Mary Ann Sternberg has spent twenty years challenging the idea that the River Road between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is nothing more than rows of noxious chemical plants interspersed with 19th century plantation houses, so in this episode, we dig into its past and present. Mary Ann begins by orienting us to the
You probably know a little bit about Hannibal, Missouri, because of the books written by a guy named Mark Twain, but I bet you don’t know much about the history of African Americans who’ve lived in Hannibal, even though Hannibal has had African American residents from its earliest days. I didn’t until I talked
In this week's episode, we uncover the surprising story of Iowa's pivotal role in African American civil rights. From the groundbreaking 1839 court case that made Iowa a free territory to the remarkable story of Charlotta Pyles—a formerly enslaved woman who raised $3,000 through East Coast speaking tours to free her family members—we explore
The story of Dred and Harriet Scott's pursuit of freedom is one of the most significant in American history, but what do we know about their lives?
Population (2010) 2,819 Introduction Once a bustling port at the confluence of two of the biggest rivers in the US, Cairo (pronounced CARE-o) today is a shell of its former self. The reasons for its shocking decline aren’t too hard to figure out. History The
Population (2010) 27,006 Introduction East St. Louis is often derided for its contemporary corruption (or perception of corruption), but the reality is that the city is in the shape it is today because of poor planning, exploitation by industrial interests, and corruption that began with the town’s founding. The
