Sinopsis
Explore the BACKSTORY behind some of the most intriguing tales in history, culture, religion and science from Chicago and beyond.
Episodios
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Backstory Shorts: The Forgotten Leader
03/03/2021 Duración: 02minA hero of his era, he fought enemies at home and abroad. But those weren't his only achievements. This is the Backstory.
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The Intercontinental
11/10/2020 Duración: 10minThey only used it for five years, but the people who built the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Chicago designed it like no other building in the world. This is the Backstory.
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Lincoln's Rise to Power
11/10/2020 Duración: 11minAbraham Lincoln's personal history fueled his disdain for slavery. And his unlikely alliance with a group of immigrants helped propel him to the White House. This is the Backstory.
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The Klan Detective
04/10/2020 Duración: 10minWas he a good guy? Or a bad guy? Hiram C. Whitley was a man of dubious moral character. But that's what it took to infiltrate the KKK in the 1860's. This is the Backstory.
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The Second City Sinners
04/10/2020 Duración: 11minA political assassination, domestic terror, and the women of murderess row. Three lost stories of Chicago history. This is the Backstory.
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The Trickster
27/09/2020 Duración: 11minIn the era of social media, some people can't take a joke. Political correctness has made it so that many of today's comics won't perform at colleges. But are we missing the point? One of the original stand-ups shows us how we just might be. This is the Backstory.
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The Bootlegger
27/09/2020 Duración: 10minHe was a bootlegger. And at one point, he was bigger than Al Capone. Later, he was purportedly the inspiration for the title character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." But you probably don't know his name. This is the Backstory.
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The Mystery of the Turtle Tunnels
21/09/2020 Duración: 07minA building in El Paso, Texas is the site of a century old mystery. On the side of the building: a mural of a turtle. Was it a symbol? In the building's basement: walled off tunnels. Who were they for? Where did they go? This is the Backstory.
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How the Negro League Legacy Lives On
21/09/2020 Duración: 14minThe Negro Leagues turn 100 this year. While many of the players never reached Major League notoriety, several people are working to shine a light on their legacy. This is the Backstory.
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Backstory Shorts: The Referee
14/09/2020 Duración: 01minIt was a big boxing match, and it ended in controversy. The referee was accused of cheating the true winner. Who was the ref? You probably know his name. This is the Backstory.
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Backstory Shorts: The Crazy Balloonatic
07/09/2020 Duración: 02minA 19th century daredevil was obsessed with balloons. He wanted to travel far and away... But one stunt ended in tragedy. And the details are still shrouded in mystery. This is the Backstory.
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Fading Ads of Chicago: How one man is documenting advertisements from a bygone era
16/03/2020 Duración: 08minAdvertisements painted on old brick buildings still linger in Chicago, but they're slowly disappearing. That's why Joe Marlin is documenting these fading ads of Chicago... This is the Backstory.
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Revolutionary Revisionism: How Revolutionary War stories have shifted over time
16/03/2020 Duración: 11minA historian gets a rare look inside the Royal Archive to read King George's writings about the Revolutionary War, and Larry takes a trip to his hometown of Boston to walk in the footsteps of history. This is the Backstory.
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How Ian Fleming's time working for British intelligence informed the creation of James Bond
09/03/2020 Duración: 14minIan Fleming worked in British intelligence before he created James Bond... so how much of the world's greatest fictional secret agent was Fleming himself? Find out, on Backstory.
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Chicago photographer painstakingly recreates photos from a century ago
09/03/2020 Duración: 08minHe's found several photographs from more than a century ago, and now Mark Hersch is painstakingly recreating these images, and giving them new life — one frame at a time. This is the Backstory.
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Fast Eddie: The man who helped convict Al Capone, and more...
02/03/2020 Duración: 09minHe was the man who helped the Feds nail Al Capone on tax evasion charges. But his legacy is greater than that. Find out how, on Backstory.
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It's not awful — it's offal
02/03/2020 Duración: 09minConsidered a useless byproduct by many, offal cuisine is gaining in popularity. Larry Potash gives us the past, present, and future of this culinary tradition through the eyes of some very talented local chefs. This is the Backstory.
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How Lipizzans made their way from Europe to Chicago’s North Side
24/02/2020 Duración: 09minLipizzans are some of the most beautiful horses in the world, but how did they become ensconced on Chicago’s North Shore? Find out, on Backstory...
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Chicago and the largest slavery reparations settlement in US history
24/02/2020 Duración: 10minThe first-ever successful lawsuit brought by a slave was filed by Henrietta Wood. Her ordeal would take her from Kentucky to Mississippi to Cincinnati where she would finally win her freedom and a $2,500 settlement. This is the backstory...
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True origins of 'The Exorcist' and Salem's witches
28/10/2019 Duración: 19minIn 1629, the Salem witch trials led to the execution of 20 people as witch hunt frenzy reached the U.S. That might sounds like ancient history, but only a few decades ago a case documented by the Catholic church inspired "The Exorcist." But what really happened? Get the Backstory on these iconic tales of witches and demons.