History Detectives
Investigate gaps in national history and cultural legends with the country's top sleuths.
HDSI – Civil War Sabotage?
S11 Ep1 | 54m 41s
The steamship Sultana exploded without warning one night in 1865, killing 1,800 people.
HDSI – The Disappearance of Glenn Miller
S11 Ep2 | 54m 41s
In 1944, bandleader Glenn Miller boarded a plane for Paris and was never seen again.
HDSI – Texas Servant Girl Murders
S11 Ep3 | 54m 41s
Before Jack the Ripper, a serial killer walked the streets of Austin, Texas.
Dylan Goes Electric, Beatles Autograph & Frank Zappa Collage
S10 Ep1 | 53m 9s
An all rock-and-roll episode featuring stories on Bob Dylan, The Beatles and Frank Zappa.
Book of Rogues, Empire State Crash & a Forbidden Pinup
S10 Ep3 | 53m 21s
Country star Clint Black is floored by what he learns about his book of wanted posters.
Titanic Picture Frame, Woolworth Signs, Nazi Spy Toys
S10 Ep5 | 53m 11s
Was this picture frame crafted from wood from the Titanic, the Lusitania, or neither?
Vietnam Diary, Bootlegger’s Notebook and a Hollywood Ledger
S10 Ep6 | 53m 16s
Wes searches for the family of a fallen North Vietnamese soldier.
Colored Heroes, Valley Forge Map and a Transistor Radio
S10 Ep7 | 52m 31s
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer helps Tukufu track down the true story behind a WWI poster.
Mysteries from the Wild West
S10 Ep8 | 53m 9s
The History Detectives investigate four stories from the American West.
Bill of Sale, Cobb Powder Horn and the Star Spangled Banner
S10 Ep9 | 53m 41s
Eduardo investigates the story behind a Bill of Sale for a 17-year old “negro girl".
A Hero in Hawaii, Civil War Cannon & Stuntman Pioneer
S9 Ep1 | 55m 9s
A WWII hero in Hawaii, the first shot of secession, and a stuntman who changed Hollywood.
Propaganda Leaflet,Tiffany Window & Spanish Civil War Eulogy
S9 Ep2 | 55m 10s
Decoding a propaganda leaflet, the women behind Tiffany and a father's forgotten tribute.
John Brown Spear, US Bullet in Siberia & Ronald McDonald…
S9 Ep3 | 55m 10s
A spear from John Brown's raid, America's Siberian war and Ronald McDonald's first suit.
Civil War Letters, Aviation Fabric & African American…
S9 Ep4 | 55m 10s
A story of two Civil War letters, mystery aviation autographs & a 1950s black comic book.
Top Secret Drone, Roosevelt’s War Club & Clara Barton Letter
S9 Ep5 | 55m 10s
A WWII prototype drone, a war memento for Teddy Roosevelt and a letter from Clara Barton.
Japanese Cane, Revolutionary Telescope & I.W. Baker’s…
S9 Ep6 | 55m 10s
An internment camp cane, the spyglass that saw revolution and a rare gold rush relic.
Hot Town Poster, Andrew Jackson Mouth, and Modoc Basket
S9 Ep7 | 56m 10s
An angry poster from the violent 60s, reuniting a broken statue, and a heroine's basket.
Marion Carpenter Camera, Drug Smuggling Doll, Florida Map
S9 Ep8 | 55m 10s
A first in White House photography, a doll used to smuggle drugs, an early map of Florida.
1775 Almanac, Exercise Records, Moon Museum
S9 Ep9 | 55m 10s
A family diary of the Revolution, a 20s media fitness guru, and is Warhol art on the moon?
Order of Leopold, Suffrage Pennant, WB Cartoon
S9 Ep10 | 55m 10s
A medal of high honor, pivotal women's voting rights campaign, and unsung cartoon heroes.
Club Continental, St. V-Day Massacre, Society Circus Program
S9 Ep11 | 55m 10s
Underworld calling card, Gang massacre shotgun, and High Society in the Depression.
Chandler Tintype, Hollywood Indian Ledger, Harlem Heirs
S9 Ep12 | 55m 10s
Slave in a Confederate Uniform, Hollywood Indian Payroll, Fighting for Harlem Land Rights.
Season 8, Episode 7
S8 Ep7 | 56m 10s
St.Valentine's Day Massacre; G. Washington Miniature; Stalag 17 Portrait
Season 7, Episode 9
S7 Ep9 | 54m 44s
WPA Mural Studies; George Washington Miniature; Japanese Balloon Bomb
3-D Cuban Missile Crisis
S5 Ep1 | 56m 46s
Investigating a projection screen with possible Cuban Missile Crisis connections.
Season 5, Episode 5
S5 Ep5 | 56m 1s
Great Mexican War Posters; Nora Holt Autograph Book; Muhlenberg Robe
HDSI: Who Killed Jimmy Hoffa
S11 Ep4 | 31s
History Detectives Special Investigations: Who Killed Jimmy Hoffa?
Preview: July 17th
S10 Ep1 | 30s
Premieres Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings.
Preview: Bob Dylan’s Fender Stratocaster
S10 Ep1 | 1m 30s
History Detectives dive into the provenance of what could be a legendary electric guitar.
Beatles Autographs
S10 Ep1 | 13m 51s
Tukufu Zuberi tracks down the authenticity of some treasured Beatles autographs.
Bob Dylan’s Fender Stratocaster
S10 Ep1 | 22m 40s
Was this the revolutionary guitar Bob Dylan plugged in at the 65’ Newport Folk Festival?
Frank Zappa’s Lost Collage
S10 Ep1 | 13m 45s
A thrift store find reveals the little-known artistic side of musician Frank Zappa.
Preview: Civil War pistols, K.K.K records
S10 Ep2 | 30s
Airs Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings.
A Piece of Hollywood
S10 Ep2 | 11m 34s
A 6-foot metal bar tells the story behind the original iconic Hollywood Sign.
Bettie Page And The Forbidden Pinup
S10 Ep2 | 13m 7s
Did we find a slide of Bettie Page that somehow escaped the censorship of the 1950s?
Civil War Derringers
S10 Ep2 | 19m 11s
Wes goes in search of the original owner of two civil war pistols.
Clint Black’s Book of Rogues
S10 Ep2 | 13m 20s
Country star Clint Black is floored by what he learns about his book of wanted posters.
Empire State Crash
S10 Ep2 | 13m 48s
Eduardo links a chunk of molten metal to the B-25 Bomber that crashed into the Empire Stat
KKK Record and The Bright Fiery Cross
S10 Ep2 | 16m 53s
Tukufu explores the mystery behind a vintage record linked to the KKK.
Preview: Clint Black’s book of posters
S10 Ep3 | 30s
Airs Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings.
Preview: Native American clothing, a Lincoln signature
S10 Ep4 | 30s
Premieres Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings.
Lincoln Oath
S10 Ep4 | 9m 46s
A presidential signature reveals a key Civil War practice history textbooks often overlook
Marshall House Flag
S10 Ep4 | 12m 16s
Can Gwen connect a swatch of red fabric to a pivotal moment in U.S. Civil War history?
War Spoils of a Peace Chief
S10 Ep4 | 14m 35s
Did this neckpiece and these leggings once belong to Peace Chief Black Kettle?
World War II Patch: Bird of War
S10 Ep4 | 14m 43s
Did these two patches with an evocative bird symbol belong to a World War II unit?
Preview: disputed picture frame, German toy soldiers
S10 Ep5 | 30s
Premieres Tuesday, August 7, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings.
Titanic Picture Frame
S10 Ep5 | 18m 36s
Was this picture frame crafted from wood from the Titanic, the Lusitania, or neither?
Woolworth Signs
S10 Ep5 | 16m 42s
Tukufu wonders if these Woolworth signs were at the 1960 Winston-Salem lunch-counter sit-i
Toy Soldiers Reveal a Mysterious Past
S10 Ep5 | 15m 35s
The owner of these toy soldiers asks: was his childhood friend's father a Nazi spy?
Preview: Vietnamese soldier’s diary, bootlegger’s notebook
S10 Ep6 | 30s
Premieres Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings.
A Vietnam Diary’s Homecoming
S10 Ep6 | 25m 9s
Wes searches for the family of a fallen North Vietnamese soldier.
Bootlegger’s Notebook
S10 Ep6 | 13m 24s
A journal of liquor recipes makes a man wonder if his uncle was a prohibition bootlegger.
Preview: WW1 poster, map of Valley Forge, a transistor radio
S10 Ep7 | 30s
Premieres Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings.
Early Transistor Radio
S10 Ep7 | 12m 34s
A Tucson man wonders if he has one of the first transistor radios ever made.
Our Colored Heroes
S10 Ep7 | 14m 44s
Tukufu and fellow host Elyse Luray track down the true story behind a WWI poster.
Valley Forge Map
S10 Ep7 | 13m 4s
Did George Washington hold this map during the critical winter at Valley Forge?
Mysteries from the Wild West – Preview
S10 Ep8 | 30s
Premieres Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings.
Kit Carson Family Secrets
S10 Ep8 | 13m 28s
Did this antique biography once belong to Kit Carson’s family?
Tumbling Tumbleweeds – The Luck and the Loss
S10 Ep8 | 11m 45s
We investigate the tragic story behind the most famous cowboy song ever.
Preview: American bill of sale, a powder horn, 1775 almanac
S10 Ep9 | 30s
Premieres Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings.
Bill of Sale
S10 Ep9 | 14m 33s
Eduardo investigates the life story behind a Bill of Sale for a 17-year old “negro girl.”
Cobb Powder Horn
S10 Ep9 | 11m 52s
What is the story behind an engraved horn found in a Minnesota field?
Star Spangled Banner Manuscript
S10 Ep9 | 14m 6s
Was this handwritten sheet of music central to deciding our national anthem?
The Saddle That Invented the Stuntman
S9 Ep1 | 14m 17s
Wes Cowan connects a rodeo saddle to a star that changed Hollywood movie-making.
Yak Canutt: Devil Horse Clip
S9 Ep1 | 2m 27s
In this clip from Devil Horse, stuntman Yak Canutt can be seen riding a horse.
First Cannon Fire of Civil War Secession
S9 Ep1 | 18m 3s
Elyse Luray tries to match metal shavings to the right Civil War cannon.
Moon Museum Update: Searching for John F.
S9 Ep1 | 1m 29s
An update on our Moon Museum story asking viewers to help us solve the mystery of John F.
The Hero of Ni’ihau, Hawaii
S9 Ep1 | 18m 18s
Mysterious airplane engine parts lead Eduardo Pagan to a forbidden Hawaiian island.
A Father’s Forgotten Tribute in a Spanish Civil War Eulogy
S9 Ep2 | 19m 21s
A touching eulogy unites descendants of two Americans who fought in the Spanish Civil War.
How to Research Your Geneology
S9 Ep2 | 1m 30s
Tukufu Zuberi shares tips on investigating your family history.
Paper Bombs: WWII Propaganda Over Japan
S9 Ep2 | 17m 5s
Wes Cowan decodes the message and strategy behind a U.S. World War II propaganda leaflet.
Tiffany Window: The Women Behind Louis Comfort Tiffany
S9 Ep2 | 14m 13s
What can this watercolor reveal about the unexpected world of a great American artist?
The Suit That Launched Ronald McDonald
S9 Ep3 | 15m 43s
Elyse Luray examines a complete Ronald McDonald costume. Was this costume the first?
On the Road: A Tour of the Kennedy Farmhouse
S9 Ep3 | 2m 7s
Wes Cowan goes on a tour of the Kennedy Farmhouse.
On the Road: Eduardo goes sledding
S9 Ep3 | 29s
History Detective Eduardo Pagan goes sledding. It's all part of the job.
The Bullet That Fought America’s Secret Siberian War
S9 Ep3 | 17m 42s
The words on this bullet put US troops in Siberia during WW I. Eduardo Pagan asks why.
The Spear That Stoked the Civil War
S9 Ep3 | 18m 44s
Did abolitionist rebels use this weapon in John Brown's notorious raid on Harpers Ferry?
Race, Romance and the Comic Book
S9 Ep4 | 14m 15s
Did black artists create the 1950's comic book, Negro Romance?
Aviation Autographs Reveal a Mystery Aircraft
S9 Ep4 | 17m 54s
Signatures on a piece of fabric connect Charles Lindbergh to another first in flight.
Civil War Letters: Dear Brother
S9 Ep4 | 16m 54s
Why did the Civil War soldier who wrote this letter ask to lead an African American unit?
Face Jug Investigation Update
S9 Ep4 | 1m 29s
Learn what contributor April Hines learned about her face jug after the HD investigation.
To Glove or Not To Glove?
S9 Ep4 | 1m 30s
Find out how, when and why the History Detectives use gloves in their investigations.
Teddy Roosevelt’s War Club
S9 Ep5 | 16m 2s
Was this wood club, found in an abandoned attic, once a gift to President Teddy Roosevelt?
The First Assault Drone?
S9 Ep5 | 15m 31s
Could this World War II-era propeller be from the first unmanned assault planes?
The Spyglass That Saw Revolution
S9 Ep6 | 17m 12s
Who owned this unusual telescope and did it play a part in the American Revolution?
Hidden Secrets in a Japanese Cane
S9 Ep6 | 17m 23s
Can the characters on this cane unlock a family secret from the WWII internment camps?
History Detective’s Most Common Artifacts
S9 Ep6 | 1m 29s
Find out why the most common History Detectives objects come from WWII.
Florida Map: Europe’s Colonial Blueprint
S9 Ep8 | 17m 22s
With labels in three languages, what can this map tell about how Europe colonized Florida?
The Civil War Secrets of a Drug Smuggling Doll
S9 Ep8 | 18m 13s
A family legend says a child and this doll smuggled drugs behind the Northern blockade.
The Woman Who Photographed the President
S9 Ep8 | 16m 34s
Wes Cowan traces the steps of the first woman photographer assigned to the White House.
Fitness, Flappers and Phonograph Records
S9 Ep9 | 18m 3s
Who was the man behind these 1920s exercise records? Did he pioneer media fitness?
1775 Almanac: Diary of the Revolution
S9 Ep9 | 16m 24s
The notes in the margins of this 1775 Almanac tell a family's story of the Revolution.
Suffrage Pennant
S9 Ep10 | 16m 36s
Elyse Luray tracks this pennant to a pivotal place and time for women's voting rights.
Order of Leopold: A Medal of High Honor from Belgium
S9 Ep10 | 17m 13s
How did John Goularte, Sr. earn this prestigious medal from the Belgian government?
Club Continental: Underworld Calling Card
S9 Ep11 | 18m 58s
What job did Fred Nicholls do for Club Continental, a hub of LA underworld night life?
Ince’s Hollywood Indian Payroll
S9 Ep12 | 15m 56s
What will this ledger tell us about how Hollywood treated Indian actors?
Fighting for Harlem Land Rights
S9 Ep12 | 15m 13s
What stake does this 1892 stock certificate give the Harlem Heirs in Harlem real estate?
Wearing the Confederate Uniform: Slave or Soldier?
S9 Ep12 | 19m 57s
In this rare photo of a black man in a Confederate uniform, was he soldier or slave?
Galvez Papers
15m 42s
What do these pages reveal about a revolutionary war hero's role in a love affair?
WB Cartoons
16m 57s
What can this artwork tell us about the beginnings of some of our cartoon characters?
Exclusive Interview: Alan Bean
S8 Ep1 | 2m 40s
Watch Gwen's exclusive interview about Alan Bean's journey from astronaut to artist.
Moon Museum
S8 Ep1 | 17m 26s
Did the Apollo 12 space mission smuggle Andy Warhol's artwork to the moon?
Satelloon
S8 Ep1 | 18m 14s
Could this square of metallic material be part of America's first satellite program?
Space Boot
S8 Ep1 | 15m 59s
What does this odd-looking boot have to do with America's first steps in space?
Web Extra: A Theremin Performance
S8 Ep2 | 2m 36s
Rob Schwimmer plays Waltz for Clara on his theremin.
Theremin
S8 Ep2 | 16m 48s
Is an instrument owned by a New Mexico man one of the few built by Leon Theremin himself?
Copperhead Cane
S8 Ep2 | 17m 57s
How did this cane inspire a fiery political movement that threatened Lincoln's presidency?
Baker’s Gold
S8 Ep3 | 16m 44s
What role did these drawings play in one of the largest migrations in American history?
Transatlantic Cable
S8 Ep3 | 16m 25s
How did this twisted fragment of metal spark a communications revolution?
Andrew Jackson’s Mouth
S8 Ep4 | 16m 3s
How is this fragment connected a political protest in the 19th century?
Clara Barton Letter
S8 Ep4 | 17m 31s
What does this letter reveal about America's early efforts to honor its war dead?
Lauste Film Clip
S8 Ep4 | 17m 22s
How is this odd strip of film connected to the invention of talking movies?
Spybook
S8 Ep4 | 18m 34s
What does this little black book reveal about spying on the home front during World War I?
Bartlett’s Sketchbook
S8 Ep5 | 17m 40s
How did these pencil sketches help define the shape of America?
Cromwell Dixon Plane Fragment
S8 Ep5 | 15m 51s
What could this fabric tell us about the first pilot to conquer the Continental Divide?
Korean War Letter
S8 Ep6 | 18m 14s
What does this letter reveal about a forgotten act of heroism during the Korean War?
Lookout Mountain Painting
S8 Ep6 | 14m 27s
What can this painting tell us about a turning point in the Civil War?
Face Jug
S8 Ep8 | 14m 48s
What does this ceramic face reveal about a captive people's search for identity?
Hot Town Poster
S8 Ep8 | 17m 37s
What role did this striking poster play in the explosive events of 1960s America?
Lost City of Gold
S8 Ep8 | 18m 15s
What can these carved letters reveal about the first explorers to visit the Southwest?
Jackie Robinson Scorecard
S8 Ep9 | 16m 26s
What does this scorecard reveal about the desegregation of our national pastime?
Modoc Basket
S8 Ep9 | 17m 6s
What tales does this basket weave of the heroism of an American-Indian woman?
Special Agent Five
S8 Ep9 | 15m 38s
How did this tale of robbery and murder help FBI director Hoover consolidate his power?
Chicago Clock
S8 Ep11 | 15m 24s
What role did this clock play in keeping 19th century America running on time?
Universal Friends
S8 Ep11 | 17m 41s
What can this document reveal about a controversial religious group?
Web Extra: Bosko the Talk Ink Kid
S8 Ep12 | 7m 51s
Watch the original animation of Bosko "the Talk Ink Kid", the first Looney Tune in 1930.
Web Extra: Civil War Bridge
16m 6s
Did a South Carolina man discover evidence that could redraw Civil War maps?
Scottsboro Boys Stamp
17m 48s
Did a penny stamp help save the Scottsboro Boys from the electric chair?
Pancho Villa Watch Fob
S7 Ep1 | 17m 25s
Did the owner of this watch fob witness the horrifying raid on Pancho Villa?
War Dog Letter
S7 Ep1 | 18m 20s
The military put great effort into a War Dogs program during WWII. What went wrong?
Stalag 17 Portrait
S7 Ep1 | 16m 37s
What happened to the artist of this portrait made in a German POW camp?
Galleon Shipwreck
S7 Ep2 | 15m 54s
Is this a piece of treasure from a Spanish galleon washed up on an Oregon beach?
Manhattan Project Patent
S7 Ep2 | 18m 28s
Could this drawing have been part of America's secret plans to fuel the atomic bomb?
Booth Letter
S7 Ep3 | 17m 33s
Did the father of John Wilkes Booth threaten to assasinate the President?
Duke Ellington Plates
S7 Ep3 | 17m 13s
Are these plates the first edition of Duke Ellington's "Take the A Train"?
St Valentine’s Day Massacre
S7 Ep3 | 17m 53s
Was this weapon fired in one of the nation's most infamous crimes?
John Adams Book
S7 Ep4 | 16m 43s
Do these pages open the book on a President who built a nation as his son fell into ruin?
Tokyo Rose
S7 Ep5 | 17m 20s
Did this 1940s recording help convict the woman alleged to be a Japanese spy?
Amelia Earhart Plane
S7 Ep6 | 17m 30s
Was this piece of metal ripped from one of the most famous missing planes in history?
Liberia Letter
S7 Ep8 | 18m 10s
Does this letter help to trace one freed man's dream to return to Africa?
N.E.A.R Device
S7 Ep8 | 16m 47s
Was this device invented to help Americans believe they could survive a nuclear attack?
1856 Mormon Tale
S6 Ep1 | 15m 36s
Is this tattered book a true account of female slavery in the old West?
Annie Oakley Coin
S6 Ep1 | 17m 9s
Was this coin a target for one of the Wild West's most popular female sharpshooters?
Red Hand Flag
S6 Ep2 | 16m 51s
Is this peculiar flag one that African-American soldiers marched under in WWI?
Seth Eastman Painting
S6 Ep2 | 15m 48s
Is this an original work from a famous painter of the American West?
Isleton Tong
S6 Ep2 | 16m 59s
Was this building a safe haven for persecuted immigrants, or a hub for organized crime?
Airstream Caravan
S6 Ep4 | 18m 36s
Was this mobile home part of a modern-day wagon train halfway across the world?
China Marine Jacket
S6 Ep4 | 17m 23s
Can the symbols on this unusual item of clothing help identify a marine?
Lincoln Forgery
S6 Ep4 | 14m 48s
Could this sheet music have come from Abraham Lincoln's private collection?
Bonus Army Stamp
S6 Ep5 | 16m 3s
Is this stamp connected to a time when the military bore weapons against fellow soldiers?
Black Tom Shell
S6 Ep7 | 16m 24s
Is this shell from a devastating act of foreign sabotage on U.S. soil?
Front Street Blockhouse
S6 Ep7 | 15m 18s
Did this unassuming house protect an American colony from attack almost 300 years ago?
Mankato Spoon
S6 Ep8 | 16m 30s
What does this silver spoon have to do with the largest mass execution in U.S. history?
Kahlil Gibran Painting
S6 Ep9 | 16m 28s
Is this painting an unknown work by an immigrant poet whose words inspired a generation?
Connecticut Farmhouse
S6 Ep9 | 14m 34s
How is this Connecticut farmhouse connected to the assassination of a Russian tsar?
Blueprint Special
S6 Ep10 | 17m 27s
Did this record play a dramatic role in the Allied victory during the Second World War?
Monroe Letter
S6 Ep10 | 14m 57s
Does this letter link an American President to the high seas piracy of the 1800s?
Preview: Cuban Missile Crisis connections
S5 Ep1 | 30s
Airs Tuesday, August 6, 2013 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings.
African American Genealogy Tips
1m 55s
Tukufu gives tips on how to conduct African American genealogical research.
Behind the Scenes – Survivor Camera
4m 29s
Go behind the scenes with Wes during the filming of Survivor Camera.
Extended Interview: More on Thomas Jefferson
7m 14s
Historian Jennings Wagoner talks about Thomas Jefferson.
Extended Interview: Archeologist Corey Malcolm
5m 22s
Tukufu Zuberi talks to archeologist Corey Malcom.
Web Extra: World Champion Bulldoggers
4m 17s
Tukufu gets in the saddle to speak to world champion bulldoggers.
Extended Interview: Former Captain John McNish
6m 34s
John McNish, a former Captain on the USS Thresher talks to Gwen.
Web Exclusive: Interview with Guillaume de Syon
3m 8s
A web-only interview with author Guillaume de Syon.
Extended Interview: Dan Coquillette on John Adams
7m 50s
Gwen speaks to Dan Coquillette about the John Adams book.
Extended Interview: Immigrant Historian Daniel Soyer
3m 22s
Elyse speaks to immigration historian Daniel Soyer.
Elyse Luray Interview
2m 45s
Seven years on, Elyse tells why she still gets a thrill out of being a history detective.
Interview: Elyse and Howard Zinn
2m 54s
We take a look back at Elyse Luray's conversation with Howard Zinn in 2006.
On the Road: Wes and the Copperhead Cane
2m 6s
Join Wes Cowan in a foundry investigating a cast metal snake on the top of a cane.
Web Extra: Duke Ellington Birthday
3m 10s
Tukufu Zuberi goes to Duke Ellington's 110th birthday celebrations.
Thin Section Analysis
1m 30s
Go into the Petrography lab and see how an artifact is studied for clues.
Extended Interview: Chinese Immigration
4m 11s
Charlotte Brooks tells Gwen about life as a Chinese immigrant.
Extended Interview: Navajo Medicine Man
3m 56s
Watch an extended interview with Navajo medicine man Johnson Dennison.
Extended Interview: Mary Lincoln’s Biographer
3m 53s
Wes talks to Mary Lincoln's biographer, Jean Baker.
Extended Interview: All About Amelia Earhart
3m 42s
Elyse speaks to Amelia Earhart expert Susan Butler.
On the Road: The Flying Detective
2m 20s
Go behind the scenes of the Cromwell Dixon airplane fabric story.
Extended Interview: Baseball player Max Manning
2m 25s
An interview from History Detectives Season One, with baseball player Max Manning.
Finger Printing
1m 30s
Learn how fingerprinting technology has evolved; making matching fingerprints easier.
World War II Diary
18m 18s
Does this diary hold the key to understanding the fate of a bomber pilot from WWII?
Hindenburg Artifact
16m 43s
Was this device snatched from the burning wreckage of the ill-fated zeppelin?
Japanese Balloon Bomb
15m 4s
Is this scrap of fabric evidence of a secret wartime attack on the U.S. mainland?
Shipwreck Cannons
16m 19s
Are these the remains of a navy schooner that fought with the mighty British Empire?
Society Circus Program
17m 18s
Why did some New Yorkers plan a high society circus during the Great Depression?
USS Olympia Glass
18m 48s
Did this farmhouse door sail into battle in one of America's greatest naval victories?
Atocha Spanish Silver
18m 5s
What is the meaning of the markings on a silver bar found in a Spanish shipwreck?
Josh White Guitar
17m 26s
What role did this guitar play in the transformation of the music industry in the 1960's?
George Washington Miniature
16m 10s
What is this portrait's surprising connection to the abolitionist White Matlack?
WPA Mural Studies
18m 1s
Are these unusual paintings part of the biggest job creation program in America's history?
Extended Interview: Sergei Sikorsky
3m 24s
Tukufu Zuberi speaks with the son of Igor Sikorsky, the Russian-born aviation pioneer.
Web Extra: Interview with Si Lewen
7m 38s
History Detective Gwen Wright speaks with Si Lewen, a 92-year old veteran of Camp Ritchie.
Black Ventriloquist Dummy
1m 38s
Discover what has been Tukufu's favourite artifact after 10 seasons of History Detectives.
GAR Photograph
3m 52s
Discover what has been Elyse's favourite reveal after 10 seasons of History Detectives.
Lindbergh Engine
2m 4s
Discover what has been Tukufu's favourite reveal after 10 seasons of History Detectives.
Napoleon’s Sword
1m 42s
Discover Wes' favourite investigation location after 10 seasons of History Detectives.
Gold Ship
1m 9s
Discover Elyse's favourite investigation location after 10 seasons of History Detectives.
Ford Roadster
2m 4s
Discover what has been Tukufu's favourite mystery after 10 seasons of History Detectives.
Web Extra: Hollywood Sign Construction
2m 40s
Watch archive footage of the Hollywood sign being constructed.
Web Extra: Empire State Building Plane Crash, Eyewitness
3m 19s
Eyewitness, Gloria Pall recounts the day a B-25 flew into the Empire State Building.
Web Extra: Extended Interview – Woolworth Sit In
3m 33s
Watch this extended interview with Civil Rights activists, Carl Matthews and Bill Stevens.
Behind The Detectives: Elyse
2m 12s
History Detectives host, Elyse Luray talks about her collectables.
Behind The Detectives: Wes
2m 36s
History Detectives host, Wes Cowan opens the doors to his auction house.
Behind The Detectives: Gwen
1m 36s
History Detectives host, Gwen Wright talks us through her unique style and fashion.
Behind The Detectives: Eduardo
1m 53s
History Detectives host, Eduardo Pagán takes us around a Cactus farm in Arizona.
Behind The Scenes: Season 10
4m 21s
Discover what goes on behind the scenes on History Detectives with our hosts.
Web Extra: Rusty Richards
1m 59s
Exclusive for History Detectives. Rusty Richards performs 'So You Want to be a Cowboy'.
Incredible Leaps
1m 55s
Elyse Luray talks with Jonathan Taplin, one of Dylan’s roadies who was at Newport.
Shattering Race Barriers and Chart Records
4m 54s
Eduardo Pagan provides background on Motown Records and James Jamerson.
James Jamerson Jr describes My Girl
50s
Eduardo talks to James Jamerson Jr about his father prominent base playing.
Snapshots of Crime and Law Enforcement
3m 50s
Clint Black meets Elyse Luray and tells her how he came to own this book.
Powder Keg of Tension
1m 19s
History Detective Wes Cowan meets with Jerry Greene, a historian of the Indian Wars.
Washita Battlefield
2m 25s
Wes Cowan meets with Joel Shockley, a park guide at the Washita Battlefield.
Desegregating the Lunch Counter
6m 7s
Tukufu Zuberi interviews two participants in the 1960 sit-ins in Winston-Salem
A Wide Open Town
2m 18s
In this clip, cocktail expert David Wondrich describes New York saloons in the 1890s.
Translating the Diary
3m 34s
Wes Cowan talks with translator Merle Pribbenow, who translates passages from the diary.
Our Colored Heroes
5m 16s
Tukufu comes to Elyse for help learning about the origins of an amazing WWI poster he owns
The Real Kit Carson
3m 41s
Tukufu Zuberi meets with fellow detective Wes Cowan to discuss Kit Carson's background.
Poet Laureate of the West
5m 8s
Eduardo Pagan provides background on Bob Nolan, a member of the Sons of the Pioneers.
Marion County Library
4m 48s
Eduardo Pagan attempts to trace the life of a single slave known only as Willoby.
Tackling the mystery of the SS Sultana
The story of the SS Sultana. What caused the deadly explosion?
Extended Interview: New insights into Abraham Lincoln
2m 19s
Wes Cowan interviews Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer about Rueben Hatch,
History Detectives Special Investigations Preview
2m 42s
The detectives are back solving the biggest mysteries in American history!
Deleted Scene: Swing Kids in Hamburg
2m 30s
London professor Les Back tells Tukufu about WWII-era Germany's underground jazz scene.
Deleted Scene: Wartime Contradictions
2m 3s
London professor Les Back tells Tukufu about segregation of black soldiers during WW II.
Upcoming Schedule
Sun 07/28
11:00 PM
History Detectives
PsychoPhone; War Dog Letter; Pancho Villa Watch Fob
Thomas Edison created the PsychoPhone to record messages from the afterlife; a World War II soldier's letter; watch fob commemorates murderous raid.
Sun 08/4
11:00 PM
History Detectives
Manhattan Project; Galleon Shipwreck; Creole Poems
Invention may have been used to build the atomic bomb; a 23-pound block of beeswax; French manuscript could be love poems.
Sun 08/11
11:00 PM
History Detectives
St. Valentine's Day Massacre; Booth Letter; Cemetery Alarm
Shotgun may have belonged to one of Al Capone's men; letter indicates that John Wilkes Booth's father threatened to kill President Andrew Jackson.
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