In one of the darkest moments in American history, a paralyzed president stood before a broken nation and declared: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” But what did Franklin D. Roosevelt mean by that famous line — and why did it resonate so deeply?

In this episode of Quotable History, Will Henry takes you on a journey through FDR’s remarkable life, from his privileged upbringing and personal battles with polio to his masterful leadership during the Great Depression. You’ll discover how his rhetoric lifted the morale of millions, how the New Deal reshaped America, and why his legacy remains both celebrated and controversial.

As the U.S. teetered on the brink of collapse, FDR inspired a nation to overcome fear — but the story doesn’t end there. Next week, we explore how he faced an even greater challenge: World War II.

Subscribe, leave a review, and join us each week as we uncover the stories behind history’s most powerful words.

🔔 New episodes every Tuesday

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🙏 Special thanks to Rachel Henry—for her unwavering support and essential editing work behind the scenes.

👉 If you enjoyed this episode, text the link to one friend who loves history. That’s how we grow—one curious mind at a time.

Sources:

Ken Burns, dir. The Roosevelts: An Intimate History. PBS, 2014. Documentary film series.

FDR Library & Museum, “FDR Biography.” https://www.fdrlibrary.org/fdr-biography

Wendy Mead. “7 Facts About Franklin Roosevelt.”

https://www.biography.com/political-figures/a65191884/franklin-d-roosevelt-facts

Biography.com editors. “Franklin D. Roosevelt.”

https://www.biography.com/political-figures/franklin-d-roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt. First Inaugural Address. March 4, 1933. Washington, D.C. National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/president-franklin-d-roosevelts-first-inaugural-address.

History.com Editors. “Stock Market Crash of 1929.”

https://www.history.com/articles/1929-stock-market-crash

Teach History.org “The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”

https://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/24468

In this episode of Quotable History, we shine a light on the life and legacy of Thomas Edison — the inventor who recorded the first sound, lit up cities with his electric vision, and redefined modern life. From his humble beginnings to his groundbreaking inventions, we explore not just the man behind the lightbulb, but the relentless drive, failures, and controversies that shaped his career. Along the way, we’ll hear his famous recording of Mary Had a Little Lamb, and uncover what made Edison one of history’s most quotable — and complex — figures.

Listen now to discover the story of America’s most prolific inventor, and what we can learn from his spark of genius.

🔔 New episodes every Tuesday

📲 Follow on social:

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TikTok → @quotable.history

🙏 Special thanks to Rachel Henry—for her unwavering support and essential editing work behind the scenes.

👉 If you enjoyed this episode, text the link to one friend who loves history and don’t forget to subscribe. That’s how we grow—one curious mind at a time.

Sources:

https://www.biography.com/inventors/thomas-edison

https://www.nps.gov/edis/learn/kidsyouth/the-phonograph.htm

https://edison.rutgers.edu/life-of-edison/essaying-edison/essay/myth-buster-topsy-the-elephant

https://www.thomasedison.org/the-edison-family

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Edison

We celebrate the Fourth of July—but John Adams was convinced it would be the Second. Why?

In this episode of Quotable History, host Will Henry dives into the political drama behind America's founding. From the Boston Massacre and the Tea Party to the fierce debates in the Continental Congress, this is the real story of how 13 colonies voted to break away from the British Empire—on July 2nd, 1776.

Featuring Adams’s iconic letter to Abigail and the clash between radicals and reconciliationists, we trace how independence was born—and why the ideals behind it still matter.

🎇 Hear why Adams thought July 2nd would be the day Americans would celebrate forever.

🔔 New episodes every Tuesday

📲 Follow on social:

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TikTok → @quotable.history

🙏 Special thanks to Rachel Henry—for her unwavering support and essential editing work behind the scenes.

👉 If you enjoyed this episode, text the link to one friend who loves history. That’s how we grow—one curious mind at a time.

Sources:

https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/online-exhibitions/timeline-american-revolution

https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2014/07/02/john-adams-vision-of-july-4-was-july-2/

https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17760703jasecond

Joe Rogan Experience #2336 – Ken Burns, published June 11, 2025

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration/how-did-it-happen

In this episode of Quotable History, host Will Henry unpacks one of the most iconic quotes in the history of science, and the centuries of bold thinkers who made it possible. From Copernicus quietly challenging church doctrine, to Galileo facing the Inquisition, to Newton himself calculating the laws of the universe during a plague lockdown, we trace the legacy of those who dared to question the world around them.

This isn’t just the story of Newton. It’s the story of a revolution, the Scientific Revolution, and the brave minds who built the intellectual scaffolding that modern science stands on.

We’ll also examine why institutions often resist groundbreaking ideas, and what this history can teach us about the pursuit of truth in today’s world.

🔔 New episodes every Tuesday

📲 Follow on social:

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TikTok → @quotable.history

🙏 Special thanks to Rachel Henry—for her unwavering support and essential editing work behind the scenes.

👉 If you enjoyed this episode, text the link to one friend who loves history. That’s how we grow—one curious mind at a time.

Sources:

https://www.biography.com/scientists/isaac-newton

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isaac-Newton

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Galileo-Galilei

https://www.biography.com/scientists/nicolaus-copernicus

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicolaus-Copernicus

https://iep.utm.edu/rene-descartes/

https://galileo.library.rice.edu/sci/brahe.html

https://galileo.library.rice.edu/sci/kepler.html

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/24520/6-things-you-should-know-about-isaac-newton

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/bacon_francis.shtml

"I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such glory over everything. The sun came up like gold through the trees, and I felt like I was in Heaven."

When Harriet Tubman crossed the line from slavery to freedom, she didn’t stop running; she turned back to help others escape. In this episode of Quotable History, we explore the life behind that radiant quote and the heroic journey of a woman who risked everything, again and again, for the freedom of others.

Host Will Henry walks you through the brutal reality of American slavery, Tubman's courageous missions on the Underground Railroad, and the faith and focus that drove her, even through pain, seizures, and constant danger.

🔔 New episodes every Tuesday

📲 Follow on social:

X, Instagram, Facebook → @quotehistorypod

TikTok → @quotable.history

🙏 Special thanks to Rachel Henry—for her unwavering support and essential editing work behind the scenes.

👉 If you enjoyed this episode, text the link to one friend who loves history. That’s how we grow—one curious mind at a time.

Sources:

Shay Dawson, “Harriet Tubman” National Women’ History Museum, 2024. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/harriet-tubman

Tyler Piccotti and Biography.com Editors, “Harriet Tubman,” Biography.com, 2023 https://www.biography.com/activists/harriet-tubman

Bradford, Sarah H. Harriet, The Moses of Her People. New York, Printed by J.J. Little & Co, 1901.

Jim Crow Museum “Slavery in America Timeline.” 2024. https://jimcrowmuseum.ferris.edu/timeline/slavery.htm

Digital History, “Slave Labor.” 2021. https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=3041

Barbara O’Brien “When US Christian Denominations Split Over Slavery” Patheos.com 2023. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thereligioushistorynerd/2023/01/when-u-s-christian-denominations-split-over-slavery/

National Archives Foundation, “The Long Road to Abolition” 2025 https://archivesfoundation.org/newsletter/the-long-road-to-abolition/

Some quotes do more than inspire, they ignite change. In this debut episode of Quotable History, host Will Henry unpacks the explosive power behind Martin Luther’s legendary words: “Here I stand, I can do no other.”

Travel back to 16th century Europe to discover how one monk’s defiance against the Catholic Church helped set off the Protestant Reformation reshaping religion, politics, and the very way we think. From indulgences and printing presses to the Enlightenment and modern democracy, this episode explores how a single act of conviction helped launch a revolution of thought.

Whether you’re a history buff or just curious about the origins of big ideas, this episode dives deep into the context, impact, and legacy of one of history’s most quotable moments.

Follow my socials:

Instagram and X (Twitter): @quotehistorypod

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Sources:

Eric Metaxas, Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World, 2017

Martin Luther, Ninety-Five Theses

John Green, "Luther and the Protestant Reformation: Crash Course World History." Luther and the Protestant Reformation: Crash Course World History #218

Got Questions, "What Was the Diet of Worms?" https://www.gotquestions.org/Diet-of-Worms.html

Walt Disney once said, “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing...that it was all started by a mouse.” But how did one man with modest beginnings build one of the most influential entertainment empires in the world?

In this episode of Quotable History, host Will Henry explores the life, vision, and legacy of Walt Disney. From drawing cartoons as a child in Missouri to revolutionizing animation with Mickey Mouse and founding Disneyland, this is the story of a dreamer who endured failure, reinvented family entertainment, and proved that imagination, combined with resilience, can change the world.

Whether you're a Disney fan, an entrepreneur, or just love a good origin story, this episode is a tribute to the power of vision and perseverance.

🎧 Tune in and discover why the mouse was only the beginning.

Follow my socials:

Instagram and X (Twitter): @quotehistorypod

Facebook: Quotable History

If you are interested in any Disney Vacation, check out my wife's Disney travel business on Instagram @rachelvacations

Sources:

The Walt Disney Family Museum, “Walt Disney Timeline”

Don Hahn, Waking Sleeping Beauty, 2009

Walt Disney Company, https://d23.com/walt-disney-quote/page/5/

Neal Gabler, Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination (Knopf, 2006)

PBS American Experience: Walt Disney (2015)

Steven Watts, The Magic Kingdom (University of Missouri Press, 2001)

Bob Thomas, Walt Disney: An American Original (Disney Editions, 1994)

Walt Disney, Disneyland. ABC, 1954.

Thank you for tuning in!

Quotable History is the podcast where the past speaks for itself — one unforgettable quote at a time. Each episode explores a powerful line from history, diving into the story behind it: who said it, why it mattered, and how its echoes still shape our world today.

From soaring speeches to defiant last words, Quotable History brings you the voices that moved nations, sparked revolutions, and stood the test of time. More than just a quote, you’ll get the context, the controversy, and the lasting impact — all in a tightly crafted, thought-provoking episode.

If you're a history lover, a writer, a student, or just someone who loves a good story well told, this show is your time machine to the moments that mattered.

The past, in its own words. Subscribe and start listening. First episode dropping June 10th