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Cosmonauts | Day 20 | Queen Nzinga Mar 27, 2021

Show notes

On the very spot where the transatlantic slave trade began, in modern-day Angola, the most epic fight for liberation in our history was waged between the entire Portuguese Empire and one Black woman. Standing toe-to-toe. Them and her. Queen Nzinga.
Say her name.
We are the #daughters of Queen Nzinga Mbande. Queen of the Ambundu Kingdoms of the ruling family of Ndongo and great sovereign power of Matamba. Ohhh that’s delicious.
Let it roll off your tongues: Nzzzzinga, Nzingha, Njinga. Her name alone defies the English alphabet, spelled differently across history. No matter how you spell her name, one thing is certain, trained in military precision and political warfare, young Nzinga defeated the colonizers, protected her people for 37 years, and set into motion a liberation movement that would ultimately defeat the colonizers.
We will not be your slaves.
Adjust your crowns queens, we’re going in. This is the greatest story never told.
Join GirlTrek’s Black History Bootcamp - 21 Cosmonauts at blackhistorybootcamp.com to receive specially curated emails with survival tips, speeches + dedicated songs to listen to for each episode. Together we will discover the stories of 21 women who were ahead of their time.
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the music played during this broadcast. Original content can be found here:
Summertime | Angelique Kidjo:
https://open.spotify.com/track/6ZoY4JuMpnTkQTLE8tYP5k?si=9f4aa8cf123f439d

Try Me | Tems:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2DYp6Gfu2JguZra6xL8IAV?si=9b3d681841e04baf

Cosmonauts | Day 19 | Annetta M. Lane & Harriet Taylor Mar 26, 2021

Show notes

Today we tell the story of The United Order of Tents. A secret society of Black women that has operated for more than 100 years, providing shelter and services to people who were unable to care for themselves. It’s the story of Black women’s survival and resilience throughout time. When we look back to our grandmothers and ask, how did they make it? This is how. By relying on each other. By lifting as they climbed. Through mutual aid and support. This is the truth of who we are. Kind. Generous. God-fearing. Steadfast. Join us today to celebrate this legacy of sisterhood.
Join GirlTrek’s Black History Bootcamp - 21 Cosmonauts at blackhistorybootcamp.com to receive specially curated emails with survival tips, speeches + dedicated songs to listen to for each episode. Together we will discover the stories of 21 women who were ahead of their time.
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the music played during this broadcast. Original content can be found here:
Completely Yes | Sandra Crouch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1L3k9_q1S8
Déjà vu | Teena Marie:
https://open.spotify.com/track/7ecCOdHyhkWrQWbzDnHm6m?si=bIt-uAhVQdWAF_eB4SX6Vg&utm_source=copy-link

Cosmonauts | Day 18 | Mahalia Jackson Mar 25, 2021

Show notes

In 1965, Harry Belafonte said that Mahalia Jackson was "the single most powerful Black woman in the United States.” She could channel God’s power, transform a room, soften the hardest hearts, move the masses, and light fire to the faithful. That’s power.
We are the #daughtersof Mahalia Jackson
...and her voice rang louder than bullets and billy clubs. Crystal clear. Equal parts lullaby and lightsaber. Mahalia Jackson was our moral high ground - a spiritual portal. A “beam me up” before Star Trek had a name. She mastered the ability to take us to a Rock that was higher. She rode a praise - in primordial tongues - through halls of injustice, and confused our cross-burning enemies. Singing “I'm gonna lay down my burden, down by the riverside.” Singing, “I ain't a-gonna study war no more.” Singing, “Soon it will be done. Trouble of the world.” Singing “Elijah Rock, shout, shout, shout. Elijah Rock comin' up, Lord.” Singing, "How I made it over,” and “You must be born again.” Bearing the very souls of Black folks. Teaching us. Healing us. Actual pain medicine. Soothing the saints and the sinners alike. Reminding us all of our divine connection and of a transformational power that is bigger than fear.
“I think fear is a sin,” she said. “And I can’t live in fear.”
If you are wavering today. Walk with us. If the evidence of your life - your job, your health, your mind, your money, your man - is overwhelming your faith, walk with us. Listen to the clarion voice that mobilized our mothers and resolved our father’s fears. Black people have practices. We have methods, potions, and powers that connect us to Light in the darkest of times. We need those now. Keep the faith. Grab your sneakers. And come sing with us…
Today, we walk in total agreement - as our foremothers walked before us in the Montgomery Bus Boycotts - for the total liberation of Black people everywhere.
Join GirlTrek’s Black History Bootcamp - 21 Cosmonauts at blackhistorybootcamp.com to receive specially curated emails with survival tips, speeches + dedicated songs to listen to for each episode. Together we will discover the stories of 21 women who were ahead of their time.
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the music or speech excerpts played during this broadcast. Original content can be found here:
Coming In Hot | Andy Mineo, Lacrae:
https://open.spotify.com/track/1kVYXfxTWSftIZtmYr6yH8?si=7asQJMgISNmsZYJu66ADaQ

Elijah Rock - Live | Mahalia Jackson:
https://open.spotify.com/track/4zYchkXbGeXtJ3T7Tq1elD?si=SY48AZn9QP6p7uVRcxgZwg
Never Seen Before Footage of Mahalia Jackson and her Funeral:
https://youtu.be/53A6DPWZ_i8

How I Got Over | Mahalia Jackson:
https://youtu.be/l49N8U3d0Bw

Cosmonauts | Day 17 | Alice Walker Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

Alice Walker reached all the way back to bring forward the story that would forever change us in her seminal novel, The Color Purple. With her words, she gave voice and texture to the pain of Black women, tenderly explored the depths of it at every level, and then proudly walked us through a field of purple to show us our own strength and resilience. For every woman who ever uttered the words, “I’m poor, Black, I may even be ugly, but Dear God, I’m here! I’m here!” Today’s walk is for you. Beyond a book discussion, we will journey through the life of Alice Walker, her loves, her losses, her triumphs, and her defeats. Just the conversation we all need right now.

Join GirlTrek’s Black History Bootcamp - 21 Cosmonauts at blackhistorybootcamp.com to receive specially curated emails with survival tips, speeches + dedicated songs to listen to for each episode. Together we will discover the stories of 21 women who were ahead of their time.
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the music played during this broadcast. Original content can be found here:
Maybe God Is Tryin' Tell You Somethin' | Quincy Jones:
https://open.spotify.com/track/4JXiNTDq6OGkyp5aZ7X7cn?si=Ckbi4i4NQvqHXviG4uVD5Q
Freedom Time - Live | Lauren Hill:
https://open.spotify.com/track/0kQ2DTgR9iAkIKoeoIHfn9?si=Lj9a6KFYTP2iZtF9kIMDVg

Cosmonauts | Day 15 | Diana Ross Mar 20, 2021

Show notes

When you’ve got it. You’ve got it. And Dianna Ross has always had it, has always known she’s had it and has always known how to use it. The literal definition of Icon. A Black woman who has dared to ask the universe for what she wants and clearly stands in expectation of receiving it. Grace personified. Elegance embodied. She rose like a Phoenix from the ashes of one of Detroit’s toughest neighborhoods to create a career and a life that has inspired millions around the world. The glamour. The movies. The romances. The clothes. The hair. The legacy of her family! Diana Ross is our royalty, and today we honor and celebrate her. Lace-up and walk with us. We’re going to do her proud.
Join GirlTrek’s Black History Bootcamp - 21 Cosmonauts at blackhistorybootcamp.com to receive specially curated emails with survival tips, speeches + dedicated songs to listen to for each episode. Together we will discover the stories of 21 women who were ahead of their time.
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the music played during this broadcast. Original content can be found here:
Be a Lion | Diana Ross:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPYAim8fGvM&list=PLKJzywEPMiCRUpFVLMGZdTZ3hAIxAK7XO&index=2

Ain't No Mountain High Enough (Uncut) | Diana Ross:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6yNlSyiBLE

Cosmonauts | Day 14 | Mary Bowser Mar 19, 2021

Show notes

This is the greatest spy story never told. The story of Mary Bowser, a formerly enslaved woman turned Union spy, who helped take down the confederacy before teaching at a school for free Black children. Then she disappeared off into the sunset. James Bond who?
While made-up stories of white male valor and heroism dominate box offices and take up space on every channel, real stories of real heroes, like Mary Bowser, go untold. Until today!
Today’s walk is dedicated to a woman whose name everyone should know. A woman so savvy and effective at her job as a spy that Confederate President Jefferson Davis complained that his mental state was collapsing under the strain of not being able to find the leak in his network. The story runs deep and serves as a testament to the bravery and courage of Black women. Women, who for centuries, have risked it all for the freedom of their people. Come to the Walk and Talk with anticipation. We’re spilling all the goods on this wartime hero.
Join GirlTrek’s Black History Bootcamp - 21 Cosmonauts at blackhistorybootcamp.com to receive specially curated emails with survival tips, speeches + dedicated songs to listen to for each episode. Together we will discover the stories of 21 women who were ahead of their time.
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the music played during this broadcast. Original content can be found here:
Dreams | Solange:
https://open.spotify.com/track/0deHsjyrgcKGMZzIuvawq3?si=PN6sVJlwR0GIfN_QzIObtg
Déjà vu | Teena Marie:
https://open.spotify.com/track/7p37jbu5FjiHlkXV4wEQei?si=rD44Y4DnQemvrodnlfgkIg

Cosmonauts | Day 13 | Lorraine Hansberry Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

“She made it rain on grassroots integrationists in the South while giving the Kennedy brothers a tongue-lashing for their failure to protect the region’s African-Americans. She inspired a Nina Simone song. She was clocked by the Feds. She wore pearl earrings. She gave a generation of Black actors the roles that would define their careers. She bedded white people years before miscegenation was legalized. She pissed off American theater. She pissed off American theater critics. She named her home in upstate New York Chitterling Heights. Years before Stonewall, she penned letters of solidarity to the early lesbian publication The Ladder. She had a mean sense of humor that continues to defy the “serious activist” stereotype. She didn’t stop until her body made her stop.” - Excerpt by Fonesca. Review of Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart.

Every aspect of Lorraine Hansberry’s life was fascinating, full of intrigue, and worthy of exploration. There is so much to talk about on today’s walk. Get ready to laugh, gasp, shout, and more as we honor the women who told the world there is nothing better than being young, gifted, and Black.

Join GirlTrek’s Black History Bootcamp - 21 Cosmonauts at blackhistorybootcamp.com to receive specially curated emails with survival tips, speeches + dedicated songs to listen to for each episode. Together we will discover the stories of 21 women who were ahead of their time.
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the music played during this broadcast. Original content can be found here:
To Be Young, Gifted and Black | Nina Simone:
https://open.spotify.com/track/67RKpDruBXMJgAmhJAivXr?si=X6I9XdANRFi_b7B-bU_xkw

Wake Up | Ledisi (ft. Sa-Roc):
https://open.spotify.com/track/2YjUR0XRhaLa080fcd5r5t?si=FtX72MazTO2OqkGQrPw6EQ

Cosmonauts | Day 12 | Moms Mabley Mar 17, 2021

Show notes

Moms Mabley was brilliant at disrupting the status quo with perfectly portioned bits of truth. It is the recipe of so many Black mothers, aunties, and grandmothers. Closeted geniuses, with disarming side glances, glints of spiritual insight, and easy laughs filled with ancient discernment. We have a wealth of funny in our families and Moms Mabley showed it to the world. Dressed as a toothless grandmother - using the force and bravery of her own grandmother as inspiration - she disarmed the world with edgy comedic perfection. One-liners distilled in hard times. Loaded. Waiting for just a minute of airtime to kill. Quick wit is survival. Moms Mabley survived the unsurvivable by becoming the funniest woman on the planet.
Let’s learn her magic.
Join GirlTrek’s Black History Bootcamp - 21 Cosmonauts at blackhistorybootcamp.com to receive specially curated emails with survival tips, speeches + dedicated songs to listen to for each episode. Together we will discover the stories of 21 women who were ahead of their time.
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to comedy except played during this broadcast. Original content can be found here:
My First Psychotic Break | Tiffany Haddish:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3ol1RDEHaxfmdQ0UnA0wq3?si=oQREg_2ZTjaFbDhSpjIs8Q

Cosmonauts | Day 9 | Combahee River Collective Mar 13, 2021

Show notes

Today we call the names of the women who do the work. The women who sit on committees, who write papers, edit publications, build coalitions, canvass neighborhoods, attend city council meetings, read and reread all the books. The women who study, learn, and then pass on the knowledge to the rest of us – so that there is a record of what has been and a strategy for a way forward. You too are dreamers and weavers. You are the idea makers. You are the bullhorns and today’s walk is for you. Tune in today as we discuss the Combahee River Collective. We are here because of them.
Join GirlTrek’s Black History Bootcamp - 21 Cosmonauts at blackhistorybootcamp.com to receive specially curated emails with survival tips, speeches + dedicated songs to listen to for each episode. Together we will discover the stories of 21 women who were ahead of their time.
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the music played during this broadcast. Original content can be found here:
River | Leon Bridges:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3hhbDnFUb2bicI2df6VurK?si=c2a98337c6de4418

I'll Take You There | The Staples Singers:
https://open.spotify.com/track/5YLnfy7R2kueN0BRPkjiEG?si=93dda173da204287

Cosmonauts | Day 7 | Sister Souljah Mar 10, 2021

Show notes

They tried to intimidate her. Tried to demonize her. Tried to silence her voice. They tried to do the same thing that they try and do with most young Black girl geniuses in this world – extinguish our fire. But, Sister Souljah could not be stopped. She spoke truth to power. Gave voice to generations of young Black youth, and continues to organize against systems of power and oppression. Today’s walk is a celebration. A virtual parade down the main street of every hood in America to honor the brilliance that comes from within. If you don’t know the story of Sister Souljah, if you don’t understand her impact, then you must learn with us today. In real-time let’s write the history that we want our daughters to know.
Join GirlTrek’s Black History Bootcamp - 21 Cosmonauts at blackhistorybootcamp.com to receive specially curated emails with survival tips, speeches + dedicated songs to listen to for each episode. Together we will discover the stories of 21 women who were ahead of their time.
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the music or speech except played during this broadcast. Original content can be found here:
The Hate The Hate Produced | Sister Soulja:
https://youtu.be/neNboHZ3paQ
That one time when Sister Souljah schooled Cornel West:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JokCT0CAkE8

Fight the Power | Public Enemy:
https://open.spotify.com/track/1yo16b3u0lptm6Cs7lx4AD?si=uv-9WqdlTraI9FG1QSBb6Q

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