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Charleston church shooting
Witness History
Jun 17, 2025

On 17 June 2015, white supremacist Dylann Roof attended a bible group at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in the United States. As it was ending, the 21-year-old started shooting and killed nine people.

Polly Sheppard was one of the survivors. She called 911 whilst hiding from Roof. The shootings at the historic African-American church shocked a nation already too used to gun violence. President Barack Obama delivered the eulogy at one of the victim’s funerals and spontaneously started singing Amazing Grace. Ten years on since that day, Polly now 80, tells her harrowing story to Uma Doraiswamy.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: A memorial outside the Emanuel AME Church. Credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

More Episodes
Jun 18, 2026
The discovery of Mungo Man

On 26 February 1974, geologist Dr Jim Bowler discovered a 42,000-year-old skeleton in New South Wales, Australia.

The remains were nicknamed Mungo Man, as they were found in Lake Mungo.

The discovery rewrote Australia's history, it proved Aboriginal Australians had occupied the continent for tens of thousands of years.

Rachel Naylor speaks to Dr Bowler about Mungo Man's original cremation with ochre and his secret reburial in 2022.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

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(Photo: A Mutthi Mutthi Elder welcomes Mungo Man back to country during a smoking ceremony in 2017 in Balranald, Australia. Credit: Lisa Maree Williams / Getty Images)


10min 41sec

Jun 17, 2026
Women Walk Home: Cyprus' forgotten peace march

In June 1987, hundreds of women walked towards a ceasefire line that had divided Cyprus since 1974.

The island was split after a coup backed by Greece and a subsequent Turkish military intervention, which left thousands displaced on both sides.

Many of the women were Greek Cypriots who had fled their homes in the north during the conflict.

They hoped their peace walk would draw international attention to the island’s division, as they wanted to return to the homes they had lost more than a decade earlier.

The group held white flags and banners with their slogan ‘We Come In Peace’ in Greek, Turkish and English.

Some media coverage at the time described the protest as potentially provocative and warned it could escalate tensions.

Niki Katsaouni, one of the leading figures of the movement, speaks to Elena Angelides.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Photo: Women Walk Home march. Credit: University of Cyprus Library)


10min 40sec

Jun 16, 2026
50 years since the Soweto Uprising

Half a century ago, an event took place that shook the apartheid regime in South Africa to its foundations - the Soweto Uprising.

It began with a demonstration by schoolchildren against being taught in Afrikaans.

The government met the protesters with brutal force, and the ensuing violence shocked the world.

In 2010, Alan Johnston spoke to one of those former schoolgirls, Bongi Mhkabela, about that pivotal moment.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

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(Photo: Protesting pupils use the Regina Mundi Church as a refuge during the student uprising in Soweto. Credit: Getty Images)


10min 33sec

Jun 15, 2026
The Georgian exodus from Abkhazia

In 1993, separatist forces took Sukhumi, the capital of the former Soviet territory of Abkhazia.

As Georgian authorities lost control of the region, more than 200,000 people were forced to flee.

Many had no choice but to cross the Caucasus Mountains on foot, and hundreds are believed to have died along the way.

Georgian writer Guram Odisharia speaks to Stefania Gozzer about his harrowing escape from Abkhazia and the heartbreaking scenes he witnessed - experiences he later captured in his book The Pass of the Persecuted.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.

For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.

(Photo: Georgians flee from Abkhazia on foot in 1993. Credit: Jon Jones/Sygma via Getty Images)


10min 32sec

Charleston church shooting

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