When Alaskans wanted their own mental-health facility, a rumor took hold all over America. This week, Evan Chung traces the origins of that far-right conspiracy theory: that the government was building a concentration camp where Americans would get imprisoned for their political beliefs. Get ready for a strange tale that involves a brainwashing manual, Scientology, and a vast network of Communist-hunting housewives.
Josh Levin is One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.
This episode was produced by Kelly Jones and Evan Chung, with additional production by Sophie Summergrad.
It was edited by Josh Levin, Joel Meyer, and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.
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1990: The Angry Death of Kimberly Bergalis
1990: Art on Trial
1990: Bush vs. Broccoli
1990: Mandrake the Magician
1990: Pizzastroika
1955: The Hiroshima Maidens
1955: The Cutter Incident
1955: The Weather Girls
1955: The Crockett Craze
1955: The Team Nobody Would Play
1942: The Black-Japanese Axis
1942: When Internment Came to Alaska
1942: The Info Wars of World War II
1942: The Day the Music Stopped
1942: The Year Everyone Got Married
1942: The Most Hated Man in America
1986: The Man From Fifth Avenue
1986: The Miracle of Cokeville
1986: Herschel vs. the Blubber Busters
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