Not so long ago, half the population couldn’t vote but brave women changed that forever.
In this inspiring History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo shares the story of the women’s suffrage movement, from the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 to the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.
Meet voices like Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, and Ida B. Wells, who marched, spoke, and dreamed of a day when every voice could be heard.
Sources:
National Women’s History Museum, The 19th Amendment: Women’s Right to Vote
Library of Congress, Votes for Women: The Struggle for Women’s Suffrage
National Archives, 19th Amendment Ratification Documents
National Park Service, Women’s Rights National Historical Park – Seneca Falls Convention
Smithsonian Magazine, “How Suffragists Changed the World.”
In the misty town of Maplebridge, an old clockmaker gives a young boy a brass watch that doesn’t tick, well not yet at least.
Years later, one single sound will remind them both that some promises never run out of time.
✨ Plus, a quick update about Auntie Jo Jo’s new podcast Legacy Lore, now streaming on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!
Sources / Inspiration:
National Watch and Clock Museum, The History of Timekeeping in America
British Horological Institute, Origins of the Modern Clockmaker
Smithsonian Institution Archives, American Innovations in Horology
Literary inspiration from early 20th-century morality fables and mentorship tales preserved in the Library of Congress Folklife Archive.
Before Thanksgiving meant turkey dinners and parade floats, it started with one determined woman and a very important letter.
In this History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo tells the story of Sarah Josepha Hale — the author of Mary Had a Little Lamb — who spent 17 years writing to presidents to create a national day of gratitude.
Her persistence finally reached Abraham Lincoln, who made Thanksgiving a holiday during one of the hardest times in American history.
It’s a story about hope, kindness, and how one voice can make a difference.
Sources:
Library of Congress, Primary Documents in American History: Thanksgiving Proclamation (1863)
Smithsonian Magazine, “The Woman Who Made Thanksgiving a National Holiday”
National Archives, Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation
National Museum of American History, Sarah Josepha Hale Papers
In a quiet seaside village, an old widow named Mrs. Merrin lights a lantern in her window every night even during the fiercest storms.
When the townspeople question why she keeps the flame burning, they soon discover that her simple act of kindness can guide more hearts than any lighthouse ever could.
Long before fireworks were just for fun, one bold plan nearly changed England forever.
In this History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo takes you back to 1605, when Guy Fawkes and his fellow plotters tried to blow up Parliament and how that failed attempt became Britain’s glowing November tradition: Bonfire Night.
Sources:
UK Parliament Education Centre, The Gunpowder Plot Explained
Historic UK, “Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot”
BBC History Extra, “The Real Story Behind Bonfire Night”
National Archives (UK), Primary Sources from the Gunpowder Plot of 1605
With gentle wind, a wise old tree, and a surprise landing, Linden learns that sometimes waiting doesn’t mean missing out, it means finding your perfect moment.
You’ve carved your pumpkins ......now hear the eerie Irish legend that started it all!
In this short bonus History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo retells the story of Stingy Jack, the clever trickster who outsmarted the Devil twice and became the wandering ghost behind the first Jack-O’-Lantern.
Learn how Irish immigrants brought this glowing tradition to America — and why a turnip once carried the world’s very first candlelight.
(Plus, a special announcement about Auntie Jo Jo’s brand-new podcast, Legacy Lore, now streaming everywhere!)
Sources:
The witches are loose, Halloween is coming, and only Eliza and her cat Merrin can save the town of Brookhaven. Broomsticks, riddles, and a test of courage await in the thrilling conclusion of The Candle in the Window.
Before candy and costumes, Halloween began as an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain — a time when people believed the spirits could walk among us.
In this History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo uncovers the story of how masks, disguises, and “guising” became part of our favorite spooky night.
From ancient bonfires to trick-or-treat bags, find out why dressing up on Halloween is really about imagination, courage, and a tiny bit of magic.
Sources:
National Museum of Ireland: Samhain – Origins of Halloween
History.com Editors, Halloween 101: Tracing the Origins of Halloween Traditions
BBC History, “Halloween: From Samhain to Trick-or-Treat”
The Folklore Society (UK), “Halloween Customs and Superstitions”
Smithsonian Magazine, “The Surprising History of Trick-or-Treating”
When curious Eliza Granger takes a job in a mysterious candle shop, she accidentally lights a candle that should’ve stayed dark......the Witch’s Flame. Now three mischievous witches have returned to Brookhaven, and with the help of a talking cat, Eliza must find a way to stop them before Halloween night.
🕯️ Magical mischief, talking cats, and autumn adventure await in this two-part Halloween special!
Who was the man from Stratford-upon-Avon who changed the world with his words?
In this History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo travels back to 16th-century England to meet William Shakespeare — the boy who became the world’s most famous playwright.
Discover how a small-town dreamer wrote about kings, ghosts, love, and courage and explore the spooky, mysterious world of his play Macbeth, filled with witches, prophecies, and lessons about the choices we make.
Perfect for curious kids and families planning a visit to Stratford or anyone who loves a little history with their drama.
Sources:
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon
British Library: Discovering Literature – Shakespeare and Renaissance Writers
Royal Shakespeare Company Archives – Macbeth Historical Context
Greenblatt, Stephen. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. W.W. Norton, 2004.
Oxford University Press, Shakespeare’s Life and Times
BBC History, “William Shakespeare: A Life of Drama”
Ellie loves October......and a good mystery! She finds herself listening to the wind and getting caught in the magic of the season.
Long before Halloween decorations and scary movies, a foggy little village in New York became the home of America’s most famous ghost story.
In this History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo takes you to Sleepy Hollow, where Dutch folklore, Revolutionary War history, and one curious writer named Washington Irving created the legend of the Headless Horseman.
Learn how a real town, a few spooky local stories, and one brave schoolteacher named Ichabod Crane became part of American history.
Sources:
Irving, Washington. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 1819.
Historic Hudson Valley, Sleepy Hollow Archives and Tours
Library of Congress: American Folklife Center – Legends of the Hudson Valley
“The Old Dutch Church and Burying Ground,” Sleepy Hollow Historical Society
Pip the tiny little pumpkin is looking for his window. Does he find it? Listen to this episode to find out!
The air is crisp, the leaves are falling and it’s the perfect time for a little spooky history! In this special October history-sode, Auntie Jo Jo takes you back to the 1600s and 1700s to explore the real witch trials of colonial America.
Sources for this episode:
“Records of the Witchcraft Cases in Virginia” – Virginia Colonial Records Project, Library of Virginia (mentions Grace Sherwood, Joan Wright, Katherine Grady).
Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive & Transcription Project – University of Virginia.
Karlsen, Carol F. The Devil in the Shape of a Woman (1987) — a well-researched book on witch trials in New England and Virginia.
Godbeer, Richard. Escaping Salem: The Other Witch Hunt of 1692 (Oxford University Press, 2005).
Demos, John. Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England (Oxford University Press, 1982).
Hoffer, Peter Charles. The Salem Witchcraft Trials: A Legal History (University Press of Kansas, 1997).
Library of Congress: “Witchcraft in Colonial America” primary source set.
National Park Service: Grace Sherwood Statue, Witch of Pungo history summary.
Quick Note: There is no music with this episode due to technical issues.
When a mysterious geocache pops up in Cedar Hollow Preserve, best friends Lila and Noor follow a trail of riddles, pinecones with secret tags, a hidden meadow of whispering flags, and a lock that only opens with the right four-letter word.
Quick Note: This episode has no music due to technical issues.
In this history-sode, Auntie JoJo takes listeners back to colonial Virginia in 1671. Through sound and storytelling, you’ll walk through a plantation at sunrise, sit at a colonial dinner table, peek at an early hornbook, and hear what might have scared kids and adults at night. This episode blends facts with imagination to make history feel alive.
Morning chores and daily life for children on a Virginia plantation
Typical colonial meals and why sugar was a rare treat
Education and church life in the 1600s
Games, storytelling, and simple fun kids made for themselves
The tobacco economy and colonial society under Governor Sir William Berkeley
The atmosphere of fear that sometimes led to witchcraft accusations
You can include this in your show notes/blog so listeners can learn more:
Lorena S. Walsh, Motives of Honor, Pleasure, and Profit: Plantation Management in the Colonial Chesapeake (University of North Carolina Press, 2010)
Philip Alexander Bruce, Institutional History of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1910)
Library of Virginia – Digital Collections on Colonial Virginia Life
Encyclopedia Virginia, entries on Colonial Society and Governor Sir William Berkeley
Jamestown Settlement & American Revolution Museum – “Daily Life in 17th Century Virginia” (living history resources)
Quick Note: There is not music with this podcast due to technical issues.
When the Lantern glows with a new golden word "COME" Wren is called back to the Hall of Hidden Wonders in the middle of the night. But this time, the hall is under threat: a Shadow Collector is stealing unfinished stories and erasing books from existence.
Quick Notes:
1. This episode does not include intro or outro music.
Travel back in time with Auntie Jo Jo’s Library as we explore the story of the original thirteen colonies!
From the rocky coasts of New England to the warm fields of Georgia, discover why settlers came to America, how each colony had its own personality, and what life was like for kids growing up in the 1600s and 1700s.
Quick Notes:
1. Episode does not have intro or outro music due to technical issues.
2. Auntie Jo Jo has been out of the country for a week and was not able to record in her studio. So, the sound quality is not the best.
3. Auntie Jo Jo is doing her best to provide you with stories weekly - please understand this is the best she could do this week!
Have you ever wondered if clouds have names? In this heartwarming story, we meet a small, plain little cloud who feels invisible up in the big sky.