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Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff

ByCool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
385 episodes

Podcast Summary

As long as there’s been oppression, there’ve been people fighting it. This weekly podcast dives into history to drag up the wildest rebels, the most beautiful revolts, and all the people who long to be—and fight to be—free. It explores complex stories of resistance that offer lessons and inspiration for us today, focusing on the ensemble casts that make up each act of history. That is to say, this podcast focuses on Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff.

#1

CZM Rewind: Part Two: Before the Mexican Revolution: Ricardo Flores Magón and the peasants who ended a dictatorship

Margaret continues talking with Kat Abu about the Mexican liberals who became anarchists and sparked a revolution. Original Air Date: 7.26.23 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-06-04•1hr 9mins
#2

CZM Rewind: Part One: Before the Mexican Revolution: Ricardo Flores Magón and the peasants who ended a dictatorship

Margaret talks with Kat Abu about the Mexican liberals who became anarchists and sparked a revolution. Original Air Date: 7.24.23See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-06-02•1hr 25mins
#3

CZM Book Club: The Revolutionary Fables of Ricardo Flores Magón

Margaret reads you several short stories written by the one of the ideological leaders of the Mexican Revolution.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-06-01•41mins
#4

Part Two: The Alter-Globalization Movement: From the Zapatistas to the Battle of Seattle

Margaret tells you about the rise of neoliberalism and the rise of its opposition and about better ideas about how to globalize society. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-05-28•43mins
#5

Part One: The Alter-Globalization Movement: From the Zapatistas to the Battle of Seattle

Margaret tells you about the rise of neoliberalism and the rise of its opposition and about better ideas about how to globalize society.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-05-26•51mins
#6

CZM Book Club: The Abbot of Druimenach

Margaret reads you an Irish fairy tale about gender transformation that she really likes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-05-25•34mins
#7

Part Two: Habeas Corpus and the Peasant Origins of Western Democracy

Margaret continues talking with Kat Abughazaleh about the folk councils that came to define English Common Law. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-05-21•59mins
#8

Part One: Habeus Corpus and the Peasant Origins of Western Democracy

Margaret talks with Kat Abughazaleh about the folk councils that came to define English Common Law. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-05-19•55mins

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#9

CZM Book Club: Soria Moria Castle

Margaret reads you a classic norse fairy tale and then makes a thin and likely incorrect argument for why it's a queer parable. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-05-18•40mins
#10

Part Two: How We Beat Polio But Not the Mythmaking Around Jonas Salk

Margaret talks with Anney Reese about how a group of people made polio vaccines and ended polio but how one guy took all the credit and ruined our understanding of history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-05-14•1hr 8mins
#11

Part One: How We Beat Polio But Not the Mythmaking Around Jonas Salk

Margaret talks with Anney Reese about how a group of people made polio vaccines and ended polio but how one guy took all the credit and ruined our understanding of history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-05-12•1hr 4mins
#12

CZM Book Club: The Barrow Will Send What it May, Chapters Eight and Nine

Margaret reads the final two chapters of her book The Barrow Will Send What it May. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-05-11•44mins
#13

Part Two: International Antifascists in Ukraine: the Story of Anarchists at War Against Putin

Margaret continues talking with Ron Placone about three antifascists who died protecting a humanitarian corridor--and one would-be antifascist who died on the other side of the war. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-05-07•57mins
#14

Part One: International Antifascists in Ukraine: the Story of Anarchists at War Against Putin

Margaret talks with Ron Placone about three antifascists who died protecting a humanitarian corridor--and one would-be antifascist who died on the other side of the war. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-05-05•1hr 4mins
#15

CZM Book Club: The Barrow May Send What it May, Chapter Seven

Margaret reads chapter seven of her book The Barrow Will Send What it MaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-05-04•33mins
#16

Part Two: A War Against Tankies and Tanks: the Hungarian Revolution of 1956

Margaret continues talking with Mia Wong about the communists and socialists who fought for workers’ power against the USSR.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-30•1hr 13mins
#17

Part One: A War Against Tankies and Tanks: the Hungarian Revolution of 1956

Margaret talks with Mia Wong about the communists and socialists who fought for workers’ power against the USSR.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-28•1hr 13mins
#18

CZM Book Club: The Barrow Will Send What it May, Chapter Six

Margaret reads chapter six of her book, The Barrow Will Send What it May.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-27•28mins
#19

Part Two: Women of War: Partisan Struggle Against Italian Fascism with Suzanne Cope

Author Suzanne Cope continues teaching Margaret about the history of women partisans in the Italian resistance, from her upcoming book Women of War.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-23•1hr 3mins
#20

Part One: Women of War: Partisan Struggle Against Italian Fascism with Suzanne Cope

Author Suzanne Cope teaches Margaret about the history of women partisans in the Italian resistance, from her upcoming book Women of War.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-21•56mins
#21

CZM Book Club: The Barrow Will Send What it May, Chapter Five

Margaret reads chapter five of her book The Barrow Will Send What it May.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-20•28mins
#22

Part Two: Black Antifascists In the Spanish Civil War

Jordan from The Dugout continues teaching Margaret about the long history of Black antifascism that brought people to fight in the Spanish Civil War. James Yates, Mississippi to MadridSalaria Kea, “Doing Christ’s Duty”Canute Frankson’s letter from Spain (1937)“The Good Fight” (Documentary)Peter N. Carroll, The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln BrigadeALBA-Valb.org archivesTrussel.com, “The Peekskill Riots”National Archives & Harlem Oral History ProjectKuykendall, Ronald A. "African Blood Brotherhood: Independent Marxism During the Harlem Renaissance." Western Journal of Black Studies 26 (Spring 2002): African Blood Brotherhood. The Principles of the African Blood Brotherhood. New York: African Blood Brotherhood, David Motadel, Islam and the European Empires (2014)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-16•1hr 1mins
#23

Part One: Black Antifascists In the Spanish Civil War

Jordan from The Dugout teaches Margaret about the long history of Black antifascism that brought people to fight in the Spanish Civil War. James Yates, Mississippi to MadridSalaria Kea, “Doing Christ’s Duty”Canute Frankson’s letter from Spain (1937)“The Good Fight” (Documentary)Peter N. Carroll, The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln BrigadeALBA-Valb.org archivesTrussel.com, “The Peekskill Riots”National Archives & Harlem Oral History ProjectKuykendall, Ronald A. "African Blood Brotherhood: Independent Marxism During the Harlem Renaissance." Western Journal of Black Studies 26 (Spring 2002): African Blood Brotherhood. The Principles of the African Blood Brotherhood. New York: African Blood Brotherhood, David Motadel, Islam and the European Empires (2014)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-14•1hr 9mins

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#24

CZM Book Club: The Barrow Will Send What it May, Chapter Four

Margaret reads another chapter from the second book in her Danielle Cain series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-13•35mins
#25

Part Two: A Madhouse Against the Nazis: the Story of François Tosquelles and Saint-Albans

Margaret continues talking with Allison Raskin about the antifascist asylum in France that armed partisans and reinvented psychiatry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-09•1hr 20mins
#26

Part One: A Madhouse Against the Nazis: the Story of François Tosquelles and Saint-Albans

Margaret talks with Allison Raskin about the antifascist asylum in France that armed partisans and reinvented psychiatry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-07•1hr 20mins
#27

CZM Book Club: Escape, part two

Margaret reads the second half of an anonymously authored speculative fiction story about what people could do if large scale roundups began, and discusses it with an anarchist technology enthusiast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-06•1hr 3mins
#28

Part Two: Samizdat: How to Self-Publish During a Dictatorship

Margaret continues talking to Katy Stoll about how the Soviet people evaded censors and kept poetry, literature, and political critique alive. The Material Existence of Soviet Samizdat, Ann Komaromi HG Skilling, Samizdat and an Indepedent Society in Central and Eastern Europe omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-04-02•1hr 11mins
#29

Part One: Samizdat: How to Self-Publish During a Dictatorship

Margaret talks to Katy Stoll about how the Soviet people evaded censors and kept poetry, literature, and political critique alive. The Material Existence of Soviet Samizdat, Ann Komaromi HG Skilling, Samizdat and an Indepedent Society in Central and Eastern Europe omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-31•46mins
#30

CZM Book Club: Escape, part one

Margaret reads an anonymously authored speculative fiction story about what people could do if large scale roundups began, and discusses it with an anarchist technology enthusiast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-30•1hr 13mins
#31

CZM Rewind: Part Two: Gay Resistance to the Nazis

In this second rewind episode, Margaret continues to tell the story of gay artists and street gangs that fought the Nazis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-26•1hr 8mins
#32

CZM Rewind: Gay Resistance to the Nazis

In this rewind episode, Margaret tells the story of gay artists and street gangs that fought the Nazis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-24•1hr 27mins
#33

CZM Book Club: The Barrow Will Send What it May, Chapter Three

Margaret reads Robert Evans the second book in her Danielle Cain series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-23•42mins
#34

Part Two: The Fight Against the Mountain Valley Pipeline

Margaret continues an epic tale of treesits, blockades, and resistance to fossil fuel infrastructure and environmental destruction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-19•48mins
#35

Part One: The Fight Against the Mountain Valley Pipeline

Margaret tells you an epic tale of treesits, blockades, and resistance to fossil fuel infrastructure and environmental destruction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-17•45mins
#36

CZM Book Club: The Barrow Will Send What it May, Chapter Two

Margaret reads Robert Evans the second book in her Danielle Cain seriesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-16•48mins
#37

Part Two: The Raid on Harpers Ferry Succeeded, Actually

Margaret continues talking with Bridget Todd about the five Black men who joined John Brown to spark the civil war.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-12•1hr 3mins
#38

Part One: The Raid on Harpers Ferry Succeeded, Actually

Margaret talks with Bridget Todd about the five Black men who joined John Brown to spark the civil war.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-10•1hr 9mins
#39

CZM Book Club: The Barrow Will Send What it May: Chapter One

Margaret reads Robert the second novella of the Danielle Cain series, Preorder the third book in the series, including all three audiobooks, on Kickstarter: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-09•41mins
#40

Part Two: Lesbian Mutual AID During the AIDS Crisis

Margaret continues talking with Andrew Ti about the mutual aid and solidarity offered by lesbians in the 1980s. omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-05•54mins
#41

Part One: Lesbian Mutual AID During the AIDS Crisis

Margaret talks with Andrew Ti about the mutual aid and solidarity offered by lesbians in the 1980s. omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-03•59mins
#42

CZM Book Club: Cool Zone 2055: The Peace Department

Margaret from the future reports on the dinosaur creche in Finland.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-03-02•41mins
#43

Part Four: Crass: How Some Hippies Reinvented Punk and Changed the World

Margaret talks even further with Jolie Holland about a multigenerational punk band from the 70s that introduced punk ethics to punk rock. Rebel Clothes, Rebel Songs, Rebel Pose: Anarchists on Punk Rock 1977-2010, anonymous John Cage, Anarchy The Story of Crass, George Berger omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-02-26•1hr 15mins
#44

Part Three: Crass: How Some Hippies Reinvented Punk and Changed the World

Margaret talks further with Jolie Holland about a multigenerational punk band from the 70s that introduced punk ethics to punk rock. Rebel Clothes, Rebel Songs, Rebel Pose: Anarchists on Punk Rock 1977-2010, anonymous John Cage, Anarchy The Story of Crass, George Berger omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-02-24•1hr 7mins
#45

CZM Book Club: Cool Zone 2055: The Last Report from Mx. Murder

Margaret from the future relays the last message from Mx. Bunny Face Murder.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-02-23•35mins
#46

Part Two: Crass: How Some Hippies Reinvented Punk and Changed the World

Margaret continues to talk with Jolie Holland about a multigenerational punk band from the 70s that introduced punk ethics to punk rock. Rebel Clothes, Rebel Songs, Rebel Pose: Anarchists on Punk Rock 1977-2010, anonymous John Cage, Anarchy The Story of Crass, George Berger omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-02-19•1hr 4mins
#47

Part One: Crass: How Some Hippies Reinvented Punk and Changed the World

Margaret talks with Jolie Holland about a multigenerational punk band from the 70s that introduced punk ethics to punk rock.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-02-17•58mins
#48

CZM Book Club: Cool Zone 2055: After the Battle

Margaret from the future tells you about Mx. Bunny Face Murder's childhood.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-02-16•34mins
#49

Part Four: The Haitian Revolution: The Most Successful Revolt in the Americas

Margaret finishes talking with Prop about how the people of Haiti destroyed a slave empire. Sources: A Secret among the Blacks: Slave Resistance before the Haitian Revolution, John D. Garrigus omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-02-12•1hr 6mins
#50

Part Three: The Haitian Revolution: The Most Successful Revolt in the Americas

Margaret talks further with Prop about how the people of Haiti destroyed a slave empire. Sources: A Secret among the Blacks: Slave Resistance before the Haitian Revolution, John D. Garrigus omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-02-10•1hr 1mins

Listen to your favourite podcasts.

Now ad-free.

Download herd and enjoy uninterrupted, high-quality podcasts without the wait.

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