Bertha Palmer wore a lot of labels; Chicago socialite, patron of the arts, real-estate magnate, and all-around Gilded Age powerhouse. Her leadership at the Women's Building of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition drew praise from all over the world. (and criticism, too!) We'll also tell you about her influence on Impressionist art in America, and her surprising third act as a Sarasota land developer.

Visit our website for Bertha's shownotes and a list of sources, and recommendations. The History Chicks.com On there you will find links and codes for all of our amazing sponsors.

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Every once in a while, we like to revisit a subject near and dear to our hearts, and Audrey has always had a place in both of ours. We’ve combined both parts of our 2019 coverage into this one mega episode.

Audrey was born a child of privilege, but soon became a child of war; her entertainment career still brings joy to people all over the world (including us.) All of that makes her worthy of the title of "Icon" but her surprise actions during WWII, and her humanitarian work through UNICEF made her not only a true star, but also a shining example of the best of humanity.

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Hi Friend!

This isn't this week's episode, it's just a couple of travel opportunities we wanted you to know about. For more information and to register for either of these Field Trips, please visit Like Minds Travel!

We hope to see you there!

Susan and Beckett

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Queen Anne spent her whole life in the violent storms of other people’s ambitions - her family, politicians, and yes, one very dramatic friend who made sure her reputation took a beating for centuries. But behind all that noise was a steady, determined ruler who helped shape the early modern British state.

For a long time she was dismissed as weak or dull, mostly because louder personalities wrote her story. Now we’re finally recognizing that Anne wasn’t a footnote - she was the quiet force that gathered a turbulent kingdom together, ready for its future as a world power.

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At last, at last! We have arrived at the part of her story that Laura Ingalls Wilder is most famous for; her series of eight (not yet nine!) books which tell decades of readers the romanticized story of young Laura's childhood during the turbulent time of the American frontier.

If you hadn't heard about her long vertical learning curve to get here, and her history of farm journalism, you might think she was an overnight success at the age of 65 - but we know better!

We'll take you through the creation of her beloved series in this, our final Laura episode in the "do-over", and how she became an American icon.

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Laura Ingalls Wilder's books inspired us as children with a fascination for history. And her story has been with us since the beginning of the podcast, all of those years ago. She has deserved a second look from us for a long time!

In part two of our series, we leave the Laura we are all familiar with from her pioneer stories and head off into a grittier chapter in her life. Tragedy seemed to stalk Laura and Almanzo relentlessly, until at last they found a home in the Ozarks near Mansfield, Missouri. We'll tell you about Laura's writing career BEFORE the one she's famous for, and the struggles that brought her to the precipice of glory.

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Once upon a time, back in 2011, we shared the story of Laura Ingalls Wilder, beloved author of the Little House series and chronicler of life on the US prairie in the late 1800s. Now, 15 years later, we thought it was time to revisit her with our 2026 eyes (and the mountain of information about her that has been revealed since.) Laura wrote her books based on her life, but how much weight is "based on" carrying? Find out in this episode as we tell her story over the same time span that would later be the setting of her books. She lived a very long life; we'll share the rest of her years in Part Two.

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Boudica (formerly known as Boadicea ) was a first‑century Celtic queen of the Iceni tribe in what’s now eastern England. After the Roman Empire seized her late husband’s kingdom and brutalized her family, she rallied a massive coalition of tribes and led one of the most famous uprisings in Roman Britain. Her forces burned several Roman towns, including Londinium, and for a brief moment in history she shook the empire’s confidence. Boudicca’s fame endures as a symbol of resistance, leadership, and fierce defiance against oppression.

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To celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th, and Women's History Month during all of March, we have a short message for you all. We couldn't possibly narrow down one or even 31 women to honor this month, so we'll keep honoring as many as we can, 12 months a year, just like we have been for the last 15 years. xo Susan and Beckett

Find a woman to celebrate from our extensive catalog of podcasts on our website, thehistorychicks.com, or however you get your podcasts. Share this mini-episode with a friend, or, if you are so inspired, take a gander at our merch shop, and help support our work. Thank you!

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Dovey Johnson Roundtree grew up in the Jim Crow era South and carried her grandmother’s philosophy of "find a way or make one” as her armor into every challenge she faced. She became one of the first Black women in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps during World War II, then earned her law degree at Howard and built dual careers as a civil‑rights attorney and as a minister in the AME church. In 1955, she helped win a landmark bus‑desegregation case before the Interstate Commerce Commission, which was a quiet but powerful blow to the concept of “separate but equal.” She spent decades fighting for justice in Washington, D.C., and lived to 104, leaving behind a legacy of unshakable purpose and inspiration for future generations.

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Odetta was one of the defining voices of American folk music. Though she had been trained in classical music, she was drawn to spirituals, work songs, traditional ballads, and blues. These songs told the stories of true life - of struggle and of those that overcame oppression. Odetta used her theater training and deep resonant voice to bring these messages to life. Her work inspired later artists like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, served as a soundtrack for the social reforms of the 1960s, and led to her honorary title as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement."

There are still a few spaces open on our fall Field Trips to the Loire Valley, and Italy! For information and to register, visit Like Minds Travel. We hope to see you there!

For links and codes to advertised products, visit our website's sponsor page at thehistorychicks.com.

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