History Detectives Special Investigations: Airs 9:00 p.m./8:00 p.m. Central on PBS
July 1: Civil War Sabotage?
1,800 people died when the SS Sultana exploded on April 27, 1865—more than perished on the Titanic in 1912. Why, then, do so few people know about the worst shipwreck in U.S. history? And what caused the explosion that took so many lives? The Civil War was finally over, and most of the passengers aboard the Sultana were Union soldiers happily returning to their families from Confederate prison camps. But the number of
people on board far exceeded the ship’s capacity—they barely had room to stand, and the Sultana was dangerously overloaded. At 2:00 a.m. three of the steamship’s four boilers exploded, setting the Sultana ablaze and catapulting passengers into the Mississippi river to their deaths. It was a tragedy on a massive scale, yet little is known about what really happened that night. Was it an act of Confederate terrorism? Faulty machinery? Dangerous conditions? Meeting with survivors’ descendants to learn new details about the explosion and tracing historical records, the History Detectives uncover a tale of incompetence, bribery, politics and nepotism that leads all the way to President Lincoln and the White House. Can they solve the mystery of the SS Sultana? July 8: The Disappearance of Glenn Miller
As Glenn Miller’s musical career soared, he traded in his commercial success for a military uniform to entertain US troops during World War II. Then, on a foggy afternoon on December 15, 1944, he took off from England heading for France. His plane vanished over the English Channel and Miller was never seen again. Since that fateful day, Glenn Miller’s disappearance has remained a mystery. Did friendly fire destroy the plane? Was Miller involved in espionage? Was he on a secret mission to end the war? Recent discoveries—including logs from the time of the flight—give the History Detectives fresh leads and new clues to explore. Along the way, they learn of the unusual role Glenn Miller and his music played in winning hearts and minds during World War II. Can they find out what happened to this beloved bandleader once and for all?
History Detectives Special Investigations: Airs 9:00 p.m./8:00 p.m. Central on PBS
July 15: Texas Servant Girl Murders
In 1884, a string of gruesome murders terrorized the people of Austin, Texas. Two years before Jack the Ripper struck London, a killer—or possibly multiple killers—brutally attacked and murdered eight women in their beds. The heinous crimes stopped as abruptly as they began, and the slayings have remained unsolved for over a century.
Could this be one of the first known serial murders in the United States? Why were those responsible never brought to justice? Six of the eight victims were African American—were the crimes racially motivated? Armed with modern forensics, the History Detectives interview the descendants of the murdered women and enlist the help of modern-‐day experts in an effort to solve this historical whodunit. Can they finally crack the case? July 22: Who Killed Jimmy Hoffa?
On July 30, 1975, notorious teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa disappeared without a trace. At the time, he was one of the most powerful men in the country. Because of his union leadership, many working Americans considered Hoffa their hero, but there were just as many people—including members of the mafia and the Nixon administration—who wanted him gone. For decades, people have searched for clues about what happened to Hoffa and why. Was he murdered? If so, who pulled the trigger? After serving prison time for fraud and attempted bribery, Hoffa was pardoned by President Richard Nixon—did the White House have something to do with his disappearance?
Recently declassified FBI files and interviews with people close to the story give the History Detectives some new insights into this historic cold case, including evidence of corruption at the highest levels. Can they find out what really happened to Jimmy Hoffa?