Issue No. 56
Haiti, Running, Internet Fatigue, and Becoming a Fugitive
Nothing like a bit of trivia on a Saturday morning 🧩
Which historic Black woman was known as the “First Lady of the Black Press”? (Answer at the end)
100 Historic Black Women Podcast Highlights from This Week
No. 38: Sally Hemings
What if I told you that one of America’s Founding Fathers had a secret—one that wasn’t just whispered about but written into the very fabric of the nation's complicated past? Sally Hemings was not only an enslaved woman but also the mother of several of Thomas Jefferson's children. Her story challenges everything we thought we knew about American history.
No. 37: Henrietta Lacks
IVF, the Polio Vaccine, and gene mapping are all major medical advancements that were made possible because of a single cell. Millions of lives are saved today yet the woman behind these breakthroughs was never asked for her consent, nor credited for her monumental contribution to science at the time.
No. 34: Ellen Craft
What would you do to escape a life of enslavement? Would you risk everything—your freedom, your life, and your future? Ellen Craft did. In one of the boldest escapes in American history, Ellen disguised herself as a wealthy white man, with her husband posing as her enslaved servant, and together they fled over 1,000 miles to freedom. Their story is not only a testament to ingenuity and bravery, but the sheer willpower it took to take one’s freedom back.
No. 33: Lani Guinier
What happens when a brilliant legal scholar challenges the very foundations of democracy and equality? Lani Guinier, a fearless advocate for civil rights, found herself in the center of a political storm when her bold ideas about voting reform and affirmative action shook the nation. Her story is one of resilience, intellectual courage, and a lifelong commitment to justice.
This Week’s Reading List
What I’m Currently Reading
I just finished Coming Home by Brittney Griner. This was a tough and emotional, but necessary read. Now, I’m reading What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. I’m currently training for a race and spend most of my days writing, so this seems like a light and relevant book to read next.
From My Personal Desk ✍🏾
What You’re Currently Reading
This is what our community is reading this week:
By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land by Rebecca Nagle
The Upcycled Self: A Memoir on the Art of Becoming Who We Are by Tariq Trotter
I'm Sorry for My Loss: An Urgent Examination of Reproductive Care in America by Rebecca Little and Colleen Long
Black Women Taught Us: An Intimate History of Black Feminism by
King: A Life by Jonathan Eig
The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement by Sharon McMahon
The Road to Character by David Brooks
I’m on a mission to help our community read more nonfiction books! Let me know what you’re currently reading or the last nonfiction book you’ve read.
Trivia Answer: Ethel L. Payne. Listen to her episode here.
with care,
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