Meet William James Sydis, the “smartest man who lived.” Sydis’ IQ score is estimated by some, to be somewhere between 50 and 100 points greater than that of Albert Einstein. By the time he was just 18 months old, Sydis was able to read The New York Times. At age 2, he taught himself Latin, and by age 6, he was fluent in eight languages, including Greek, French, Russian, German, and Hebrew. Sidis is not a household name, but he was an extraordinary individual whose brilliance often went unnoticed. Let’s explore the life of one of the most enigmatic and misunderstood prodigies of the 20th century, along with Albert Einstein, and the history of IQ testing. It’s a battle of the brains today on Found Objects podcast.

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SOURCES:

Albert Einstein – Biographical. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2024. Wed. 21 Aug 2024.

Anglis, Jaclyn. “The Surprisingly Tragic Story of the Smartest Man Who Ever Lived.” All That’s Interesting, All That’s Interesting, 2 June 2024, allthatsinteresting.com/william-james-sidis.

Barbas, Samantha. “The Sidis Case and the Origins of Modern Privacy Law.” Columbia Journal of Law & the Arts, 2012, pp. 21–69, https://doi.org/10.7916/D8M335S5.

Cherry, Kendra. “Why Alfred Binet Developed IQ Testing for Students.” Verywell Mind, 13 Mar. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/history-of-intelligence-testing-2795581.

Dombrowski, Stefan C. “The Dark History of IQ Tests.” TED, TED-Ed, 2020, ed.ted.com/lessons/the-dark-history-of-iq-tests-stefan-c-dombrowski.

NPR Staff. “Meet William James Sidis: The Smartest Guy Ever?” NPR, NPR, 23 Jan. 2011, www.npr.org/2011/01/23/132737060/meet-william-james-sidis-the-smartest-guy-ever.

Piccotti, Tyler, and Biography.com Editors. “Albert Einstein: Biography, Physicist, Nobel Prize Winner.” Biography.Com, 20 July 2023, www.biography.com/scientists/albert-einstein.

“William James Sidis.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_James_Sidis.

One of the loudest voices in the early years of the Harlem Renaissance (1918-1930’s) was Madam C.J. Walker, a woman who defied the odds and became America's first female self-made millionaire with her Black haircare brand. Her journey is one of resilience, innovation, and empowerment in a time period where she faced hurdle after hurdle. Today, I tell the story of Madam C.J Walker and her daughter, A’Lilia Walker.

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SOURCES:

Biography.com Editors. “Madam C.J. Walker - Products, Daughter & Hair Products.” Biography.Com, 23 Jan. 2024, www.biography.com/business-leaders/madam-cj-walker.

Bundles, A’Lelia. Madam C.J. Walker, 2020, madamcjwalker.com/.

History.com Editors. “Harlem Renaissance ‑ Definition, Artists & How It Started.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/harlem-renaissance.

History.com Editors. “Madam C. J. Walker ‑ Products, Hair & Facts.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/black-history/madame-c-j-walker.

“A New African American Identity: The Harlem Renaissance.” National Museum of African American History and Culture, 8 May 2024, nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/new-african-american-identity-harlem-renaissance.

“Villa Lewaro (Madam C. J. Walker Estate): National Trust for Historic Preservation.” Villa Lewaro (Madam C. J. Walker Estate) | National Trust for Historic Preservation, 2024, savingplaces.org/places/villa-lewaro-madam-c-j-walker-estate.

Walser, Lauren. “How A’Lelia Walker And The Dark Tower Shaped The Harlem Renaissance: National Trust for Historic Preservation.” How A’Lelia Walker And The Dark Tower Shaped The Harlem Renaissance | National Trust for Historic Preservation, 29 Mar. 2017, savingplaces.org/stories/how-alelia-walker-and-the-dark-tower-shaped-the-harlem-renaissance.

Sharon Tate was a rising star in Hollywood in the 1960s, but she was also the 26-year-old, pregnant victim of the infamous Manson Murders of 1969. She and seven others were the unlucky random targets of Charles Manson’s murderous escapades. Today on Found Objects, we will explore the life of Sharon Tate before her untimely demise and the puppet-master, the man behind the curtain, Charles Manson himself.

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SOURCES:

Bauer, Pat. “Tate Murders.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 1 Aug. 2024, www.britannica.com/event/Tate-murders.

“Charles Manson.” Charles Manson Part 01, Charles Manson Part 02, Charles Manson Part 03, FBI, 6 Dec. 2010, vault.fbi.gov/Charles%20Manson.

Donica, Adrienne. “Charles Manson: Notorious Mastermind of the Manson Family.” Biography.Com, 12 July 2023, www.biography.com/crime/charles-manson.

“Inside Charles Manson’s Crazed Cult | 60 Minutes Australia.” YouTube, 60 Minutes Australia, 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWbzE0aZIvY.

“The Manson Murders: True Story REVEALED | Full Documentary | A&E.” YouTube, A&E, www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_LLK4Hhgoc. Accessed 9 Aug. 2024.