EMMETSBURG — Exactly a century ago, right now, Americans began to die horrific, excruciating deaths from a malady of an unknown voracity — first by the dozens, then hundreds, later thousands. In the end, within a few months beginning in September 1918, over half a million perished.

Humanities Iowa and Illinois Humanities are underwriting this and other “Hidden Histories and Taboo Topics” as told by an Iowa historian, Michael Luick-Thrams, during a fall 2018 speaking tour.

Luick-Thrams will present a program about the flu pandemic from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Emmetsburg Public Library, Emmetsburg.

The influenza virus that unleased the pandemic of 1918 took 675,000 American lives and an estimated 50 million worldwide. Yet, by summer 1919, it seemed as if it had never happened.