A Staten Island woman has a well-worn saddle with the name “Bill Pickett” burned into it. She believes it was once owned by legendary cowboy Bill Pickett, an African-American Wild West Show and film star. History Detectives meets a real-life steer wrestler and talks with a 101 Ranch historian. Watch. (Originally aired: Season 5, Episode 11).

Margarete Gertrud Zelle, known by her alias, Mata Hari, is one of the most infamous spies of the 20th century. On this day in 1917, the seductive spy was executed for espionage and treason by a French firing squad outside of Paris. Read more about Mata Hari on NOVA. Find out more on “Spycatchers.”

‘Over Here’ is a half-hour documentary made by NYC teenagers about the WWII homefront, as seen through the eyes of New Yorkers who were themselves teenagers during the war. It …

On October 7, 2003, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected as the governor of California. Roger Rosenblatt called it a “victory for the outsider,” “politics as unusual,” “a breath of fresh air” on NewsHour. As governor, Schwarzenegger surprised voters when he prioritized the issues of greenhouse gases and smog.

For some veterans it takes years before they choose to speak about their war experiences. And some veterans never do. What happens when veterans finally share their stories? How does it feel to be heard? And how are we, as listeners, affected?