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A Grandfather's Gift:
​From the Underground Railroad to Thoughts on Race


Map: Compiled from "The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom" by Willbur H. Siebert Wilbur H. Siebert, The Macmillan Company, 1898.[1], Public Domain.
If you are new to this site, please click here to read the story behind A Grandfather's Gift.

The Feminist Dialogue -  Is It All About White Women?

5/28/2024

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“In thirty or so years, this will no longer be a majority white country. It will better reflect the diversity that has always been its strength and its promise.”
― Sally Roesch Wagner, The Women's Suffrage Movement
ABOUT THE WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT
Introduction by Sally Roesch Wagner
Edited by Sally Roesch Wagner
Foreword by Gloria Steinem

An intersectional anthology of works by the known and unknown women that shaped and established the suffrage movement...

Comprised of historical texts spanning two centuries, The Women’s Suffrage Movement is a comprehensive and singular volume with a distinctive focus on incorporating race, class, and gender, and illuminating minority voices.

This one-of-a-kind intersectional anthology features the writings of the most well-known suffragists, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, alongside accounts of those often overlooked because of their race, from Native American women to African American suffragists like Ida B. Wells and the three Forten sisters.

At a time of enormous political and social upheaval, there could be no more important book than one that recognizes a group of exemplary women–in their own words–as they paved the way for future generations.

The editor and introducer, Sally Roesch Wagner, is a pre-eminent scholar of the diverse backbone of the women’s suffrage movement, the founding director of the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation, and serves on the New York State Women’s Suffrage Commission.

-- Penguin Random House
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Know Their Stories

4/25/2024

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The Book of Gutsy Women" is an eye-opening and exceedingly powerful celebration of inspirational and gutsy women throughout history to present day. 

Written by mother/daughter team Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, the book covers many names you'll recognize, and some you won't. Included are women of color, who often get a short shrift in suffragist and feminist narratives. 

"The narrative range is vast and features distinctly inspiring women such as Shirley Chisholm, “the first woman to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination”; Ellen DeGeneres, who leveled homophobic speculation by coming out publicly in 1997; Rosa May Billinghurst, a leading British suffragist in early-20th-century England; and Fraidy Reiss, the founder of Unchained at Last, an organization that fights against child marriage.

Overall, the collection—which also features Harriet Tubman, Rachel Carson, Clara Barton, Jane Goodall, Maya Angelou, Temple Grandin, and Malala Yousafzai, among many other major figures—will bond optimistic readers together in remembrance of the major contributions of a sisterhood that is smartly and accessibly presented by the Clintons." - Kirkus Reviews
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Politics aside, the book provides a wealth of information about women well-known and not-so well-known to inspire women and girls of all ages and backgrounds. 
"A sterling educational text and a memorable commemoration of female trailblazers, past and present." -- Kirkus Reviews
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What We Carry

3/18/2024

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National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman and world-renowned cellist Jan Vogler collaborate on a unique performance of Gorman’s poem, “What We Carry,” set to Vogler’s performance of "Suite for Violoncello No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: I. Prélude." Amanda Gorman’s latest book, “Call Us What We Carry,” is available now. Jan Vogler’s album, “Bach: The Cello Suites” is available for streaming here:  https://sonyclassical.lnk.to/VoglerBachCelloSuites.

View the performance from Stephen Colbert's Late Show, here:

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A Picture Book of Martin Luther King - Reflections On

2/26/2024

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Reflections on the Children's Book
Experiencing A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. With Children
Guest post by D.A. Smith

Reviewing a children’s book can sometimes present challenges beyond the scope of reflecting on the images and sometimes rhyming words used to entertain and teach our youngest members of society. There are well known childhood favorites, whimsical fantasies, fairy tales, sweet bedtime stories and endearing characters to choose from, and then there are books that conjure more silence than laughter.
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For me and my children, few words were needed to express the thoughts and emotions that came from reading David A. Adler’s A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by Robert Casilla. 
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​It’s not that the book isn’t beautiful, it is. The writing was not too complicated, it was clear, and the story was easy to understand even for… a child. And maybe that in itself is the reason so few words came. We got it. A boy, a faithful boy, grew into a man who changed the course of history through bold acts of strength and love, and he died at the hands of someone who was guided by fear, anger and dare I say, hate. 

When my youngest looked up at me after the story and said, “Wait. So, the boys' parents didn’t want them to play with Martin because of his skin color?” I could only answer, “Yes. That’s what I understand.” to which my eldest said “I am so glad we don’t live like that anymore.” To her I said “Well, it’s because of men like Martin Luther King, Jr. that we don’t” She then got up and went to her room, presumably to think while she worked on a friendship bracelet. 

What I kept to myself the morning we read Adler’s book is a truth as simple and as old as recorded history can confirm. Human hearts are messy. Thinking of other people as different as we are, whether because of skin color, religious affiliations, political allegiances, languages or even economic standing is a fool's game. What we hold in common is far more profound, and that is something Martin Luther King Jr. understood. Love is the answer. 
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Freedom Day for All Americans

7/10/2023

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If One of Us is Enslaved, We All Are

​Did you know that June 19 was a federal holiday, known as Juneteenth, Freedom Day or Emancipation Day?  I had never heard of it until President Joe Biden recognized it as a federal holiday in 2021. Was this a part of the history lessons you were taught in school? Unfortunately, this did not make it into our history books in Wyoming.

The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act was finally recognized and signed into law, after many years of advocacy and steadfast leadership by a trio of incredibly determined ladies.

​Lula Briggs Galloway, Opal Lee, Clara Peoples and many other activists were first acknowledged for these efforts in 1996.  We’ll talk more in a future post about them and their dedication to shining a light on this shameful part of our American history.   
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Makenna, 4, dances with the Juneteenth flag during Longmont’s annual Juneteenth Celebration at Roosevelt Park in Longmont on Saturday. (Cliff Grassmick — Staff Photographer)

What is Juneteenth, and why create a federal holiday to recognize it?
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On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln announced that the Emancipation Proclamation would go into effect on January 1, 1863, promising freedom to enslaved people in all the rebellious parts of Southern states of the Confederacy. Texas was included, but not the federally held territories of Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia.  

Although the Emancipation Proclamation declared an end to slavery in the Confederate States, it did not end slavery in the states that remained in the Union. For a short while after the fall of the Confederacy, slavery remained legal in two of the 
Union border states – Delaware and Kentucky. Those slaves were freed with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished chattel slavery nationwide on December 6, 1865. 


In simple terms, while slavery was abolished in 1862, slave owners in a handful of states chose not to comply until more than 2 years later. Juneteenth is the celebration of freedom for those enslaved people. 

Juneteenth is now a federally recognized holiday, observed every year on June 19. How will it be celebrated? People celebrate everywhere, from backyard barbecues and Block parties to big concerts, festivals, and parades. There are marathons, Miss Juneteenth contests, educational programs, commemorative art exhibitions, programs showcasing black culture, readings of the emancipation proclamation, and more. Traditional African foods may be served, frequently with red food and drinks, to symbolize resilience and joy.

My take on this is to
celebrate Juneteenth by acknowledging our history, embracing diversity, and actively working towards inclusion and equality for all. In discussions with neighborhood friends this year, we talked about whether it was culturally appropriate to observe this holiday and if it was possible to do so respectfully. My small rural town is predominantly white. In my efforts to educate myself and share my knowledge with my friends, I learned that many others, including African Americans also have mixed emotions about this history.


One comment I read from a person of color was, “I don’t know if I am for celebrating Juneteenth. They told a lie, they hid the lie, and then they told us two years later, and now you tell us to celebrate. Really?”

Another said, “I am going to a cookout and festival that will feature black-owned vendors and small businesses, and I will buy from them.”

Can I respectfully celebrate by honoring cultural traditions that are not mine and doing my best to lift people of color who are living among us? 

For me, my 2023 Juneteenth was a quiet and personal celebration, filled with sadness for the past and hope for the future. I chose to read, learn and educate myself and share with my friends these hidden and whitewashed parts of our history.

Next year, I hope we all have more to celebrate in our quest for equality and human dignity.     

Reference Links:


2023 Juneteenth Day of Observance
How to Celebrate Juneteenth
President Biden signs the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act
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Immigrants & Slaves Built This Country

4/25/2023

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Historically, as we review some of our nation's beginning footsteps, we often forget some of the major players who contributed so very much to the building of our nation. 

Recently, I heard President Biden, a descendant of Irish immigrants, comment during his historic visit to Ireland on the ways that Irish immigrants significantly contributed to the fabric of our nation. 

In a previous post, Riding the Rails: From the Underground Railroad to the Transcontinental Railroad, we talked about the profound influence migrant and immigrant workers had. They were not welcomed with open arms, but often enslaved, derided, and greeted with violence. 

 From Riding the Rails:

"The year is 1863... as many as 15,000 Chinese immigrants do the dangerous, backbreaking work of blazing a path across the US to make the Transcontinental Railroad a reality. As they dynamite their way west, thousands die.

In other parts of the country, hundreds of thousands, indeed millions of enslaved people bend over under the scorching sun, toil in the vast fields of cotton, rice and tobacco, to build the very economic backbone of the United States."

Today, immigrants play a powerful role in the nation's economy. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities states that "In fact, immigrants contribute to the U.S. economy in many ways. They work at high rates and make up more than a third of the workforce in some industries. Their geographic mobility helps local economies respond to worker shortages, smoothing out bumps that could otherwise weaken the economy. Immigrant workers help support the aging native-born population, increasing the number of workers as compared to retirees and bolstering the Social Security and Medicare trust funds. And children born to immigrant families are upwardly mobile, promising future benefits not only to their families, but to the U.S. economy overall."

Irish, Black, Asian, Native, European - we all descended from immigrants. It's who we are. 

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
"
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A Man Was Lynched Yesterday

1/30/2023

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Nancy Kendall's life of working with the Underground Railroad is a constant reminder that there are good Samaritans out there who risked their lives as Nancy Kendall and Andrew Kendall did to help others.

They are often lost in the background. I think they are not mentioned, because their lives don't seem dramatic enough. And, because many of them were, and are, Black themselves. 

We all know Harriet Tubman, of course. But, how many of us have heard of Walter White?

Walter White was a Black civil rights leader who helped form the NAACP. He was a white news reporter who let the rest of America, and the world, in on Jim Crow laws, lynchings, "unsolved" murders, and the crimes committed against Black citizens by white America. 

"White Lies: The Double Life of Walter F. White and America's Darkest Secret" by A.J. Baime uncovers the details of a remarkable life - Walter F. White, a Black activist who risked his own life investigating racist murders while passing for white. He was fair skinned with a racially mixed background who passed easily, leading a dangerous double-life, using white privilege to shine a light on the America's darkest crimes. 

In the wake of yet another Black man's death at the hands of those who were supposed to protect and serve, we take courage in the fact that there are those in the past and present who work to change the course of justice in America. Their stories must be told.
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Building Houses & the Hearts of Children

11/21/2022

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Guest post by D. A. Smith

A dear friend recently loaned me the children's picture book "Build a House", by Rhiannon Giddens. I wanted to share it with my two daughters. We sat together, the three of us, in the sun and read this extraordinarily simple but beautiful book.

The moving illustrations, by Monica Mikai, convey the nuanced emotions that the words stoically imply. Its message is full of understanding and dignity - the overarching struggle and triumph of a people, displaced, enslaved, ultimately freed and allowed to establish their own homes is outlined in poetry and song. 

After reading through the book and spending time looking at the illustrations, we watched the accompanying music video. Rhiannon Giddens, joined by Yo-Yo Ma, gives melody to the tale. It’s steady, strong and a little haunting. My children have been singing it ever since we first listened to it and have asked several times to hear it again. 

This morning my older daughter sang “you brought me here to build a house…” and my younger daughter corrected her, saying “It's, ‘you brought me here you build YOUR house…’” to which the elder replied “Oh, that’s right,” and quickly went back to singing. 

Their understanding was clear to me then. Children are thoughtful and often guided by an inner compass that points to justice. They were moved by the story, of course. But it was the music that really settled it into their memories.  They quietly sing to themselves and think about what it all means, as they work on other projects. 

I’ve been humming it, too. The words and melody remind us again and again of Rhiannon Giddens' gentle but powerful telling of a story worth cherishing.


​“Through the rhythm of words, the lyricism of images, and the power of song, Rhiannon Giddens makes storytelling come alive. Build a House is a story to tell and to remember.” - Yo-Yo Ma
​The perfect holiday gift for the children in your life. And the grown-ups, too: Order Build a House
Read our previous post to learn more about Rhiannon Giddens. 
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A Class Act, but a Difficult Legacy

9/27/2022

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When Silence Reigns
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As we tell Nancy Kendall’s story, we often see modern parallels.  The recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II brought criticisms to the fore regarding the history of the monarchy and its brutal acts of imperialism as it built the Commonwealth.  For those of us in the US, we cannot help but find similarities between those unspeakable acts of cruelty and those in which our young and growing republic engaged. 


As a developing nation, we were desperate to escape the rule of England, King George the III.  We fought and paid dearly to break away from the monarchy. We subsequently wrote our own laws, both brilliant and flawed, to establish our hard-won independence.  
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Everything about imperialism and colonization seems evil, particularly its treatment of the people whose homelands are gobbled up. For centuries, the British Empire was single-minded in its pursuit of reigning over subjects in far off lands.  

As we built our newly independent country, we also journeyed to foreign lands to capture and enslave human beings for our use. We treated them as property with no rights or respect, simply because people of color were considered lesser-beings, and “should” be subservient. 

We nearly succeeded in our efforts to wipe out the original inhabitants of this continent, along with their rich cultures.  Our attempted destruction of Native Americans, and our kidnapping and enslavement of Africans, rank as similarly atrocious acts to the imperialistic takeovers committed by the armies of Britain at the behest of the monarchy.  

Nation building in any form is often cruel and unfair.  We now watch in horror as the leader of Russia pushes ahead, seemingly no cost too great, in his quest to conquer Ukraine and its people.   

Both the US and the UK have only just begun the difficult discussions, not only to face the past with honesty, but also to amend the wrongs with reparations to the peoples the nations conquered.  

We must learn from our own acts of imperialism and vow never to repeat this part of our history.  May the passing of the long reigning Monarch bring forth a new era of progressive thinking for the UK, the US and the rest of the world.     

To learn more about the monarchy and its dubious past, read:
  • How the British royal family has turned a blind eye to its racist past
  • Queen Elizabeth seemed sweet, the monarchy isn't
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Did Nancy Kendall Think About the Climate?

8/17/2022

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"In their minds, cutting down thousands of acres at a time would improve the weather."
Guest post by Shelly Michell
What does the historic passing of the Inflation Reduction Act have to do with our beloved Nancy Kendall, you might ask?  I keep thinking of the climate changes we now experience and how our thinking quickly evolved in such a short period of time.  

Did early settlers in this country think about the long-term negative effects of their land clearing, their coal burning, and farming techniques?  Probably not.  Many people still feel that humans have not contributed much to these changes in the atmosphere and weather patterns and such.  We had not yet gained the knowledge then about the effects of the industrialism that was just beginning in her time. 

Now we are faced with both the scientific evidence and the opportunity to mindfully make changes to improve the health of our planet. Nearly 370 billion dollars in this Act will help us make those changes.  

Communities of color are disproportionately affected by climate change. More than half of African Americans in the United States live in the South, an area that is and will continue to see stronger hurricanes and increased flooding due to climate change. 
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Historic segregation means many Black Americans live in less desirable, low-lying and flood prone areas throughout the United States.  Many of these communities are adjacent to power plants, petrochemical plants factories and other sources of pollution. A large number of African Americans and other people of color face living in unhealthy conditions that severely impact their lives.

I applaud this legislation for many reasons, not the least of which is that it addresses racial inequity and fights to change it.  Nancy Kendall would be proud. 

In the "What Were They Thinking?" Category:

For an interesting perspective on climate beliefs of early settlers, scientific thinkers, and propagandists of the era, read "The first American settlers cut down millions of trees to deliberately engineer climate change," by Stephanie Buck.      
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    Nancy Jean

    Nancy Jean is a woman of several lives and careers, including school teacher, homemaker, parent, amateur musician and writer. ​Read more...

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