Today In History with The Retrospectors

Henry Blair, the only inventor ever denoted as a ‘colored man’ in the records of US Patent Office, received a patent for his invention of a mechanical corn planter on 14th October, 1834. For decades, it was believed this was the first example of an African-American inventor receiving a US patent.

The truth turns out to be more complex, and is touched by the legacy of slavery, legal reform, and black activism… but Thomas Jennings, the inventor of ‘dry scouring’ (an early instance of dry cleaning) registered his patent thirteen years earlier and is, probably, the true holder of the title.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly look back over some of the most useful inventions contributed by American people of colour; explain why the rules over enslaved people’s intellectual property were so vague and unreliable; and reveal what it looked like when Thomas Jefferson fobs you off…

Content Warning: racism, negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures

Further Reading:

• ‘Inventor Henry Blair and His Patents’ (ThoughtCo, 2019): https://www.thoughtco.com/inventor-henry-blair-1991284

• ‘Whose Patent is It?: American Patent Law Denies Slave Creativity’ (HistoryNet, 2017): https://www.historynet.com/whose-patent-is-it-american-patent-law-denies-slave-creativity/

• ‘Awesome Inventions by African Americans’ (SciShow, 2012): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56AwEjXzh-U

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2026.

This episode originally aired in 2022.

#1800s #Inventions #Africa #US
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On October 13th, 1881, the linguist and grammarian Eliezer Ben-Yehuda held what is thought to have been the first modern conversation in Hebrew with two friends at a Paris café.

The conversation would have had some serious stumbling blocks, given that the language was still missing numerous modern words including bicycle, towel, and – crucially for being in a cafe – a word for coffee.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly discuss the connection between Hebrew's revival and growing Jewish nationalism; look at the personal lengths Ben-Yehuda was willing to go to make the language take off, including speaking to his son exclusively in Hebrew; and explain why, in the early days, conversing in an ancient language must have been like speaking exclusively in David Bowie song lyrics…

Further Reading:

• ‘Revival of the Hebrew language’ (The Jerusalem Post, 2010): https://www.jpost.com/jewish-world/jewish-news/this-week-in-history-revival-of-the-hebrew-language

• ‘How to revive an ancient language, according to 19th-century Hebrew and Persian revivalists’ (University of Washington, 2018): https://jewishstudies.washington.edu/israel-hebrew/reviving-hebrew-persian-ancient-languages-eliezer-ben-yehuda-manekji-limji-hataria/

• ‘Hebrew wasn’t spoken for 2,000 years. Here’s how it was revived’ (National Geographic, 2023): https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/hebrew-wasnt-spoken-for-2000-years-heres-how-it-was-revived

• ‘The History & Revival of the Hebrew Language’ (Unpacked, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBiiad9fO-g

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2026.

This episode originally aired in 2023.

#Religion #Jewish #France
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A grand, five-day bash to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen, Munich’s first ‘Oktoberfest’ kicked off on October 12th, 1810, with an emphasis on horse races, folk costumes, and royal pageantry (rather than steins and sausages).

Ludwig later admitted he’d chosen Therese for practical reasons, not passion - and proceeded to have plenty of affairs, including one with the infamous dancer Lola Montez, which helped bring an end to his reign. But the people adored Queen Therese, and continued to celebrate Oktoberfest annually, until it evolved into the world’s biggest beer festival.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly discover that lederhosen and dirndls aren’t as old as you might think they are; explain how the breweries came to dominate the festivities; and reveal just how many pounds of Swiss cheese those original revellers consumed…

Further Reading:

• ‘What is Oktoberfest—and why is it actually in September?’ (National Geographic, 2023): https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/oktoberfest-munich-tradition-history

• ‘Oktoberfest History: The First and the Worst’ (TIME, 2015): https://time.com/4065335/oktoberfest-history/

• ‘Bottoms Up - Oktoberfest 1957’ (British Pathé, 1957): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVQQDtUbBSs

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Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY…

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2026.

#Germany #1800s #Royals #Food
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King Alexander of Yugoslavia embarked on a state visit to France on 9th October, 1934 – and was shockingly shot dead by an assassin in the crowd, the aftermath of which was captured by newsreels.

Yugoslavia was a fractured country; an uneasy alliance between multiple peoples governed from Belgrade, and despised by extremist groups who wanted Macedonian independence.

The assassin, Bulgarian revolutionary Chernozemski, was facilitated by Italy and Hungary, dissatisfied with the Treaty of Versailles and seeking influence in the Balkans – but this dark alliance was covered-up by France in an attempt to keep Mussolini on-side in upcoming battles against Hitler.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how King Alexander’s death symbolised the deep fractures about to engulf Europe; review the film footage that was sexed-up by American news agencies; and reveal why Alexander was so wary of Tuesdays…

Further Reading:

• ‘Balkan Terrorists’ (LIFE, 1934): https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=SVEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA54&dq=king+alexander+assassination+1934&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjW-bjO9rqIAxVEVkEAHeJoLGYQ6AF6BAgEEAI#v=onepage&q=king%20alexander%20assassination%201934&f=false

• ‘Alexander I of Yugoslavia assassinated’ (History Today, 2010): https://www.historytoday.com/archive/alexander-i-yugoslavia-assassinated#:~:text=He%20was%20a%2036-year-old%20Bulgarian%20who%20belonged%20to%20a%20Macedonian

• ‘Assassination of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia & Louis Barthou’ (British Pathé, 1934): https://youtu.be/6R3dVZdFxxo?si=pn4WAH0raAXLz9Lm

We'll be back on Monday - unless you join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴, where we give you ad-free listening AND a full-length Sunday episode every week!Plus, weekly bonus content, unlock over 70 bonus bits, and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2026.

This episode originally aired in 2024.
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The world's oldest oldest continuously surviving constitution, was adopted in the tiny country of San Marino on 8th October, 1600.

This was a good 187 years before the United States adopted its own constitution and, during his presidency, Abraham Lincoln frequently held San Marino up as the model of a government founded on republican principles. Such ongoing praise eventually earnt the US president honorary San Marino citizenship!

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain what an "Extraordinarium" is; discuss why most of the rest of the world had to wait almost two hundred years before they had their own constitutional moment; and reveal that the world's first parliament was created by vikings…

Further Reading:

• ‘The Constitution of San Marino-Oldest and Active written Constitution of the World’ (FYI, 2021): https://vocal.media/fyi/the-constitution-of-san-marino-oldest-and-active-written-constitution-of-the-world

• ‘San Marino is founded by Saint Marinus’ (The Centre of the Rule of Law, 2021): https://www.thecenterforruleoflaw.org/rule-of-law-blog/september-3-301-san-marino-one-of-the-smallest-nations-in-the-world-and-the-worlds-oldest-republic-still-in-existence-is-founded-by-saint-marinus-or-maybe-its-one-of-the-newest-nations-at-just-48-years-old-wait-what

• ‘Why is San Marino a country? - History of San Marino in 12 Minutes’ (Knowledgia, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXxIV1IRMR4

Love the show? Support us!

Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY…

… Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content.

Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️

The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2026.

This episode originally aired in 2023.
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