As long as there’s been oppression, there’ve been people fighting it. This weekly podcast dives into history to drag up the wildest rebels, the most beautiful revolts, and all the people who long to be—and fight to be—free. It explores complex stories of resistance that offer lessons and inspiration for us today, focusing on the ensemble casts that make up each act of history. That is to say, this podcast focuses on Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff.
Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
The Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff podcast is a delightful gem that brings positivity and fascinating historical figures to the forefront with humor, great research, and insightful guests. Hosted by Margaret and Sophie, this podcast has quickly become a favorite for many listeners. One of the best aspects of the show is the incredible research that goes into each episode. Margaret's thoroughness shines through as she presents well-rounded stories about history's neglected individuals. The guests that are featured on the show bring their own expertise and add depth to the discussions. The storytelling and banter between Margaret and her guests create an engaging listening experience. Additionally, Margaret's infectious laughter adds a touch of joy to every episode.
As with any podcast, there may be some minor drawbacks to The Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff. Some listeners may find the casual tone of the show too informal or lacking in academic rigor. However, it is important to note that this podcast aims to make history accessible to all audiences, which can be both a strength and weakness depending on personal preferences. Another aspect that could be improved upon is the frequency of episodes. While every episode is eagerly anticipated by fans, it would be wonderful to have more content from this podcast.
In conclusion, The Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in learning about neglected figures in history who have made significant contributions but have been overlooked by mainstream narratives. Margaret's talent as a storyteller combined with her passion for these radical histories creates an uplifting and inspiring atmosphere throughout each episode. With great research, fantastic guests, and an overall positive tone, this podcast offers a unique perspective on historical events while keeping listeners entertained and informed.
Margaret continues talking with Mia Wong about the communists and socialists who fought for workers’ power against the USSR.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks with Mia Wong about the communists and socialists who fought for workers’ power against the USSR.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret reads chapter six of her book, The Barrow Will Send What it May.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Author Suzanne Cope continues teaching Margaret about the history of women partisans in the Italian resistance, from her upcoming book Women of War.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Author Suzanne Cope teaches Margaret about the history of women partisans in the Italian resistance, from her upcoming book Women of War.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret reads chapter five of her book The Barrow Will Send What it May.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jordan from The Dugout continues teaching Margaret about the long history of Black antifascism that brought people to fight in the Spanish Civil War. James Yates, Mississippi to MadridSalaria Kea, “Doing Christ’s Duty”Canute Frankson’s letter from Spain (1937)“The Good Fight” (Documentary)Peter N. Carroll, The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln BrigadeALBA-Valb.org archivesTrussel.com, “The Peekskill Riots”National Archives & Harlem Oral History ProjectKuykendall, Ronald A. "African Blood Brotherhood: Independent Marxism During the Harlem Renaissance." Western Journal of Black Studies 26 (Spring 2002): African Blood Brotherhood. The Principles of the African Blood Brotherhood. New York: African Blood Brotherhood, David Motadel, Islam and the European Empires (2014)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jordan from The Dugout teaches Margaret about the long history of Black antifascism that brought people to fight in the Spanish Civil War. James Yates, Mississippi to MadridSalaria Kea, “Doing Christ’s Duty”Canute Frankson’s letter from Spain (1937)“The Good Fight” (Documentary)Peter N. Carroll, The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln BrigadeALBA-Valb.org archivesTrussel.com, “The Peekskill Riots”National Archives & Harlem Oral History ProjectKuykendall, Ronald A. "African Blood Brotherhood: Independent Marxism During the Harlem Renaissance." Western Journal of Black Studies 26 (Spring 2002): African Blood Brotherhood. The Principles of the African Blood Brotherhood. New York: African Blood Brotherhood, David Motadel, Islam and the European Empires (2014)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret reads another chapter from the second book in her Danielle Cain series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret continues talking with Allison Raskin about the antifascist asylum in France that armed partisans and reinvented psychiatry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks with Allison Raskin about the antifascist asylum in France that armed partisans and reinvented psychiatry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret reads the second half of an anonymously authored speculative fiction story about what people could do if large scale roundups began, and discusses it with an anarchist technology enthusiast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret continues talking to Katy Stoll about how the Soviet people evaded censors and kept poetry, literature, and political critique alive. The Material Existence of Soviet Samizdat, Ann Komaromihttps://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/books/04solzhenitsyn.html HG Skilling, Samizdat and an Indepedent Society in Central and Eastern Europe https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/nikolai-gumilev https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/anna-akhmatova https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/osip-mandelstam https://libcom.org/article/1962-novocherkassk-tragedy https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-349-09284-0_1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks to Katy Stoll about how the Soviet people evaded censors and kept poetry, literature, and political critique alive. The Material Existence of Soviet Samizdat, Ann Komaromihttps://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/books/04solzhenitsyn.html HG Skilling, Samizdat and an Indepedent Society in Central and Eastern Europe https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/nikolai-gumilev https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/anna-akhmatova https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/osip-mandelstam https://libcom.org/article/1962-novocherkassk-tragedy https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-349-09284-0_1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret reads an anonymously authored speculative fiction story about what people could do if large scale roundups began, and discusses it with an anarchist technology enthusiast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this second rewind episode, Margaret continues to tell the story of gay artists and street gangs that fought the Nazis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this rewind episode, Margaret tells the story of gay artists and street gangs that fought the Nazis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret reads Robert Evans the second book in her Danielle Cain series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret continues an epic tale of treesits, blockades, and resistance to fossil fuel infrastructure and environmental destruction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret tells you an epic tale of treesits, blockades, and resistance to fossil fuel infrastructure and environmental destruction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret reads Robert Evans the second book in her Danielle Cain seriesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret continues talking with Bridget Todd about the five Black men who joined John Brown to spark the civil war.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks with Bridget Todd about the five Black men who joined John Brown to spark the civil war.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret reads Robert the second novella of the Danielle Cain series, Preorder the third book in the series, including all three audiobooks, on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tangled-wilderness/the-immortal-choir-holds-every-voice See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret continues talking with Andrew Ti about the mutual aid and solidarity offered by lesbians in the 1980s. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/ward-5b-documentary/ https://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/14/us/ward-5b-a-model-of-care-for-aids.html https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/06/26/736060834/1st-aids-ward-5b-fought-to-give-patients-compassionate-care-dignified-deaths https://www.reddit.com/r/Actuallylesbian/comments/16uyn8i/are_there_more_nuanced_accounts_of_lesbians/ https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/gay-bisexual-men-can-donate-blood-new-fda-rules-rcna83937 https://gcn.ie/lesbian-blood-sisters-crucial-1980s-aids/ https://womensmuseum.wordpress.com/2019/04/10/the-blood-sisters-of-san-diego/#:~:text=Wendy%20Sue%20Biegeleisen%2C%20Nicolette%20Ibarra,in%20at%20least%20130%20donations. https://www.thebody.com/article/candy-marcum-therapist-since-aids-early-days https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Wellness/nurse-cared-aids-patients-1980s-epidemic-explains-fight/story?id=63970606 https://onlineexhibits.library.yale.edu/s/we-are-everywhere/page/why-are-women-invisible-in-the-aids-pandemic https://onlineexhibits.library.yale.edu/s/we-are-everywhere/page/lesbian-aids-activism https://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/07/us/aids-definition-excludes-women-congress-is-told.html https://www.acon.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Ann-Maree-Sweeney-today.pdf https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/the-lesbian-blood-sisters-who-helped-save-gay-mens-lives-235100?srsltid=AfmBOorQfWpzL-6iOSpigFOpkO8TeyPRA03Z7I1qPQELuO1cW9hVbTPy http://www.thedallasway.org/stories/written/2017/11/24/howie-daire https://www.texasobituaryproject.org/081983daire.html https://time.com/archive/6703557/guerrilla-drug-trials-the-underground-test-of-compound-q/ https://www.quietheroes.net/about https://www.cscsisters.org/holy-cross-quiet-heroes/ https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/blog/aids-epidemic-lasting-impact-gay-men/ https://www.workingnurse.com/articles/the-nurses-of-ward-5b/ https://www.npr.org/2019/12/01/783932572/how-the-catholic-church-aided-both-the-sick-and-the-sickness-as-hiv-spreadSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks with Andrew Ti about the mutual aid and solidarity offered by lesbians in the 1980s. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/ward-5b-documentary/ https://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/14/us/ward-5b-a-model-of-care-for-aids.html https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/06/26/736060834/1st-aids-ward-5b-fought-to-give-patients-compassionate-care-dignified-deaths https://www.reddit.com/r/Actuallylesbian/comments/16uyn8i/are_there_more_nuanced_accounts_of_lesbians/ https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/gay-bisexual-men-can-donate-blood-new-fda-rules-rcna83937 https://gcn.ie/lesbian-blood-sisters-crucial-1980s-aids/ https://womensmuseum.wordpress.com/2019/04/10/the-blood-sisters-of-san-diego/#:~:text=Wendy%20Sue%20Biegeleisen%2C%20Nicolette%20Ibarra,in%20at%20least%20130%20donations. https://www.thebody.com/article/candy-marcum-therapist-since-aids-early-days https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Wellness/nurse-cared-aids-patients-1980s-epidemic-explains-fight/story?id=63970606 https://onlineexhibits.library.yale.edu/s/we-are-everywhere/page/why-are-women-invisible-in-the-aids-pandemic https://onlineexhibits.library.yale.edu/s/we-are-everywhere/page/lesbian-aids-activism https://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/07/us/aids-definition-excludes-women-congress-is-told.html https://www.acon.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Ann-Maree-Sweeney-today.pdf https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/the-lesbian-blood-sisters-who-helped-save-gay-mens-lives-235100?srsltid=AfmBOorQfWpzL-6iOSpigFOpkO8TeyPRA03Z7I1qPQELuO1cW9hVbTPy http://www.thedallasway.org/stories/written/2017/11/24/howie-daire https://www.texasobituaryproject.org/081983daire.html https://time.com/archive/6703557/guerrilla-drug-trials-the-underground-test-of-compound-q/ https://www.quietheroes.net/about https://www.cscsisters.org/holy-cross-quiet-heroes/ https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/blog/aids-epidemic-lasting-impact-gay-men/ https://www.workingnurse.com/articles/the-nurses-of-ward-5b/ https://www.npr.org/2019/12/01/783932572/how-the-catholic-church-aided-both-the-sick-and-the-sickness-as-hiv-spreadSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret from the future reports on the dinosaur creche in Finland.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks even further with Jolie Holland about a multigenerational punk band from the 70s that introduced punk ethics to punk rock. https://expmag.com/2019/01/when-your-real-life-friend-is-your-facebook-troll/ Rebel Clothes, Rebel Songs, Rebel Pose: Anarchists on Punk Rock 1977-2010, anonymous https://www.ubu.com/papers/cage_montague_interview.html John Cage, Anarchy The Story of Crass, George Berger https://crosseyedpianist.com/2017/07/15/silence-presence-and-challenging-conventions-thoughts-on-john-cages-433/ https://www.soundoflife.com/blogs/mixtape/history-punk-music https://fastnbulbous.com/punk/ https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/punk-politics-music-rebellion/ https://beltmag.com/mc5-detroits-godfathers-of-punk/ https://dangerousminds.net/comments/our_wedding_crasss_magnificent_romance_mag_prank https://www.fifthestate.org/archive/301-february-26-1980/british-anarchists-found-not-guilty/ https://thehippiesnowwearblack.org.uk/2016/03/12/vi-subversa-and-poison-girls-an-appreciation/ https://www.ukrockfestivals.com/henge-history-80.html https://jprobinson.medium.com/the-rotten-etymology-of-punk-86db2fcc16f8 https://www.cbc.ca/strombo/news/crass-thatchergate-prank https://libcom.org/article/stop-city-demonstrations-1983-1984See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks further with Jolie Holland about a multigenerational punk band from the 70s that introduced punk ethics to punk rock. https://expmag.com/2019/01/when-your-real-life-friend-is-your-facebook-troll/ Rebel Clothes, Rebel Songs, Rebel Pose: Anarchists on Punk Rock 1977-2010, anonymous https://www.ubu.com/papers/cage_montague_interview.html John Cage, Anarchy The Story of Crass, George Berger https://crosseyedpianist.com/2017/07/15/silence-presence-and-challenging-conventions-thoughts-on-john-cages-433/ https://www.soundoflife.com/blogs/mixtape/history-punk-music https://fastnbulbous.com/punk/ https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/punk-politics-music-rebellion/ https://beltmag.com/mc5-detroits-godfathers-of-punk/ https://dangerousminds.net/comments/our_wedding_crasss_magnificent_romance_mag_prank https://www.fifthestate.org/archive/301-february-26-1980/british-anarchists-found-not-guilty/ https://thehippiesnowwearblack.org.uk/2016/03/12/vi-subversa-and-poison-girls-an-appreciation/ https://www.ukrockfestivals.com/henge-history-80.html https://jprobinson.medium.com/the-rotten-etymology-of-punk-86db2fcc16f8 https://www.cbc.ca/strombo/news/crass-thatchergate-prank https://libcom.org/article/stop-city-demonstrations-1983-1984See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret from the future relays the last message from Mx. Bunny Face Murder.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret continues to talk with Jolie Holland about a multigenerational punk band from the 70s that introduced punk ethics to punk rock.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks with Jolie Holland about a multigenerational punk band from the 70s that introduced punk ethics to punk rock.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret from the future tells you about Mx. Bunny Face Murder's childhood.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret finishes talking with Prop about how the people of Haiti destroyed a slave empire.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks further with Prop about how the people of Haiti destroyed a slave empire.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret from the future relays a fateful battle in the forests of Catalonia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret continues talking with Prop about how the people of Haiti destroyed a slave empire.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks with Prop about how the people of Haiti destroyed a slave empire.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret from the future continues her reporting from the front in Catalonia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret continues talking with Miriam about an Italian man with chronic pain who decided to kill someone important.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks with Miriam about an Italian man with chronic pain who decided to kill someone important.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret from the future describes the terrifying battle of ogre hill.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret continues talking with Samantha McVey about the decades-long project in Northern Japan full of worker-cooperatives and new ways of living. https://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/resource/bethel/bethel_0805.htmlKaren Nakamura, A Disability of the Soulhttps://aeon.co/essays/japans-radical-alternative-to-psychiatric-diagnosisSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks with Samantha McVey about the decades-long project in Northern Japan full of worker-cooperatives and new ways of living. https://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/resource/bethel/bethel_0805.htmlKaren Nakamura, A Disability of the Soulhttps://aeon.co/essays/japans-radical-alternative-to-psychiatric-diagnosisSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret from the future reads a report from behind the Iron Curtain in fascist-occupied Spain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret continues talking to Sophie about the largest and longest-lasting maroon community in what became the United States. https://daily.jstor.org/constructing-the-white-race/https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-04-02-0080https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/events-african-american-history/san-miguel-de-gualdape-slave-rebellion-1526/https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/05/peter-h-wood-strange-new-land-excerpt.htmlJ Brent Morris, Dismal FreedomModibo Kadalie, Intimate Direct DemocracySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret talks to Sophie about the largest and longest-lasting maroon community in what became the United States. https://daily.jstor.org/constructing-the-white-race/https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-04-02-0080https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/events-african-american-history/san-miguel-de-gualdape-slave-rebellion-1526/https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/05/peter-h-wood-strange-new-land-excerpt.htmlJ Brent Morris, Dismal FreedomModibo Kadalie, Intimate Direct DemocracySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret from the future talks about all of the terrible creatures that fascists have invented to attack internationalist forces.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for the second part of our yearly Q&A, in which we answer questions from you, the audience. Whom we often appreciate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for our yearly Q&A, in which we answer questions from you, the audience. Whom we often appreciate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Margaret and Mia discuss the headlines here at the start of the year 2055 during world war 3.5.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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