S1 – Trailer

History is full of stories we think we know. They are old and dark, but time has robbed us of perspective and clarity. They've become obscured and misunderstood. Which is why this series exists: to dig deep and shed light on some of history’s darkest moments. To help us better understand where we’ve come from. To make it Unobscured. Each season pairs narrative storytelling from Aaron Mahnke, the creator the hit podcast Lore, with prominent historian interviews.

Season One: The Salem Witch Trials

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Over three hundred, twenty five years ago, the community of Salem, Massachusetts,
was rocked by something that few ever thought possible. It's
been called an outbreak, a wave of hysteria, or the
perfect storm at the confluence of seemingly unrelated ideas, events,
and beliefs. Whatever we try to call it, though we
always seem to miss the mark. The Salem Which Trials

(00:25):
is equal parts universally known and barely understood by most people.
It's one of those subjects we quickly dismiss because of
its deceptive simplicity. Beneath that Veneer, however, is a dark
and complex tale of fear. It's easy to lose perspective
on history. The events of Salem took place over three

(00:47):
centuries ago. That's three hundred years of looking back, three
hundred years of storytelling, and three hundred years of preconceived
notions about what we think happened. From where we stand today,
we've forgotten more about Salem than we ever remember. Time
has taken it away from us. That's why this series exists.

(01:11):
Over the centuries, the Salem Which Trials have become obscured
by time and distance. It's mysterious and misunderstood by most people.
I want to clean that foggy window, to leave it
clear and understandable. Unobscured by digging deep and shedding light
on its darkest moments, by cutting through the confusion, by

(01:34):
letting the people and their stories move us forward. That's
how we can truly learn from such a dark moment
in history. Each episode of Unobscured blends my narrative approach
to complex historical events, interviews with renowned historians, and a
new hauntingly beautiful soundtrack by Chad Lawson. So join me

(01:55):
on October three as we crack open the dark pages
of history for the augural season of Unobscured. Learn more
and find links to subscribe over at History unobscured dot com.
M