Ill-Equipped History

120: The Dust Bowl

The 1930s were a collective hellhole for Americans; not only were they suffering from the Great Depression, but decades of agricultural malpractice and a serious drought led to one of the worst environmental disasters in US history. Thankfully, there is light at the end of the dust cloud. Join Emileigh and Morgan as they discuss humanity's stewardship of the Earth, and its harsh consequences. 
 
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Sources:
 
“Dust Bowl” (Oct 27 2009, updated May 28 2025)
https://www.history.com/articles/dust-bowl
 
“The Real Story Behind the ‘Migrant Mother’” by Sarah Pruitt (May 8 2020, updated May 28 2025)
https://www.history.com/articles/migrant-mother-new-deal-great-depression
 
“The Dust Bowl” 
loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/great-depression-and-world-war-ii-1929-1945/
 
“The Dust Bowl (c. 1930-1940)” 
https://www.science.smith.edu/climatelit/the-dust-bowl/
 
“Public Land: Whose Land is it?” 
https://www.nebraskastudies.org/en/1900-1924/reforming-beef/public-land-whose-land-is-it/
 
“Homesteading in the Badlands” 
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/homesteading.htm
 
“Dust Bowl Facts and Timeline” by Russell Yost (Nov 21 2020, updated Nov 4 2023)
https://thehistoryjunkie.com/dust-bowl-facts-and-timeline/
 
“Timeline: The Dust Bowl” 
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/dust-bowl-surviving-dust-bowl/
 
“What Caused the Dust Bowl?” by Maria Trimarchi (Sept 14 2023)
https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/dust-bowl-cause.htm
 
“The Dust Bowl” 
https://drought.unl.edu/DustBowl/
 
“1988 U.S. Drought/Heatwave” 
https://www.hsdl.org/c/timeline/1988-u-s-droughtheatwave/
 
“The Drought of 1988 was the worst since the Dust Bowl” by Tom Skilling” (Jul 21 2018)
https://wgntv.com/news/the-drought-of-1988-was-the-worst-since-the-dust-bowl/
 
“‘89 Drought Feared as a World Catastrophe” (Oct 2 1988)
https://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/02/us/89-drought-feared-as-a-world-catastrophe.html#
 
“Remembering the Drought of 1988”
https://www.glenallenweather.com/upload/history/significant/early-events/1988/1988.pdf
Sound Credits:
 
“Running Tile” by waveformwanderer [https://audio.com/waveformwanderer/audio/running-tile]
 
“Calm-Piano” by Martyn Odonnell [https://audio.com/martyn-odonnell/audio/calm-piano] 
 
“Deep Wind Gusts” by sonicfableforge [https://audio.com/sonicfableforge/audio/deep-wind-gusts]
 
“Stormy Winds” by Hertzheirloomvoyager [https://audio.com/hertzheirloomvoyager/audio/stormy-winds]
 
“Gale Force Winds” by echopulsemystic [https://audio.com/echopulsemystic/audio/gale-force-winds] 
 
“Dedpression” by krym1964 [https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-dedpression-339994/] 

119: Marilyn Monroe: "Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world"

Marilyn Monroe is one of the most iconic women in the world. Her fame was propelled by her beauty and talent but there was much more beneath the surface. Under the glamour was a woman who just wanted to be loved unconditionally and was constantly let down by those around her. Her death was made a spectacle and rumors of conspiracy flew. Emileigh and Morgan dive into her life, love, and death and come to their own conclusions of what happened to Hollywood's Blonde Bombshell. 
 
Disclaimer: This episode touches on the topic of suicide. If you or or a loved one is struggling, please reach out to the suicide prevention hotline at 988. You are loved and you are wanted here with us. 
 
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Sources:
https://www.biography.com/actors/marilyn-monroe-mother-relationship
 
https://www.biography.com/actors/marilyn-monroe
 
https://www.netflix.com/title/81216491
 
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marilyn-Monroe
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3UeqsLrOLA
 
 

Listener Bonus Episode: Princess Diana

As a thank you to our wonderful listeners (and a result of our poor time management) we are releasing one of our Patreon exclusive bonus episodes in lieu of a weekly episode! In this episode, Emileigh and Morgan explore the beautiful, tragically short life of Princess Diana and the circumstances surrounding her death. 
 
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Sources:
Diana: The Royal Truth (2017) documentary on Prime 
 
Diana series on discovery+
 
“Princess Diana” by Colin McEvoy and Editors (2023)
https://www.biography.com/royalty/princess-diana
 
“Diana, Princess of Wales”
https://www.royal.uk/diana-princess-wales
 
“How Princess Diana’s Humanitarian Causes Have Fared, 20 Years On” by Tara John, Time Magazine (2017)
https://time.com/4914377/princess-diana-humanitarian-work/
 
“Princess Diana Charity Work” by Tom Matthews (Updated 2020)
https://www.historic-newspapers.com/blog/princess-diana-charity-work/
 
“The real reason King Charles didn't marry Camilla when he first met her revealed in new documentary” by Gina Sirico (2023)
https://abc7.com/king-charles-royals-new-documentary-camilla/13193134/
 
“How Princess Diana Broke All the Rules — and Changed the World” by Aly Walansky
https://www.goalcast.com/princess-diana-broke-the-rules-and-changed-the-world/#:~:text=She%20was%20rebellious%20against%20stale%20convention%2C%20putting%20family,to%20relate%20to%20the%20needs%20of%20normal%20children.
 
Henri Paul CCTV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BHH9UIVeTk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyeWuFGNPuU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkYezwWGHao
 
The Bodyguard’s Story: Diana, the Crash, and the sole survivor. Written by Trevor Rees-Jones and Moira Johnston

118: Leicester Hemingway and the Republic of New Atlantis

Leicester Hemingway was the youngest son of the Hemingway family who looked up to his oldest brother, Ernest. Despite never escaping his brother's literary shadow, Leicester made a name for himself when he created the island micronation of New Atlantis off the coast of Jamaica. Join Emileigh and Morgan as they discuss his antics and adventures during his life. 
 
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Sources:
 
“Throwback Thursday - Contents of a country: Leicester Hemingway’s Republic of New Atlantis” by Russell Hale (July 30 2015)
https://sites.utexas.edu/ransomcentermagazine/2015/07/30/throwback-thursday-contents-of-a-country-leicester-hemingways-republic-of-new-atlantis/
“Why Ernest Hemingway’s Younger Brother Established a Floating Republic in the Caribbean” by Fred Nadis (July 3 2024)
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/why-ernest-hemingways-younger-brother-established-a-floating-republic-in-the-caribbean-180984635/
 
“In Miami, Ernest’s Brother Les Hemingway Founded a Micronation, Hosted Séances, and Hunted Nazis” by Jason Katz for the Miami New Times (June 15 2021) 
https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/a-profile-of-leicester-les-hemingway-and-his-new-atlantis-micronation-12385490
 
“Leicester and Ernest Hemingway: Brothers in Arms” by Steve Newman Writer (Aug 15 2018) 
https://stevenewmanwriter.medium.com/leicester-and-ernest-hemingway-brothers-eba84ab4ff0
 
“Hemingway’s Siblings” by Dr. Hilary Justice (Sept 2023) 
https://www.jfklibrary.org/hemingway/hemingways-siblings
 
“Leicester Hemingway, Writer and Ernest’s Brother, is Suicide” by Herbert Mitgang for The New York Times (original article Sept 14 1982) 
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/09/15/obituaries/leicester-hemingway-writer-and-ernest-s-brother-is-suicide.html  
 
“They bought a Caribbean island to start their own country” by Richard Collett for CNN (Mar 10 2022)
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/islandia-lets-buy-an-island-micronation 
Sound Credits:
 
Paging through newspaper.WAV by RobinBarnard -- https://freesound.org/s/593552/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0
 
Sipping.wav by LilMati -- https://freesound.org/s/507144/ -- License: Creative Commons 0
 
Birds Chirping.wav by Leoni@FS -- https://freesound.org/s/410171/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0

117: Empire State Building

The Empire State building was part of a big skyscraper boom in the 1930s. It might not have been the tallest building in the world for very long, but it has remained one of the most iconic buildings in history. Join Emileigh and Morgan as they go through the building, tragedies, and legacy of this famous landmark. 
 
Link for Photos:
https://skyscraper.org/empire-state-building-construction/
 
 
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Sources:
https://www.esbnyc.com/about/history
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf-Astoria_(1893%E2%80%931929)
 
https://www.britannica.com/money/John-Jakob-Raskob
 
https://www.britannica.com/money/Pierre-Samuel-du-Pont-American-industrialist
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._Coleman_du_Pont
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Graveraet_Kaufman
 
https://www.nytimes.com/1942/10/13/archives/ellis-earle-dies-mining-executive-president-and-treasurer-of-the.html
 
https://www.britannica.com/event/New-Deal
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Smith#Business_life_and_later_years
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond_Shreve
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_F._Lamb
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Loomis_Harmon
 
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8kxbta
 
https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2023/10/how-an-elevator-attendant-survived-a-1-000-ft-fall-down-the-empire-state-building-759670
 
https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/starrett-corporation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYuW0WD6IXE
 

116: The Life and "Rescue" of Dr. Livingstone

Dr. David Livingstone was the premier Victorian-age explorer around South and Central Africa. He worked for decades to build relationships with different tribes and cultures around Africa. Over time, his letters stopped coming and he was presumed missing... or dead. Journalist Henry Morton Stanley was tasked with finding the man and bringing him back home. Join Morgan and Emileigh as they dig into both men's histories and how they helped map the African interior. 
 
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Sources:
 
“4 Daring Rescue Missions Throughout History” by Margaret Brecknell (Dec 21 2023)
https://explorethearchive.com/daring-rescue-missions-throughout-history 
 
“Livingstone’s Life & Expeditions” by Justin D. Livingstone (2015). Livingstone Online. 
https://livingstoneonline.org/life-and-times/livingstone-s-life-expeditions
 
“Livingstone, David (1813-1873)” by Andrew C. Ross (1998)
https://www.bu.edu/missiology/missionary-biography/l-m/livingstone-david-1813-1873/ 
 
“David Livingstone (1813-1873)” 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/livingstone_david.shtml
 
“When Stanley Met Livingstone” by Evan Andrews (Nov 10 2016, updated May 27 2025) 
https://www.history.com/articles/when-stanley-met-livingstone
 
“Dr Livingstone I presume?” by Terry Stewart
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Dr-Livingstone/
 
“Sir Henry Morton Stanley” by Ben Johnson (Jan 10 2015)
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Sir-Henry-Morton-Stanley/
Sound Credits:
 
somewhereInAfrica 1Q76 by Setuniman -- https://freesound.org/s/434167/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0
 
Frogs croaking & crickets at night in jungle swamp Africa by mycompasstv -- https://freesound.org/s/462889/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

115: Women Soldiers of the Revolutionary War

Emileigh and Morgan love strong women and that's exactly what Margaret Corbin, Mary Hays, and Deborah Sampson are. These three women went above and beyond what was expected of them during the Revolutionary War providing critical help to the war efforts.  
 
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Sources: 
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/deborah-sampson
 
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/margaret-cochran-corbin
 
https://www.thenmusa.org/biographies/margaret-corbin/
 
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mary-ludwig-hays
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhfNmuSAXRU
 

114: Gladys Bentley

Gladys Bentley was a queer black performer during the Harlem Renaissance, famous for her dapper menswear and vulgar song lyrics. She was a trailblazer for gender and sexual expression during Prohibition, and droves came to see her play piano and sing. Join Morgan and Emileigh as they discuss her life and her influence on drag and the performance arts. 
 
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Donate to our Patreon! 
https://www.patreon.com/illequippedhistory
 
Sources: 
 
“Blues Singer Gladys Bentley Broke Ground With Marriage to a Woman in 1931” by Steven J. Niven (Feb 11 2015)
https://www.theroot.com/blues-singer-gladys-bentley-broke-ground-with-marriage-1790858771
 
“Gladys Bentley in Jet Magazine” 
https://queermusicheritage.com/bentley7.html 
 
“Gladys Bentley” 
https://queerculturalcenter.org/gladys-bentley/ 
 
“Bentley, Gladys (1907-1960)” 
https://web.archive.org/web/20071103022225/http://www.glbtq.com/arts/bentley_g.html
 
“Gladys Bentley - Nominee” 
https://legacyprojectchicago.org/person/gladys-bentley
 
“Gladys Bentley” by Giovanni Russonello
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/obituaries/gladys-bentley-overlooked.html 
 
“Honoring Notorious Gladys Bentley” by Irene Monroe (Apr 14 2010)
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/honoring-notorious-gladys_b_459929
 
“Gladys Bentley (1907-1960) by Tisa M. Anders (Mar 28 2013)
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/bentley-gladys-1907-1960/
 
“Women Who Paved the Way: Blues Singer Gladys Bentley” by Trudy Ring (Mar 16 2017)
https://www.advocate.com/women/2017/3/16/women-who-paved-way-blues-singer-gladys-bentley#toggle-gdpr
 
“The Great Blues Singer Gladys Bentley Broke All The Rules” by Haleema Shah (Mar 14 2019)
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/great-blues-singer-gladys-bentley-broke-rules-180971708/
 
“1923-1952 Gladys Bentley” by Ken Vegas
https://dragkinghistory.com/1923-1952-gladys-bentley/
 
“The Miraculous Masculinity of Gladys Bentley” by Eleanor Medhurst (Jun 4 2021)
https://dressingdykes.com/2021/06/04/the-miraculous-masculinity-of-gladys-bentley/ 
 
“Gladys Bentley: Pioneering Queer Performer” by Taylor Ajéwọlé Duckett 
https://picturingblackhistory.org/gladys-bentley-pioneering-queer-performer/ 
 
“Gladys Bentley” 
https://unladylike2020.com/profile/gladys-bentley/ 
Sound Credits:
Music by Julius H. from Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-blues-heartbraker-blues-piano-blues-music-1228/ 
 
restaurant.wav by cognito perceptu -- https://freesound.org/s/174229/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 
Various Theatre Applause.wav by Smice_6 -- https://freesound.org/s/609446/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

113: Harvey Milk: The Mayor of Castro Street

Emileigh and Morgan take a look at the first openly gay elected offical in the United States.  This episode covers his life and accomplishments, the man who killed him and Mayor Moscone, and the aftermath of his death. 
 
Castro Street Fair Info: 
https://castrostreetfair.org/fair/
 
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Sources:
https://milkfoundation.org/about/harvey-milk-biography
 
https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=c1a5faeb3d02287c&rlz=1C1VDKB_enUS1087US1087&udm=7&sxsrf=AE3TifMmSJXIqpPiJS9Jzg5Na6de1NQyIg:1749521658112&q=harvey+milk+documentary&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwjUuNWH5OWNAxVYhIkEHYGuN7kQ8ccDKAR6BAhFEAY&biw=1280&bih=593&dpr=1.5#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:39644319,vid:clpNnIcnDpQ,st:0
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Milk
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown#Jonestown_established
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_White#Career
 
https://www.womansday.com/life/a39387023/harvey-milk-quotes/
 
https://terpconnect.umd.edu/~jklumpp/ARD/MilkSpeech.pdf
 
 

112: Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo was a bisexual artist who lived in the early 20th century. She's famous worldwide for her self portraits and depictions of her physical and emotional pain. Though she did not have a long life, she will be forever remembered as one of Mexico's most notable artists. 
 
If you are struggling with your mental health and need someone to talk to, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or at 988 in the United States. 
 
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Sources:
 
“Frida Kahlo biography” 
https://www.fridakahlo.org/frida-kahlo-biography.jsp  
 
https://www.fridakahlo.org/frida-kahlo-chronology.jsp 
 
“Frida Kahlo and her paintings” 
https://www.fridakahlo.org/ 
 
https://www.museofridakahlo.org.mx/frida/?lang=en 
 
“Frida Kahlo” (Jul 17 2024) 
https://www.biography.com/artists/frida-kahlo
 
“Frida Kahlo Biography In Details” 
https://frida-kahlo-foundation.org/biography.html 
 
“Celebrating the life and loves of Frida Kahlo, Mexico’s most famous bisexual and a global icon” by Emma Powys Maurice (Jul 06 2023) 
https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/06/frida-kahlo-birthday-bisexual-artist/
 
“An Indigenous Perspective on Frida Kahlo” by Joanna Carcia Cheran (Jul 4 2021)
https://hyperallergic.com/660471/indigenous-perspective-frida-kahlo/
 
“Becoming Frida Kahlo” PBS Documentary Series 
https://www.pbs.org/video/a-star-is-born-cjzjsx/ 
 
“Frida Kahlo & Her lovers” 
https://lapalomillabnb.com/the-diary/blog-post-title-one-lfpn3-6fxa7 
 
“Frida Kahlo’s Self-Portrait ‘Diego y Yo’ Poised to Become the Most Valuable Latin American Art Sold at Auction” by Fang Block (Sept 22 2021)
https://www.barrons.com/articles/frida-kahlos-self-portrait-diego-y-yo-poised-to-become-the-most-valuable-latin-american-art-sold-at-auction-01632261400 
 
“Frida Kahlo just shattered an auction record, ousting her husband” by Bill Chappell (Nov 17 2021)
https://www.npr.org/2021/11/17/1056490859/frida-kahlo-auction-diego-yo-rivera#:~:text=Frida%20Kahlo's%20%22Diego%20y%20yo%2C%22%20a%20painting%20of%20herself,by%20a%20Latin%20American%20artist. 
 
Sound Credits:
Busy Room Ambience / Small crowd / People talking in background by Breviceps -- https://freesound.org/s/457043/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 
Music by Universfield from Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/music/mystery-mysterious-piano-and-violin-atmosphere-143149/