A History of the United States in 100 Objects - 99% Invisible

Summary3 min read

Episode Overview

Podcast: 99% Invisible
Host: Roman Mars
Episode Title: A History of the United States in 100 Objects
Release Date: May 8, 2026

This episode launches a new series in partnership with BBC Studios, commemorating America's 250th anniversary (the semiquincentennial). The series explores American history through 100 carefully selected objects—famous artifacts as well as ordinary, overlooked items. The aim is to capture a sprawling, contradictory, and nuanced biography of the United States by telling stories hidden in everyday things.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Objects as Storytellers of History

Personal Items Tell Stories
- Roman Mars opens by drawing a parallel between personal keepsakes and the collective objects of a nation. These objects—mundane or meaningful—form a "biography of who you are through things."
  - “At all times. You are surrounded by objects that at first glance seem meaningless. But if you really think about them, they tell stories.” (Roman Mars, 00:04)
Rethinking the Traditional National Narrative
- While iconic objects like the Declaration of Independence or Lincoln’s top hat are important, the project seeks out less obvious artifacts, including “ticket stubs and favorite knickknacks and the paperclips.”
  - “There is another story to be told. Using the objects that you don't see on sweaty field trips to museums.” (Roman Mars, 00:36)

Examples of Featured Objects

Bootleg band T-shirts: Illustrate subcultures and music history, such as American punk rock.
“Little blue book”: Represents literacy, education, and stories of resistance among enslaved people.
The 1-inch screw: Symbolizes America’s industrial backbone.
- “The screw thread is a simple device, but it ties together the whole mechanical skeleton of our civilization…Is it wrong? I don't know that it's wrong.” (Guest, 01:42)
- “It's not wrong.” (Roman Mars, 01:53)

Approach: Beyond the Official Record

The series will give attention to “forgotten nobodies” and objects that challenge, complicate, or expand the familiar national story.
- “This is the icon of his presidency…to tell the story of who we are and where we’ve been.” (Roman Mars, 02:22)
Stories are chosen for their power to evoke a sense of place, time, and identity, often “hiding in plain sight.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On mundane objects shaping history:
“Gather enough of these objects and they begin to form a biography of who you are through things.” (Roman Mars, 00:19)
On the unexpected significance of industrial parts:
“The screw thread is a simple device, but it ties together the whole mechanical skeleton of our civilization...” (Guest, 01:42)
On literacy and liberation:
“The blueback speller is something that became a particularly prized possession because it meant that you might not be free in body, but you could be free in mind.” (Expert/Guest, 02:54)

Format and Participation

Each episode focuses on one object, revealing aspects of American life often missing from the official historical record.
Historians, journalists, and passionate enthusiasts contribute insights.
Roman Mars promises: “100 objects, 100 stories, a new history of the US hiding in plain sight.” (03:04)

Important Segments (with Timestamps)

Introduction to the concept:
00:01–00:36 — Personal connections to objects; setting the stage for the project.
Reimagining the national narrative through artifacts:
00:36–01:42 — Emphasizing lesser-known objects and their stories.
Examples of objects and their symbolism:
01:42–02:15 — Screw thread, underground literature, pop culture memorabilia.
The aim and style of the series:
02:15–03:04 — Who the show features, the promise of surprising and contradictory stories.

Tone and Language

Roman Mars blends thoughtful reflection with conversational warmth—inviting listeners to see ordinary objects as keys to understanding themselves and their nation. The episode alternates between gently humorous asides and sincere admiration for the deep meaning we assign to everyday things. Co-speakers and guests add layers of expertise and anecdote, enriching the tapestry of stories the series promises to unveil.

Summary

A History of the United States in 100 Objects launches an ambitious, accessible, and playful re-examination of American history. By choosing objects ranging from the historic to the humble, the series draws attention to design and material culture—and to the hidden, often unacknowledged stories that shape American identity. Each weekly installment promises a new perspective, evoking both nostalgia and curiosity, and redefining history for a new century of listeners.

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Transcript9 lines

[00:01]
A
Wherever you are, stop for a moment and take a look around you. At all times. You are surrounded by objects that at first glance seem meaningless. But if you really think about them, they tell stories. A boarding pass that's still folded in your pocket, the book on the shelf that you were assigned in freshman seminar only read half of, but you still held onto for 20 years. A picture of your kids at the beach, or even the paperclip that once fastened some important papers. But for the life of you, you can't remember which ones. Gather enough of these objects and they begin to form a biography of who you are through things. The precious keepsakes, the clutter on your nightstand, even the stuff you'll eventually throw away. Now, stay with me here. Imagine you are the United States of America, and it's your 250th birthday. What objects would tell your history? Of course, there's the original Declaration of Independence and Lincoln's top hat and, I don't know, like a cannon from Fort Sumter. All worthy and fascinating objects, to be sure. But there is another story to be told. Using the objects that you don't see on sweaty field trips to museums. The equivalent of the ticket stops and the favorite knickknacks and the paper clips, like a bootleg band T shirt that tells the history of American punk rock. Or a little blue book that enslaved people transformed into a tool of liberation. Or a 1 inch screw that shows how America built a hidden industrial empire.
[01:43]
B
The screw thread is a simple device, but it ties together the whole mechanical skeleton of our civilization, which on the one hand seems overblown. But you're like, is it wrong? I don't know that it's wrong.
[01:54]
A
It's not wrong. My guy from 99% Invisible and BBC Studios, I'm Roman Mars, and this is a history of the United States in 100 objects as the country marks its semiquincentennial. A word I will never say again. We're going to collect objects from across American history. 100 objects to be exact.
[02:16]
C
Picture a western where they're robbing a train, and there's a safe on one of the cars of the railroad train.
[02:23]
A
This is the icon of his presidency. This is it. This is the Billy Possum to tell the story of who we are and where we've been. Remember, this is before the invention of the electric bulb. So when night fell, it was a night. Yes. We're going to talk to historians and journalists and regular folks who are obsessed with objects beyond the official record, like
[02:46]
C
forgotten nobodies they might as well have
[02:49]
A
been called objects that tell a history as sprawling and contradictory as America itself.
[02:55]
C
The blueback speller is something that became a particularly prized possession because it meant that you might not be free in body, but you could be free in mind.
[03:05]
A
100 objects, 100 stories, a new history of the US hiding in plain Sight, A history of the United States in 100 Objects, a brand new show from the BBC, and 99% Invisible. We're going to publish a new episode every Friday in the 99% invisible feed, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.