Historias Unknown

Episodes

Aug. 29, 2024

Culebra Island

The US Navy tried to take over the island of Culebra, but after years being displaced and harmed, the Culebrenses fought back. This is the story of how the US Navy was kicked out of Culebra Island. If you have topic suggestions, feel free to email...

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Aug. 22, 2024

Los Motines de los Baños de 1917 (Spanish episode)

El 28 de enero de 1917, Carmelita Torres, de diecisiete años, se negó a bajarse del tranvía en el puente de Santa Fe y seguir a los funcionarios de salud estadounidenses hasta un baño químico. 30 mujeres la siguieron. Pronto, esas 30 se convirtieron...

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Aug. 15, 2024

The 1948 Los Gatos Crash

The worst plane crash in California history happened in 1948, in Los Gatos. 32 died. 28 of those 32 were Mexican workers who were being deported. These workers were all put in a mass grave together and the grave was marked with the words “Mexican...

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Aug. 8, 2024

Martin Ramirez Sostre

Martin Sostre was a pioneer for prison reform and prisoner rights. His fight against the injustices he faced as a prisoner helped secure rights for all prisoners, and continue to be an inspiration for those resisting the prison-industrial complex. ...

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July 18, 2024

El Baile de Los 41 (Spanish episode)

El 18 de Noviembre, la policia toco la puerta de un jogar privado en Cuidad Mexico. Se encontraron con 41 hombres, la mitad vestidos como mujeres y fue un escandalo. Se conoce como el Baile de Los 41. Este es el primer episod...

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July 11, 2024

Cornelius Dusty Rhoads: American Hero, Villain in Puerto Rico

Cornelius Rhoads was an esteemed cancer researcher, known as the father of chemotherapy. He was on the cover of Time in 1949 and The American Association for Cancer Research used to give out an award in his honor. But before ...

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July 4, 2024

The Dance of the 41

On November 17, 1901 a societal scandal changed LGBTQ history in Mexico forever. Police raided a secret dance in Mexico City, where 42 of Mexican's elite men were caught in an all man party. Half the men were dressed as women...

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June 27, 2024

Lorena Borjas: The mother of the Trans Latinx Community in Queens, Ne…

Lorena Borjas was known as the mother of the trans Latinx community in Queens, New York. After a life of activism, she passed in 2020 from COVID, but her legacy lives on. In this episode, Carmen tells Cristina about Lorena's ...

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June 20, 2024

The Infamous School of Americas

The School of the Americas (SOA) was founded in 1946 in the Panama Canal Zone, and it's purpose was to be a training ground for Latin American military and police in U.S. service schools. By 1949, SOA produced 749 U.S. milita...

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June 13, 2024

Environmental Activism in Latin America

Latin America is one of the deadliest places to be a defender of rights; despite the high rates of activist killings and high rates of impunity, many risk their lives to fight for their rights. In this episode, Carmen tells C...

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June 6, 2024

The Homosexual Liberation Front of Argentina

La Frente de Liberacion Homosexual, the Homosexual Liberation Front or FLH in Argentina was a gay rights organization that formed in August 1971 in Buenos Aires. They were a coalition of semi-autonomous groups, who were all f...

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May 16, 2024

Nuño Beltran de Guzman: Behind the Bastardos

When it comes to the Spanish Conquistadors, it’s not incorrect to say they were pretty terrible people. But out of all of them, one name stands out, he also happens to be the founder of Guadalajara, Jalisco, among other towns...

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May 9, 2024

Student Movements in Latin America

In light of the student protests calling for divestments from Israel and a ceasefire in US schools, Carmen tells Cristina about the student movements from the 1920s to the 1950s in Colombia and the student movement from 1918 ...

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May 1, 2024

Teresa Urrea, La Santa de Cabora

Teresa Urrea was a curandera, folk saint, feminist and revolutionary. A woman ahead of her time. She came to be known as Santa Teresa or La Santa de Cabora. And in more recent times, the Joan of Arc of Mexico. In this episode...

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April 25, 2024

Victor Jara

Victor Jara was a popular singer in Chile, famous for his folk songs that focused on politics, human rights, and social justice. This, along with aligning himself with Allende, made him a target for the Chilean right-wing, an...

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April 11, 2024

A Brief History of Chile: The End of the Pinochet Regime

In October 1998, General Augusto Pinochet was arrested for crimes of genocide and terrorism. He spent months in house arrest in England, but 15 months after his arrest, he was declared not fit to stand trial. Upon his return ...

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March 28, 2024

A Brief History of Chile: The Caravan of Death and DINA

In the aftermath of the Pinochet coup, Chileans faced unimaginable horrors under the military dictatorship. The Caravan of Death: Initiated by Pinochet, this series of massacres between September 30th and October 22nd, 1973, ...

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Feb. 29, 2024

A Brief History of Chile: The Rise of Pinochet

After Salvador Allende's presidency in Chile and the coup that deposed him, one man rose to power: Augusto Pinochet. A figure shrouded in ambiguity until the devastating consequences of his rule unfolded. In this episode, Cri...

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Feb. 22, 2024

A Brief History of Chile: The Coup Against Allende

On 9/11/1973, Salvador Allende’s government was overthrown by the military. Among the conspirators was Chile’s future dictator, Augusto Pinochet. In this episode, Carmen tells Cristina about the day of the coup, and Allende’s...

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Feb. 15, 2024

A Brief History of Chile: Salvador Allende

Salvador Allende died during the US backed coup of Chile, but other than that, not a lot of people are familiar with who he was. In this episode, Carmen goes over a brief history of Chile, focusing on Salvador Allende, leadi...

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Feb. 8, 2024

A 1996 Pasaco Kidnapping with Luiz Corzo

On the 18th of April of 1996, 6-year-old Luis Corzo was abducted together with his father Juan Corzo, Jr. from their home by seven rifle-armed intruders. The kidnapping was organised by a group called "Los Pasaco", who were t...

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Jan. 25, 2024

A Brief History of La Cucaracha

La Cucaracha is a popular Mexican folk song, there's no doubt that almost everyone has heard a version of this song. But, where does it come from? On today's episode of Historias Unknown, Cristina tells Carmen about where the...

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Jan. 11, 2024

The US Invasion of Panama

On December 20, 1989 the United States launched Operation Just Cause, invading Panama, under the guise of capturing dictator Manuel Noriega. This invasion is often told from the US perspective, and the suffering of Panamians ...

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Dec. 28, 2023

The Student Massacre of 1975- El Salvador

On July 30, 1975 Salvadoran students were peacefully protesting in San Salvador when they were met by police and national guard, who opened fire on them. This massacre was a turning point in Salvadoran history and directly co...

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