1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,040 Speaker 1: Hey there, history fans. We're off this week so that 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 1: I can move across country. But don't worry, We've got 3 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: plenty of classic shows to tide you over. Please enjoy 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: these flashback episodes from the TDI HC Vault. 5 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 2: Welcome to This Day in History Class, from HowStuffWorks dot 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 2: Com and from the desk of Stuff You Missed in 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 2: History Class. It's the show where we explore the past 8 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 2: one day at a time with a quick look at 9 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 2: what happened today in history. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. 10 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 2: I'm Tracy V. Wilson and it's September fourth. The Peak 11 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 2: Skill Riots ended on this day in nineteen forty nine. 12 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 2: This was a series of ongoing violence, but it had 13 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 2: two key moments, effectively two different riots that are connected together. 14 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 2: The first one followed an open air concert that was 15 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 2: scheduled in Peakskill, New York, on August twenty seventh of 16 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 2: nineteen forty nine. To be there were Paul Robson, Witty Guthrie, 17 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 2: Lee Hayes, and Pete Seeger. They were using money for 18 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 2: the Civil Rights Congress. Actor, singer and activist Paul Robson 19 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 2: had really been outspoken on the issue of racism and 20 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:14,400 Speaker 2: four civil rights and against fascism, and in the months 21 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: leading up to this planned appearance, he had made a 22 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 2: statement at the Paris Peace Conference about being determined to 23 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:24,279 Speaker 2: fight for peace and not wishing to fight the Soviet Union. 24 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 2: But what was reported as what he had said was 25 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 2: something else entirely and something that is still attributed to him, 26 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 2: which was quote, is unthinkable that the Negro people of 27 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 2: America or elsewhere would be drawn into war with the 28 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 2: Soviet Union. People took this statement to mean that Paul 29 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 2: Robson was pro Soviet Union and that all black people 30 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 2: were pro Soviet Union. It became a talking point that 31 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 2: he was a communist and that he was anti American, 32 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 2: and that he was loyal to the USSR. Even though 33 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 2: he had appeared in Peak Skill three in a row 34 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 2: before nineteen forty nine. This Paris Peace Conference statement, in 35 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 2: the way it was reported, really solidified in people's minds 36 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 2: that this should not be allowed. Reporting in the Evening 37 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:15,959 Speaker 2: Star in Peak Sel also made it clear that Robesen 38 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 2: was to be considered a communist and a subversive. There 39 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 2: was a lot of press leading up to this appearance 40 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 2: about how it should not be allowed to happen. So 41 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 2: the night of the concert, a mob tried to block 42 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 2: the area. They yelled white supremacist slogans, they burned across, 43 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,079 Speaker 2: and they tried to set the picnic area at the 44 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 2: park where this is happening on fire. Meanwhile, the performance 45 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 2: tried to go on. The people in attendance were largely 46 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 2: black and Jewish, and people who were attending the concert 47 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 2: linked their arms up to try to keep the mob 48 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 2: away from the concert site. The police eventually arrived and 49 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 2: dispersed everyone, and there were no fatalities, but there were 50 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 2: a lot of injuries and the concert had to be 51 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 2: rescheduled for September fourth. Leading up to that rescheduled concert, 52 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 2: the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars planned 53 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 2: a protest. The Joint Veterans Council held a meeting to 54 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 2: discuss a plan for what to do, and organizations like 55 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 2: the Chamber of Commerce and the jc's publicly issued statements 56 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 2: opposing the rescheduled concert. There were also labor and civil 57 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 2: rights organization on the other side who supported the performance 58 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 2: and who criticized the reporting in The Evening Star for 59 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 2: stoking violence and racist sentiments. Trade unions also made a 60 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 2: plan to try to defend the concert site, and the 61 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 2: concert came on September fourth that started with classical music 62 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 2: and then folk music by those original performers and Paul Robson. 63 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 2: After the concert, law enforcement routed the people who had 64 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 2: been there down a back road where men and boys 65 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 2: were waiting to throw rocks and bricks at their cars. 66 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 2: Cars were overturned, windows were smashed. There were bus drivers 67 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 2: who fled the scene and left their passengers stranded in 68 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 2: this melee. Later on it was a let the ku 69 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 2: Klux Klan was involved with this. There was an active 70 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 2: chapter of the ku Klux Klan near Peak Skill and 71 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 2: that police had coordinated with the assailants by radio. Racism, 72 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 2: anti Semitism, and anti communist sentiments were all tied up 73 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 2: in this. This was a precursor to the Second Red 74 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 2: Scare in Joseph McCarthy's investigation of Communist infiltration into the government. 75 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,799 Speaker 2: In nineteen fifty, the US State Department refused to renew 76 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 2: Robesen's passport so that he could no longer travel internationally 77 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 2: for performances, and then he was blacklisted within the industry 78 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:37,919 Speaker 2: for his views and for his civil rights work. He 79 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,599 Speaker 2: died in nineteen seventy six of a stroke. Thanks to 80 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 2: Eve's Jeff Cote for her research work today on this episode, 81 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 2: and thanks to Tari Harrison for her audio work on 82 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 2: this show. You can subscribe to This Day in History 83 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 2: Class on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and where I Relse 84 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 2: to get your podcast. And tomorrow we'll have a word 85 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 2: with a very clear meaning, but that meaning has shifted 86 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:02,799 Speaker 2: a lot over the years. 87 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 3: This Day in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 88 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to This Day in History Class, a 89 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,719 Speaker 1: show for people who can never know enough about history. 90 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,799 Speaker 1: My name is Gabeluesier, and one of my favorite things 91 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: about history is that it gives us a glimpse of 92 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 1: just how novel the technology we take for granted used 93 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: to be. Take cameras, for instance, most of us today 94 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 1: have a high quality one within arm's reach at any 95 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:43,280 Speaker 1: given moment, thanks to our phones. But when cameras were new, 96 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: they were complex, bulky, and anything but intuitive. So today 97 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: we're going to reflect on just how good we've got 98 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 1: it by looking at the day when cameras finally started 99 00:05:54,480 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: to get a little more user friendly. The day was Tuesday, 100 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:10,159 Speaker 1: September fourth, eighteen eighty eight, American entrepreneur George Eastman, founder 101 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: of the Eastman Dry Plate and Film Company, received a 102 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: patent for the world's first camera designed to use roles 103 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: of film. Dubbed the Kodak, the box style camera was 104 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: much easier to carry and operate compared to other cameras 105 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: of the day. This ease of use helped expand the 106 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 1: niche world of photography into a hobby accessible to almost anyone. 107 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 1: Eastman was born on July twelfth, eighteen fifty four, in Waterville, 108 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: New York. He grew up poor and dropped out of 109 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: high school to support his widowed mother and two sisters, 110 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: one of whom was sick with polio. At age fourteen, 111 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: Eastman began his career in business as the office boy 112 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 1: for a local insurance company. He then got a job 113 00:06:57,520 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: as a bank clerk, and it was during this ten 114 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:03,599 Speaker 1: hunt that he first took an interest in photography. When 115 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: Eastman was twenty four, he started making plans for a 116 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: vacation to Santo Domingo, the capital city of the Dominican Republic. 117 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 1: While prepping for the trip, a colleague at the bank 118 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: encouraged Eastman to document his travels. This prompted him to 119 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:23,559 Speaker 1: invest in his own photographic equipment. True to the era, 120 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: the camera Eastman bought was as big as a microwave 121 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 1: and required a tripod to operate. At the time, cameras 122 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: relied on what's known as wet plate photography. In this process, 123 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: the camera's lens used light to capture an image onto 124 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: a heavy glass plate inserted in the camera. Then, in 125 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 1: a complicated multi step process, the glass plate would be 126 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 1: coated and dipped in several chemical solutions before being exposed, washed, 127 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: and varnished. Once this lengthy process was complete, and only 128 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 1: if done correctly, of visible negative image would appear on 129 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: the plate, which could then be used to make a 130 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: paper print or photograph. Needless to say, taking and developing 131 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: even a single photo involved a great deal of time, effort, 132 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: and technical know how. In fact, when Eastman had gathered 133 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: his complete photography kit, which he colorfully described as a 134 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: pack horse load, he found that he still needed to 135 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: pay five dollars to learn how to use it. In 136 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 1: the end, George Eastman never actually took that vacation to 137 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: Santo Domingo, but his foray into photography ignited a new passion. 138 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: He continued to work at the bank during the day, 139 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: but at night he would experiment in his mother's kitchen, 140 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:47,839 Speaker 1: hoping to find an easier way to take pictures. His 141 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: research led him to another existing form of photography, which 142 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:55,679 Speaker 1: involved coating glass plates with a gelatine emulsion that remained 143 00:08:55,800 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: light sensitive even after it dried. This dry place form 144 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: of photography simplified the development process, and after three years 145 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: of experimentation, Eastman came up with his own dry plate 146 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: formula and entered the photography business full time. As he 147 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 1: worked to keep his young company afloat, Eastman continued searching 148 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: for a new exposure method that would do away with 149 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: cumbersome glass plates once and for all. He knew that 150 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 1: only then could he achieve his dream to quote make 151 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: the camera as convenient as the pencil. His initial approach 152 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 1: was to coat the gelatine emulsion directly onto paper instead 153 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 1: of onto glass plates. That way, the paper could be 154 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 1: wound into a compact roll and loaded into a special 155 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: holder attached to the camera. When it became clear the 156 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: wet paper was too sticky and fragile to be rolled 157 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: up effectively, Eastman switched to film made from cellulose, and 158 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: the modern camera was born. The first camera to use 159 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: that film was the one Eastman patented in eighteen eighty eight. 160 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 1: The Kodak box camera came preloaded with one hundred exposures 161 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: worth of film and was ready to use with no 162 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 1: adjustments or prior knowledge needed. Budding photographers could simply ready 163 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 1: the shutter by pulling up on a string, point the 164 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: camera at a subject, and then press the shutter release 165 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,440 Speaker 1: to snap a picture. This simplicity was the major selling 166 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 1: point for the twenty five dollars Kodak camera, as evidenced 167 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:34,839 Speaker 1: by the camera's slogan, you press the button, we do 168 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 1: the rest. Once all one hundred exposures had been used, 169 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:43,319 Speaker 1: the entire camera was sent to Eastman's headquarters in Rochester. 170 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: There the film was developed, prints were made, and a 171 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: new role of film was installed. The camera and prints 172 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: were then returned to the customer, with the whole service 173 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 1: costing around ten dollars. The Kodak camera was such a 174 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: success that within a few years of its debut, Eastman 175 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 1: renamed his business the Eastman Kodak Company. As for the 176 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 1: word Kodak, which Eastman trademarked on the same day he 177 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:15,599 Speaker 1: patented his camera, it doesn't actually mean anything. Contrary to 178 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: popular belief, it was not an existing word borrowed from 179 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,559 Speaker 1: a foreign language. According to Eastman, the made up word 180 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:26,960 Speaker 1: was chosen for four reasons. First, it was short and 181 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: therefore easy to remember. Second, it was a distinct enough 182 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: word that it would be difficult to mispronounce. Third, it 183 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 1: had no associations outside of his specific camera, and fourth, 184 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: it both started and ended with the letter K, which 185 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 1: was Eastman's favorite letter. The name proved to be a 186 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: good choice, as Kodak went on to become one of 187 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,840 Speaker 1: the most recognizable brand names of all time. The Kodak 188 00:11:55,880 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 1: Company and the medium of film photography in general have 189 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: lost some of their prominence since the advent of digital photography, 190 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: But without George Eastman and the role film camera, who 191 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 1: knows when or if photography would have ever become the 192 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: universal pastime it is today. I'm Gabe Lucier and hopefully 193 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 1: you now know a little more about history today than 194 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: you did yesterday. If you'd like, you can learn more 195 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: about history by following us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram 196 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 1: at TDIHC podcast, and if you have any comments or suggestions, 197 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 1: please send them my way at this Day at iHeartMedia 198 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 1: dot com Thanks to Chandler Mays for producing the show, 199 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: and thank you for listening. I'll see you back here 200 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:48,319 Speaker 1: again tomorrow for another day in history class. 201 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 3: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 202 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 3: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.