On this week’s episode, “The History of Now,” we’re taking a look back at some of our stories from the past year. If you’re a regular listener, you know that we love history. We make documentaries about hidden chapters, lesser known figures, and surprising moments of history. Our stories air on this podcast, of course, and on NPR’s newsmagazine All Things Considered. So, one of the questions we always ask ourselves is how can we make stories about history that can air alongside the news?

This past year, history has felt more relevant than ever. With the help of our producers at Radio Diaries, we’re looking back at a few stories that delve into the past, but feel especially relevant today. Producers Nellie Gilles, Alissa Escarce and Mycah Hazel sit down with our host Joe Richman to discuss the relevance of – and some surprising stories behind – our stories The Story of Jane, The End of Smallpox and The Almost Astronaut. 

Capt. Ed Dwight at Edwards Air Force Base

Captain Ed Dwight receives award from officials of the Los Angeles Urban League. Left to right are Brig. Gen. Irving Branch, Edwards AFB commander; D.R. Zook, Urban League; Dwight: Wesley Brazier, Urban League, and Col. 'Chuck' Yeager, astronaut training commandant at Edwards AFB. Ed Dwight was the first black astronaut candidate in the United States. Photograph by George Brich, Valley Times Collection/Los Angeles Public Library, 1963

Rahima Banu and her mother, 2022

Rahima Banu (right) and her mother, 2022. Rahima Banu is the last known person to have contracted the deadly form of smallpox.

The Women of Jane

(From left) Martha Scott, Jeanne Galatzer-Levy, Abby Parisers, Sheila Smith and Madeline Schwenk were among the seven members of the Jane abortion network arrested in 1972.