Every Wednesday, host Simone Polanen picks a moment from that week in history to explore how it shapes our world today.
January 19, 2022
A New Sheriff in Town
Not Past It
In the 1960s Alabama was at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement. It’s the home of the years-long Montgomery Bus Boycotts and demonstrations in Selma for Black people to gain equal voting rights. But in Tuskegee, on January 16th, 1967 – history was made when Lucius Amerson was sworn in as Sheriff of Macon County, Alabama. He was the first Black documented sheriff in the South since Reconstruc...
January 12, 2022
The Sweet, but Deadly, Disaster
On January 15, 1919, a tank exploded in Boston’s North End releasing a tsunami wave of molasses that plowed down the city’s streets at 35 miles per hour. It destroyed businesses and homes. Lives were lost. And in the wake of this sticky disaster, people were suspicious… What caused the tank to blow? Who was to blame? There were rumors of foul play.
January 5, 2022
The Kings of Drag
Drag Kings. Gender Bending. Punk Rock. In the 1990s, that’s what Club Casanova was all about. Back then, New York City nightlife was poppin’. But so was crime. Both of which then Mayor Rudy Giuliani was hellbent on cleaning up. Luckily for him, a racist Prohibition-era law helped eradicate crime...and fun. And a few days before New Years 1998, Club Casanova was Rudy’s latest victim.
December 29, 2021
Zsa Zsa Gabor, Guilty As Charged
This week we are bringing a you dazzling NPI episode from earlier this year. Zsa Zsa Gabor was the epitome of Hollywood glam, starring in dozens of films and tv shows in the 1940s and 50s. But by the 1980s, her shine began to dim. On September 14 1989, Gabor made a celebrity comeback when she was prosecuted for slapping a Beverly Hills cop. In court Gabor played the role she was born to play… herse...
December 22, 2021
The Beanie Baby Craze
This week we’re hitting repeat on one of our favorite episodes: In the 90s, everybody had to have a Beanie Baby. Not just kids. They were one of the biggest get-rich-quick schemes of the decade. On August 31, 1999, the company, Ty Inc., released a cryptic message that they would retire the wildly popular toys. Instead of fueling a massive frenzy — it revealed the beanie baby bubble was destined to ...
December 15, 2021
World’s Most Famous Virgins
Christmas is upon us. And, that means one thing at Not Past It: diving into the dark, twisted history of S E X. This week, Simone is taking our guest Eric Mennel on a domino history ride that starts with a bishop’s declaration of original sin and ends with the outward sexual displays of America’s beloved celebrities.
December 8, 2021
Where Are My Background Singers?
On December 5, 1996, Patti LaBelle performed at the National Tree Lighting Ceremony, and so much went wrong: her cue cards were out of order, the backup singers were missing, and it was on national TV. The moment has since become an annual Christmas-time viral sensation. But 25 years later, the question remains: how did everything go so far off the rails? Now, finally, we have the answer.
December 1, 2021
How To Invent A Holiday
To usher in the holiday season, we’re offering up four historical events that we think should be celebrated on the first day of the last month of every year. These history holidays require no religion, gift-giving, or even cooking...just an appreciation for how the past shapes our lives. Come create a new tradition with us.
November 24, 2021
Sabotaging Thanksgiving
Wamsutta Frank James, a member of the Wampanoag Tribe, led his fellow activists in protest of a Thanksgiving Celebration in Plymouth, MA. On November 26, 1970, he set the record straight as to the true and violent history of this holiday. The Pilgrim celebration went to shit and the first National Day of Mourning was born.
November 17, 2021
Introducing Not Past It
History reveals something about the present. Every Wednesday, host Simone Polanen picks a moment from that week in history to explore how it shapes our world today.
Murder in Ogoniland
After four decades of devastating oil pollution in the Niger Delta, Ken Saro-Wiwa decided he couldn’t stand the injustices any longer. The Nigerian writer-turned-activist started campaigning to defend the rights of his people, the Ogoni, from the oil drilling that was destroying their land and way of life. But Ken paid a price. In this episode, actor Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Deuce, The Wire), bring Sa...
November 10, 2021
Ma Barker’s True Crime
This week, we brush off an NPI true crime favorite. Ever heard of lady crime boss, Ma Barker? On July 26, 1932, her alleged gang of thieves stole over $200,000 from a Kansas bank without firing a single shot. The Barker-Karpis gang stole millions before Ma was killed in a shootout with the FBI. But was she a criminal mastermind or just a scapegoat?
November 3, 2021
King Tut Died for Tourism
King Tutankhamen, Egypt’s boy prince was laid to rest in a fantastical chamber of secrets. On November 4, 1922, the entrance to King Tut’s tomb was discovered 33 centuries after he was buried. But when the king’s tomb was disturbed strange things began to happen.
October 27, 2021
Houdini: The OG Ghostbuster
Harry Houdini escaped from handcuffs, sea monsters and torture cells, but his last great illusion defied even the spirits. On October 31, 1936, the famous escape artist was set to come back from the dead. But, as spooky as that sounds, the backstory to uncover America’s most notorious frauds of the day, is even more devilish.
October 20, 2021
What’s Haunting The Lake ?
Roughly 40 miles northeast of Atlanta, in Forsyth County, lies Lake Lanier. It’s a place where people go to relax, fish or party -But legend has it, its haunted. But not in the way it’s been talked about. We’re revealing the true haunting of Lake Lanier, where a horrific story of racial violence and terror is hidden under a veneer of suburban bliss.
October 13, 2021
Hooked on Black Horror
Candyman, Candyman, Candyman… Do you dare say it five times? On October 16, 1992, Candyman was released in theaters introducing the world to the ghost-like ghoul with a hook for a hand. But this horror cult classic is different--it features a Black man as the haunting character with a backstory of racial trauma. We explore the legacy of the film and why it has such staying power, despite its flaws....
October 6, 2021
The Witch of Delray
Depression-era Detroit is known for many things: baseball, bootlegging, and the booming auto industry. But what about a witch? On October 5, 1931, a Wayne County jury reached a verdict in the trial of an immigrant woman accused of murder and of being...The Witch of Delray.
September 29, 2021
How The Green M&M Got Sexy
The backstory of the M&M can be traced to the Spanish American War. On October 1, 1898, a coalition of diplomats met in Paris to negotiate a peace treaty between the U.S. and Spain, leading to a sugar rush across America’s new colonial territories. And eventually… domino-ing us into the modern day sex icon that is the green M&M.
September 22, 2021
💩🌠The Birth of Emojis 😂🤰🏾
Smiling poop. Zombie lady. High-fiving squid. Emojis cover a huge spectrum of human expression. But did you ever wonder where they came from? On September 19, 1982, a computer scientist, concerned his jokes weren’t landing in a university chatroom, used the first emoticon; colon, minus sign, parenthesis. The simple smiley face set the stage for a revolution in online communication.
September 15, 2021
Zsa Zsa Slaps a Cop
Zsa Zsa Gabor was the epitome of Hollywood glam, starring in dozens of films and tv shows in the 1940s and 50s. But by the 1980s, her shine began to dim. On September 14 1989, Gabor made a celebrity comeback when she was prosecuted for slapping a Beverly Hills cop. In court Gabor played the role she was born to play… herself.
September 8, 2021
9/11 Makes Me Uncomfortable
American flags, camouflage ribbons and “Never Forget” statements, prevailed as symbols of patriotism in the early 2000s. On September 11, 2001, four coordinated terrorist attacks took place in the U.S. and had catastrophic ripple effects across the globe. Simone explores her personal feelings about 9/11 and the “Never Forget” narrative.
September 1, 2021
Your Beanie Babies Are Worthless
In the 90s, everybody had to have a Beanie Baby. Not just kids. They were one of the biggest get-rich-quick schemes of the decade. On August 31, 1999, the company, Ty Inc., released a cryptic message that they would retire the wildly popular toys. Instead of fueling a massive frenzy — it revealed the beanie baby bubble was destined to burst.
August 25, 2021
The Enron Whistleblower
Enron, the Houston-based energy giant, was one of the biggest, most well-respected companies in the 90s. But in 2001, it went from top of the heap to bottom of the barrel, real quick. On August 22nd 2001, Sherron Watkins met with the company’s CEO to warn him about the accounting scandal pushing the company to the brink of collapse.
August 18, 2021
Woodstock 69: A Peaceful Disaster
Woodstock is the most iconic music festival in American history, remembered for peace and love. On August 18, 1969 it earned that reputation after being declared an official disaster zone without all the deadly side effects. It even converted its host, dairy farmer Max Yasgur, into an unlikely apostle on the way.
August 11, 2021
Secret Billboard Chart Topper from Crime Show
Martha Wash was flipping through TV channels when, to her complete surprise, she happened upon a familiar voice: her own – coming out of the mouth of someone else. Problem was: stealing her voice wasn’t a crime.
August 4, 2021
The Olympic GOAT Gets Snubbed
Jesse Owens swept the track and field events at the Olympics in Berlin. On August 3, 1936, Owens won his first of four gold medals in the 100 meter dash cementing his name in history. The Black track star was celebrated as a hero -- but the celebration was short lived. (edited)
July 28, 2021
The Notorious Ma Barker
Ever heard of lady crime boss, Ma Barker? On July 26, 1932, her alleged gang of thieves stole over $200,000 from a Kansas bank without firing a single shot. The Barker-Karpis gang stole millions before Ma was killed in a shootout with the FBI. But was she a criminal mastermind or just a scapegoat?
July 21, 2021
Bitch, I’m an Astrophysicist
Sally Ride was the first American woman to rocket off into space. On July 23, 2012, she died and left behind a legacy for women and girls in STEM. We dig into the limits of being labeled “first” and learn about the woman inside the space suit.
July 14, 2021
Small Town Secession
Fed up with not receiving funding to fix their crumbling water infrastructure, the residents of a small town in Minnesota took matters into their own hands. On July 13th, 1977, the town of Kinney voted to secede from the U.S.
July 7, 2021
United States of Illuminati
You may have heard of the Illuminati, but it's more than a rumored celebrity cult. On July 4, 1798: the speech " The Duty of Americans at the Present Crisis," was delivered to warn of the group's threat to American democracy.
June 30, 2021
Rated PG-13 for Sex and Violence
Did you know that backlash from Indiana Jones and Gremlins led to the PG-13 rating? On July 1, 1984, the MPAA announced the rating that changed film forever. This week Simone reviews the rating system and it's hidden Puritan agenda.
June 23, 2021
Nazi Battle to Pop Musical?
How a Nazi Battle on June 22, 1941, led to the one of the biggest movie musicals of all time. Can you guess how we get there? This week Simone connects the dots.
June 16, 2021
The Paris Hilton Sex Tape
Paris Hilton’s sex tape ushered in a new era of celebrity obsession. On June 15, 2004: it went on sale after her ex made a deal with a pornographic distributor. Simone reflects on the scandal, fallout and impact it had on a generation of young women.
June 9, 2021
The LSD No-Hitter
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis, played the best game of his career while tripping on acid. On June 12, 1970:Ellis pitched a no-hitter. Simone tells the story of his trip and what it can teach us about psychedelic drugs and performance anxiety.
June 2, 2021
The Vax That Got Axed
Did you know there was almost an AIDS vaccine? On June 3, 1998: AIDSVAX VAX004 reached the final stage of trials before widespread approval. Simone gets the facts on the vax and why it never made it to the masses.
A Race for a Better Breakfast
How are cornflakes and eugenics connected? On May 31, 1895: the Kellogg brothers filed the patent for what would eventually become Corn Flakes. Simone digs in to the cereal’s bizarre, dark origins and examines its lasting impact on the wellness industry today.
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