Press Kit

Download our press kit (includes a PDF fact sheet, headshots, cover art, and sample episodes) as a zipped folder or get individual files from Google Drive.

Description

There’s a lot more to the Hub of the Universe than the Freedom Trail and the Tea Party. Every other week, HUB History host Jake shares a fascinating story from the long history of Boston. Sometimes, there are uplifting stories, like the life of Dr. Rebecca Crumpler, who became America’s first black female doctor, or Isaiah Thomas, who published the newspaper that helped inspire our Revolution. And sometimes the stories are depressing, like the tragic Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire and the origins of African slavery in 17th century Boston.

From the serial killer who called himself The Giggler to the brutal pirate whose exploits helped Benjamin Franklin make his name as a printer, and from the African American writer who inspired the abolition movement to the eccentric gay architect who laid the groundwork for Boston Pride, HUB History unearths forgotten stories and marginalized people.

Jake and Nikki dig up unknown stories about our founding fathers, like the time the children of John and Abigail Adams took part in a Thanksgiving day riot, or the time Paul Revere was court martialed for cowardice. And they recover forgotten stories from Boston’s 20th century history, like how the so-called “Spanish flu” first reared its deadly head in Boston, or the running gun battles fought between police and radical anarchists in Jamaica Plain.

Join host Jake (and occasionally cohost emerita Nikki) for a new episode every other Sunday at about 6pm (EST/EDT), then check the show notes for each episode at HUBhistory.com for historic images, maps, and primary sources.

About the Hosts

Jake Sconyers has been a Boston tour guide, a volunteer docent at Roxbury’s Shirley-Eustis House, and an organizer of History Camp Boston. He is also a runner and an avid photographer. 

Writing about HUB History?

More details

Crowdfunding: patreon.com/HUBhistory

Listeners can support HUB History by contributing as little as $2 per month to offset the costs that go into creating the show. Everyone who supports the show will get a HUB History sticker. There are special rewards at the $5 and $10 monthly levels, including private video chats with the creators and even a host-led tour of the Back Bay.

Production history: One day, Jake and Nikki were working a volunteer shift as docents at a local historic site, and they started trying to one-up each other with obscure stories about Boston history. At that moment, they realized they should start a podcast about Boston history, and they were shocked to discover that none existed already. The first episode of HUB History aired on October 30, 2016. Since then, the show has been downloaded over 1.04 million times. During the first year, the show included a “This Week in Boston History” segment, which was replaced in the second year by a “Featured Historic Site” segment. Until October 2020, there was a “Boston Book Club” entry and an “Upcoming Historic Event” in each episode.  Nikki departed from the show in June 2020.

Additional Credits

• Episodes are written by Jake Sconyers or Nikki Stewart.
• All episodes are produced and edited by Jake Sconyers.

Apple Podcasts Reviews

Wayne
Range
Jake’s strength as a digital historian is that he engages not only the classic Boston history that all locals are taught in school, but he also highlights new scholarship and under-privileged stories from folks in the margins. History for Jake is not just 1776 or William Lloyd Garrison. Jake’s range looks at colonial slavery one week and the Cold War the next.

kurt9701
Best Boston history podcast
Incredibly well-researched and thorough podcast. It covers the topics related to Boston that us real history nerds want to hear. But Jake doesn’t make things academic and he chooses fascinating subjects that you won’t hear on your average tour around the city. It’s clear that there’s a lot of time and love that goes into this podcast.

ParsleyMe
One of my favorite podcasts
Love this podcast. It’s crazy how much interesting detail these two find on all sorts of historical Boston topics. I love the timely local events and the audio clips from the primary sources. Thanks for all the work that goes into this!

podcadtian-domo
Like milk and a cookie and a shot of rum
For some reason I just feel better after listening to these podcasts. I don’t care if it’s tidal mill ponds or pirates, It’s like hearing stories from your cool but approachable friends. I practically live on the Jubilee site. I had no idea. I thought I knew it all. Nope!

kamackin
Boston history’s greatest hits
This podcast [is] very thorough and thoughtful. I’m a nonnative resident of Greater Boston, and I really enjoy learning about the history of my new home, and the host’s ability to link events and places let me feel grounded in this city and see how the history impacts the present.

Anonymous User
Highlight of My Week
Love this podcast. I live for my weekly history lesson on Mondays. Both hosts present topics objectively and what really stands out is their variety. While there are plenty of stories about well known figures, they also cover the marginalized people. The Brighton Stockyards episode is my favorite.

Sachem 
Excellent treasure trove of Boston history
Just discovered this podcast recently Didn’t take long to realize that they do an amazing job of digging into some of Boston’s many, many interesting chapters. Love the intervi