American History Tellers

Growing up in the Salinas Valley of Northern California, John Steinbeck dreamed of becoming a professional writer. In his youth he took on odd jobs and worked amongst ranch hands and migrant workers, ...

Born into poverty in Harlem in 1924, James Baldwin rose to become a celebrated novelist, essayist, playwright, and poet, and a leading voice in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. In his debut nov...

In 1949, aspiring writer Nelle Harper Lee moved from her home in small-town Alabama to New York City. She was following in the footsteps of her childhood friend, author Truman Capote. Within a few yea...

In 1948, James Baldwin left for France, hoping to find an escape from the racism he experienced in America. But Baldwin returned to the U.S. frequently, to witness and write about the struggle of the ...

December 4, 1991. After 64 years dominating the skies, a series of poor financial decisions forces Pan American Airways to shut down. You can listen ad-free in the Wondery or Amazon Music app. Or for ...

December 18, 1972. After peace talks break down, US President Richard Nixon announces the start of the “Christmas Bombing” of North  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Priv...

In the early morning hours of April 18th, 1906, residents of San Francisco were awakened by the violent shaking of a massive earthquake. People on the streets watched in horror as entire city blocks w...

Less than 24 hours after a devastating earthquake struck San Francisco, fires were raging across the city. Firefighters watched helplessly as the flames devoured homes and businesses, unable to draw w...

In the wake of a devastating earthquake that rocked the city of San Francisco, thousands of people were left homeless. The military set up temporary camps in western parts of the city to house the des...

After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire reduced the city to rubble and ash, reporters fanned out across the burning landscape. The San Francisco Chronicle, along with several other papers,] c...