the Scenes Minis” episode, featuring a stylized illustrated portrait of a historical figure on the right. Large white text reads “Bad Goals and Spirit Clothes,” with “Stuff You Missed in History Class” branding at the bottom.

Tracy discusses film ratings and the bias behind them. Talk then turns to clothing in the afterlife.

Listen here: omny.fm/shows/stuff-...