Our Ancestors Were Messy

A musical prodigy from Kansas becomes a renowned race woman in Chicago, a tabloid sensation in Harlem, and an internationally renowned musical force. These are the many lives and loves of one of the most famous women of the era: Nora Holt.Snag your tickets to the live show!To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.comTo access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.comTo stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on InstagramTHE A-TEAMThe show is hosted by Nichole Hill (https://www.nicholelhill.com/). This week's guests are Natalie Tulloch and Christabel Nsiah-BuadiExecutive Producer A.A. HernandezSound design by Pat Mesiti-Miller (https://www.patmesiti-miller.com/) with additional music from Mellat MakedaStory Producer Martina Abrahams Ilunga (@m_tina)Research Producer Chioke I'Anson (https://www.chiokeianson.com/)Story Editing by Shonte HillShow art by Aseloka Smith (@naturallyherown)  SOURCESNora Holt: The Most Famous Woman You've Never Heard Of by Imani PerryNora Holt by Matthew GuerrieriNora Holt: New Negro Composer and Jazz Age Goddess by Cheryl A. Wall"Strange What Cosmopolites Music Makes of Us": Classical Music, the Black press, and Nora Douglas Holt's Black Feminist Audiotopia by Lucy Caplan 

Host Nichole Hill shares updates about the future of the show.To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.comTo access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.comTo stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on Instagram 

In 1920, Emperor Jones was a bona fide Broadway hit. The controversial play’s lead is Charles Gilpin, the first Black man to head up an integrated cast on the Great White Way. Gilpin enjoys fame, accolades, and universal acclaim…but he does have a note for his playwright Eugene O’Neil. A note that will make and break careers and change the course of Black history!To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.comTo access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.comTo stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on InstagramTHE A-TEAMThe show is hosted by Nichole Hill (https://www.nicholelhill.com/). This week's guest are Chioke I'Anson and his daughter Amaya Zahar.Executive Producer A.A. HernandezSound design by Nichole HillStory Producer Martina Abrahams Ilunga (@m_tina)Research Producer Chioke I'Anson (https://www.chiokeianson.com/)Story Editing by Shonte HillShow art by Aseloka Smith (@naturallyherown)   SOURCESThe Emperor Jones by Eugene O'Neil Preserving African-American Cinema: The Case of The Emperor Jones by Jennie Saxena with contributions from Ken Weissman and James Cozart"The Truth About Haiti: An NAACP Investigation" by James Weldon JohnsonCharles Gilpin. The Kennedy CenterJackson Ward and its Black Wall Street. National Park ServiceBeyond Tulsa: The Historic Legacies and Overlooked Stories of America's Black Wall Streets. Time MagazineThe Richmond Planet is digitized and stored at The Library of Congress.  Episodes release bi-weekly. 

In the summer of 1932, Anna and Percy learn that their scandalous love affair has been exposed on the front page of the most popular Black newspaper in DC. They were on their way to making history but now that the secret’s out, their futures hang in the balance.To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.comTo access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.comTo stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on InstagramTHE A-TEAMThe show is hosted by Nichole Hill (https://www.nicholelhill.com/). This week's guest is Nygel Turner (@unsp.gully)Executive Producer A.A. HernandezSound design by John DeLoreStory Producer Martina Abrahams Ilunga (@m_tina)Research Producer Chioke I'Anson (https://www.chiokeianson.com/)Story Editing by Shonte HillShow art by Aseloka Smith (@naturallyherown)   SOURCESJulian the Trailblazer by Peter TysonForgotten Genius. Nova. PBS "Reclaiming a Black Research Scientist's Forgotten Legacy" by Felicia R. Lee"DuSable Exhibit Highlights Juilan 'Power Couple'" by Robert FeltonYou can read the Washington Afro American newspaper which is still in print and holds the distinction of being one of the oldest continuously published Black newspapers in AmericaYou can support the archiving and sharing of this newspaper at Afro Charities Episodes release bi-weekly. 

Host Nichole Hill shares how listeners can support the show and a sneak peek at next week's episode.To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.comTo access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.comTo stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on Instagram

Alicia Walters, an artist and writer, dives into the tumultuous relationship between Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. They discuss their creative partnership during the Harlem Renaissance, fraught with ambition, patronage, and personal struggles. Walters highlights how outside pressures led to conflict over authorship of 'Mulebone,' revealing the emotional turmoil of their friendship. The conversation also touches on Hurston's enduring legacy and the value in understanding the messiness of historical relationships in creative collaborations today.

Host Nichole Hill shares how listeners can support the show and a sneak peek at next week's episode.To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.comTo access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.comTo stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on Instagram

In this engaging talk, Alicia Walters, an artist and writer known for her exploration of freedom, dives into the vibrant friendship between Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes during their 1927 road trip. They discuss the importance of Black folklore, navigating Southern identity, and the artistic tensions within the Harlem Renaissance. Alicia highlights how their differing perspectives shaped their work and reflects on the broader themes of heritage and ambition, all while celebrating the rich cultural traditions that define Black identity.

Host Nichole Hill shares a research tip, updates for the Household aka the donor community, where to find bonus material, and a sneak peek at next week's episode.To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.comTo access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.comTo stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on InstagramTHE A-TEAMThe show is hosted by Nichole Hill (https://www.nicholelhill.com/)Executive Producer A.A. HernandezStory Producer Martina Abrahams Ilunga (@m_tina)Research Producer Chioke I'Anson (https://www.chiokeianson.com/)Story Editing by Shonte Hill Show art by Aseloka Smith (@naturallyherown)  BONUS STORYTo access the bonus story check out this article: Black history emerges from 1897 time capsule. Episodes release bi-weekly. 

Nichole, Zakiya and Emmanuel read three drama-filled love stories from historic Black newspapers and select the one that they believe could stand the test of time.To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.comTo access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.comTo stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on InstagramTHE A-TEAMThe show is hosted by Nichole Hill (@nicholewthanh). This week's guests are Emmanuel Dzotsi (@newsmanual_) check him out on This American Life  and Zakiya Gibbons (@zak_sauce) check her out on Hang Up.Executive Producer A.A. HernandezSound design by Helena de Groot (https://www.helenadegroot.me/about)Story Producer Martina Abrahams Ilunga (@m_tina)Research Producer Chioke I'Anson (https://www.chiokeianson.com/)Story Editing by Shonte Hill Show art by Aseloka Smith (@naturallyherown)   SOURCESSupport the reporting done by the legendary Oklahoma Eagle still in print today!Check out The Colorado Statesman, archived at the Library of Congress. Episodes release bi-weekly.