Welcome to the history tricks, where any resemblance to a boring old history lesson is purely coincidental.

And here is your 30-second summary.

Odetta was one of the defining voices of American folk music. Though she'd been trained in classical music,

she was drawn to spirituals, work songs, traditional ballads, and blues.

These songs told the stories of true life, of struggle, and of those who overcame oppression.

Odetti used her theater training and deep, resonant voice to bring these messages to life.

Her work, inspired later artists like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, served as a soundtrack for the social reforms of the 1960s and led to her honorary title as, quote, the voice of the civil rights movement.

The End.

Let's talk about Odetta.

But first, let's drop her into history.

In 1950, in a brazen, well-planned armed robbery,

11 masked men stole $1.2 million in cash and $1.5 million in checks and securities

from the Brinks Armored Car Company Building in Boston.

The television show, What's My Line, began at 17-year run. Clive Staples Lewis, known as

C.S. Lewis, his book The Lion, The Witch in the Wardrobe was first published. James Dean's

acting career began with a role in a Pepsi commercial, and at the age of 22, Shirley Temple

retired from film acting.

The first Formula One World Championship was held in England.

Despite efforts by activists and some parliamentarians,

the Swiss government refused to address women's suffrage.

This debate continued until partial rights were issued in 1971,

and full voting rights for Swiss women were granted in 1990.

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