Armchair Historians

Anne Marie Cannon

What's your favorite history? Each interview on this podcast begins with this one question. Our guests are people who like history and get really excited about a particular time, place or person from our distant or not so distant past. The jumping off point is the place where our they became curious then entered the rabbit hole into discovery through scholarly research, pop culture, documentaries, other podcasts...We look at history through the filter of other peoples eyes.https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=965986

  1. Janis Robinson Daly and #31TitlesWomenInHistory: Celebrating Women’s Stories Through Historical Fiction

    2D AGO

    Janis Robinson Daly and #31TitlesWomenInHistory: Celebrating Women’s Stories Through Historical Fiction

    Send a text In this episode of Armchair Historians, Anne-Marie Cannon talks with award-winning historical fiction author Janis Robinson Daly about her inspiring #31titleswomeninhistory initiative, a Women’s History Month project that spotlights historical fiction by women authors centered on women whose stories deserve more room in the historical record. Janis shares how the project began as an act of literary citizenship: authors supporting authors while also helping readers discover powerful, under-told stories of women from across time, place, and culture. The conversation also touches on Janis’s own novels, The Unlocked Path and The Path Beneath Her Feet, both inspired by pioneering women in medicine and her genealogical discoveries. If you love women’s history, historical fiction, and discovering new books for your TBR, this episode is for you. In this episode, we discuss: How #31titleswomeninhistory beganWhy historical fiction can bring overlooked women’s stories to lifeJanis’s selection criteria for the annual listLiterary citizenship and supporting fellow authorsWomen in medicine, women in literature, and women whose contributions have been pushed to the marginsHow readers can follow along during Women’s History MonthAbout Janis Robinson Daly: Janis Robinson Daly is a historical fiction author whose novels center on pioneering women in medicine and other overlooked stories from history. Her work is rooted in genealogy, research, and a passion for bringing hidden women’s stories into the light. Links and Resources: Janis Robinson Daly official website: https://janisrdaly.com Janis’s Women in History page: https://janisrdaly.com/women-in-history/ Janis’s books: https://janisrdaly.com/books/ Janis on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janisrdaly_writer/ Janis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanisRobinsonDalyAuthor/ Janis events page: https://janisrdaly.com/events/ Follow the project on social media: Search the hashtag #31titleswomeninhistory Books mentioned or referenced: The Unlocked Path by Janis Robinson Daly The Path Beneath Her Feet by Janis Robinson Daly The Red Tent by Anita Diamant Madam President by Nicolle Evelina The Personal Librarian by Marie Be Support the show Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @armchairhistorians Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians Support Armchair Historians: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

    14 min
  2. Laurie Marr Wasmund on Homesteading, Family History, and Colorado Territory

    MAR 3

    Laurie Marr Wasmund on Homesteading, Family History, and Colorado Territory

    Send a text Author Laurie Marr Wasmund returns to Armchair Historians to talk about her new historical novel Catching It Lovely, inspired by her great-great-grandmother Jane Morton Scott—a Scottish immigrant whose journey carried her from the textile towns of Scotland to Chicago, and finally to a homestead in Colorado Territory.  We explore how Laurie blends archival research with historical fiction, why the era surrounding World War I still shapes her worldview, and what she discovered about her family that changed everything. In This Episode, We Discuss Laurie’s “favorite history”: 1900–1925, and why WWI-era America still echoes todayWriting historical fiction from family records—without turning it into a lectureImmigration realities: Scotland → New York (Castle Garden era) → Chicago → ColoradoThe Great Chicago Fire as a turning point (and what didn’t burn)Homesteading in 1875 and how many settlers arrived by rail, not wagon trainResearch rabbit holes: newspapers, photographs, public archives, and local history collectionsThe surprising mix of “Wild West” and sophistication in early Colorado (theaters, restaurants, society life)The “keeper of family history” role—and why some of us become the storytellersAbout the Guest Laurie Marr Wasmund is a Colorado author, presenter, and publisher (Lost Ranch Books). Her work often explores Colorado history, civic courage, and the lives of communities under pressure—now including her own ancestors’ story in Catching It Lovely.  Book Mentioned Catching It Lovely by Laurie Marr Wasmund  Links & Resources Laurie Marr Wasmund / Lost Ranch Books (author site) https://lauriemarrwasmund.com/Official author site and book pages.  Lost Ranch Books (imprint site) https://lostranchbooks.com/Browse Laurie’s backlist and imprint info.  Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection (CHNC) https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/Free, searchable primary sources for Colorado history.  Isabella Bird, A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains (Project Gutenberg) https://www.gutenberg.org/files/755/755-h/755-h.htmA vivid period account that helps capture the texture of early Colorado travel and frontier life.  Laurie’s earlier Armchair Historians episode (2020) Support the show Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @armchairhistorians Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians Support Armchair Historians: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

    52 min
  3. Dr. Khama Ennis, Faces of Medicine

    FEB 18

    Dr. Khama Ennis, Faces of Medicine

    Send a text In this episode of Armchair Historians, Anne-Marie Cannon sits down with Dr. Khama Ennis, emergency physician and creator of Faces of Medicine, a documentary and podcast that shares the powerful, candid stories of Black women physicians in the United States. The conversation begins with Dr. Ennis’s favorite history: Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first Black woman to earn a medical degree in the U.S., graduating in 1864 at the end of the Civil War. From there, we explore how that legacy echoes into the present—especially when only 2.8% of U.S. physicians are Black women. Together, Anne-Marie and Dr. Ennis discuss: Why representation in medicine is directly connected to health equityThe hidden labor of navigating bias in professional spaces“Baked-in” systemic gaps in healthcare algorithmsThe importance of storytelling in improving outcomesWhat it means to “always reach back and pull forward”This episode is not about blame—it’s about humanity, curiosity, and expanding the stories we carry. Learn More & Watch 🎥 Faces of Medicine (Official Website): https://www.facesofmedicine.org/ 🎙️ Faces of Medicine Podcast: Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms (search “Faces of Medicine”). 🎬 Host a Screening (via Kinema): Information about hosting a community, school, or organizational screening can be found here: https://kinema.com/films/faces-of-medicine 💛 Support the Project (Fiscal Sponsor – Fractured Atlas): Donation information is available through the official website above. If this episode resonated, consider watching the documentary, sharing the podcast, or bringing a screening to your community. Support the show Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @armchairhistorians Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians Support Armchair Historians: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

    46 min
  4. Black History Month Rewind: Buffalo Soldiers—Fighting on Two Fronts

    FEB 11

    Black History Month Rewind: Buffalo Soldiers—Fighting on Two Fronts

    Send a text Black History Month Rewind: Buffalo Soldiers (Fighting on Two Fronts) — with Nick Brooks EPISODE SUMMARY In honor of Black History Month, we’re rewinding some of Armchair Historians’ strongest episodes that spotlight Black history, Black voices, and stories that deserve more room in the public memory. Today’s rewind revisits my conversation with Air Force veteran and Buffalo Soldiers of Seattle member Nick Brooks—an episode I think about often. Nick helps us move beyond the simplified version of the story and into the lived reality: Black soldiers who served with extraordinary skill and grit, even while fighting for a country that denied them full citizenship and dignity. We also talk about the documentary Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts, the complicated legacy of westward expansion, and why telling the full story still matters. CONTENT NOTE This episode includes discussion of U.S. westward expansion and the displacement/violence experienced by Native communities, alongside racism faced by Black soldiers within U.S. institutions. IN THIS EPISODE • Who the Buffalo Soldiers were (9th & 10th Cavalry; 24th & 25th Infantry) and why the regiments were formed after the Civil War • The “two fronts” they fought on: military conflict and the fight for recognition/civil rights • The complicated legacy of serving the U.S. government during westward expansion • Buffalo Soldiers as early protectors of what would become U.S. National Parks • How living history work helps preserve legacy—and why it matters for community and veterans GUEST Nick Brooks — Air Force veteran and member of Buffalo Soldiers of Seattle (living historians preserving and teaching Buffalo Soldiers history). LINKS & RESOURCES (as mentioned / helpful follow-up) Buffalo Soldiers of Seattle: • https://www.buffalosoldiersofseattle.org/ Documentary: Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts (Dru Holley) • Official film site: https://buffalosoldiersmovie.com/ • See the film / screenings page: https://buffalosoldiersmovie.com/seethefilm • Host a screening (includes contact email + toolkit info): https://buffalosoldiersmovie.com/hostascreening • Stream via PBS (Local, USA): https://www.pbs.org/video/buffalo-soldiers-fighting-on-two-fronts-e3yici/ Film & community partners mentioned: • Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF): https://www.siff.net/ • Path with Art: Support the show Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @armchairhistorians Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians Support Armchair Historians: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

    49 min
  5. Stitching a Safe Passage: Barbara Stark-Nemon on Isabela’s Way

    FEB 3

    Stitching a Safe Passage: Barbara Stark-Nemon on Isabela’s Way

    Send a text In this episode Anne-Marie Cannon is joined by author Barbara Stark-Nemon, whose novels span centuries and borders. They dive into Barbara’s newest historical novel, Isabela’s Way, set in Inquisition-era Portugal, Spain, France, and Germany, and explore how history lives on through family memory, travel, and storytelling. Topics we cover Isabela’s Way and the history behind itThe Inquisition and why it’s still misunderstoodEmbroidery as coded communication and safe passageRefugee histories and inherited resilience“Unexpected allies” and resisting black-and-white narrativesEmotional truth vs. historical accuracyHow genealogy and DNA uncover hidden pastsWriting as an encore career and the path to publicationAbout Barbara Stark-Nemon Barbara Stark-Nemon is the author of Isabela’s Way, Even in Darkness, and Hard Cider. A self-taught historian and traveler, her work explores resilience, identity, and survival across turbulent historical moments. Connect with Barbara Website: https://www.barbarastarknemon.com Substack: https://barbarastarknemon.substack.com Barbara is also available for book clubs (via Zoom or in person when local).More from Armchair Historians Show notes include links to everything discussed, ways to support the show, and a free short story downloadintroducing Bedlam, from Anne-Marie Cannon’s forthcoming historical fiction series.Website: https://www.amcannon.com Support the show Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Ratings, reviews, and shares help more listeners discover Armchair Historians. Support the show Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @armchairhistorians Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians Support Armchair Historians: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

    38 min
  6. Germanic Tribes: Rocco of the North Country

    JAN 28

    Germanic Tribes: Rocco of the North Country

    Send a text Puppy Chronicles and Early Germanic Tribes: A Heartwarming Historical Journey In this episode of Armchair Historians, host Anne-Marie Cannon introduces her new puppy, Rocco, and explores the early Germanic tribes through his eyes. Drawing parallels between Rocco's adaptation to his new home and historical tribal life, Anne-Marie delves into kinship, warrior bands, and cultural practices from the 1st century BCE to the early medieval period. The episode emphasizes the importance of focusing on small joys amid challenging times and offers resources for further exploration of Germanic history. Listeners are invited to follow Rocco's adventures on social media for a dose of positivity. 00:00 Welcome to Armchair Historians 00:53 Meet Rocco, the History-Loving Puppy 01:19 Puppy Energy in Tough Times 02:19 Rocco's Journey to the North Country 02:31 Understanding Early Germanic Tribes 03:51 Rocco's Tribal Life Lessons 05:11 The Importance of Belonging and Community 06:48 Rocco's Adventures and Training 07:02 Connecting Past and Present 07:43 Final Thoughts and Positivity 08:48 Stay Connected and Support the Show 09:20 Closing Remarks Rocco on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocccothemorkiehistorydog/ Rocco on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/14MzvxCJo3d/?mibextid=wwXIfr Documentary (Get.history – “The Germanic Tribes: Warriors Who Shaped Europe”): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCJAmn-sJxAiMfhzCZ04J0CHUG3qpVn_w  Learn more (Germanic tribes / peoples): Encyclopaedia Britannica – Germanic peoples: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Germanic-peoples World History Encyclopedia – Migration Age: https://www.worldhistory.org/Migration_Age/ World History Encyclopedia – The Goths (example of a Germanic people): https://www.worldhistory.org/Goths/ Support the show Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @armchairhistorians Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians Support Armchair Historians: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

    11 min
  7. Janis Robinson Daly: Celebrating Women's Stories through Historical Fiction

    JAN 19

    Janis Robinson Daly: Celebrating Women's Stories through Historical Fiction

    Send a text In this episode of Armchair Historians, host Anne Marie Cannon interviews historical fiction author Janis Robinson Daly, whose work unearths the forgotten stories of early women doctors and the generations who paved the way for them. Janis shares how genealogy research led her to discover that her great-great-grandfather was both an abolitionist lawyer and a founder of the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania—sparking her fascination with women’s medical history. Her novels, The Unlocked Path and The Path Beneath Her Feet, follow fictional doctor Eliza Edwards, a character inspired by real women who fought for their place in medicine between the 1890s and World War II.  Anne and Janis discuss balancing fact and fiction, the impact of the Depression and two world wars on women’s lives, and how major historical events shape character development. They also dive into Janis’s literary-citizenship project, #31TitlesWomenInHistory, a curated annual list celebrating women-centered historical fiction and amplifying voices of women authors. Topics include: – Early women physicians and the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania – How genealogy research can uncover hidden stories – Writing historical fiction responsibly – The role of author’s notes in clarifying fact vs. imagination – The Great Depression’s impact on women in medicine – Janis’s #31TitlesWomenInHistory project and how she chooses the books – Her upcoming 2026 novel Books Mentioned: – The Unlocked Path (2022) – The Path Beneath Her Feet (2024) Where to Find Janis: janisrdaly.com | @janisrdaly_author Related Armchair Historians Episodes: • Wendy Rouse — Public Faces, Secret Lives: A Queer History of the Suffrage Movement https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/10116683 • Dr. Tara Green — See Me Naked + Alice Dunbar-Nelson https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/10100721 • A Haunted History of Invisible Women (Part 1) — Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/11438457 • A Haunted History of Invisible Women (Part 2) — Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/11475292 • Dr. Teri Finneman — 1872 Presidential Campaign of Victoria Woodhull (2021 Inauguration Special) https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/7375942 • Joe McGill — The Slave Dwelling Project https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/8870078 • Dr. Rod Tanchanco — First Patients https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/ Support the show Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @armchairhistorians Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians Support Armchair Historians: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

    29 min
  8. Ruffs, Reformation, and Real Life: Why I Write the Tudors

    JAN 13

    Ruffs, Reformation, and Real Life: Why I Write the Tudors

    Send a text Episode summary: This is a personal, behind-the-scenes episode on why Tudor England became the setting for The Bedlam Series: the whiplash of religious change, the evolving Tudor monarchs, and how “madness” was understood, feared, and controlled—especially around Bethlehem Hospital (“Bedlam”). Along the way, Anne Marie threads careful parallels to current U.S. events and the emotional toll of living through political instability. Content note: This episode references political violence, immigration enforcement, protest, and a personal medical experience. In this episode Why Tudor England feels like a pressure cooker (faith, law, identity, survival)Religion as “weather”: shifting doctrine, shifting dangerTudor power and insecurity: Henry VIII → Edward VI → Mary I → Elizabeth IBedlam as symbol and setting: who gets labeled, who gets confined, who gets believedModern parallels: competing “official narratives,” public meaning, labels that flatten human lives“We must cultivate our garden” (Voltaire) as a grounding practice in hard timesRough timecode outline (edit once you have final audio) 00:00 Show open + what the podcast is00:35 Personal note: this week, mental health, “cultivating our garden”03:10 Bedlam Series orientation + how to get the prequel04:30 Tudor religion as a changing tide08:00 Tudor royals + insecurity-driven power11:30 “Madness” as label + Bedlam’s role15:20 Borders, sovereignty, Greenland parallels18:00 Closing reflection + how to get the prequel + May release reminderGet the prequel (free) + follow the series Get The Sum of Broken Rooms free when you join the email list (official download page): link at top of page https://www.amcannon.com/Explore The Bedlam Series hub. Armchair Historians on A.M. Cannon’s site. Main site / signup landing page. Mentioned in the episode (current-events context) Reporting and video updates around Renée Good’s fatal shooting by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, protests, and disputes over official framing vs. public footage. Greenland rejecting U.S. takeover talk; NATO / sovereignty concerns. Reuters coverage on Nicolás Maduro saying he was “kidnapped” amid U.S. charges (referenced as a “foreign president kidnapped”). Tudor + Bedlam background (learn-more links) English Reformation (1527–1590) overview (The National Archives). Reformation Parliament overview (UK PSupport the show Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @armchairhistorians Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians Support Armchair Historians: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

    18 min
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5
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

What's your favorite history? Each interview on this podcast begins with this one question. Our guests are people who like history and get really excited about a particular time, place or person from our distant or not so distant past. The jumping off point is the place where our they became curious then entered the rabbit hole into discovery through scholarly research, pop culture, documentaries, other podcasts...We look at history through the filter of other peoples eyes.https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=965986

Information

  • Creator
    Anne Marie Cannon
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    107
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Armchair Historians
  • Show Website
    Armchair Historians