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    History

    Our Ancestors Were Messy

    A recap of the gossip, scandals, and pop culture that made headlines and then history in pre-Civil Rights Era America. Host Nichole Hill takes her guests through the story of an ancestor in search of opportunity, adventure, love, and a way to beat Jim Crow. Along the way, these ancestors make messes that land them in the gossip columns of Black newspapers.

    Support this independent production by joining the donor community at: ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com

    Follow us on Instagram @ourancestorsweremessy @nicholewthanh

    Advertise

    Copyright: © 2023-3023 Our Ancestors Were Messy

    • Apple Podcasts
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    • Spotify
    Latest Episodes:
    Special Episode: Once Upon a Time in Harlem with Filmmakers David Greaves and Liani Greaves Oct 16, 2026
    Show notes

    An interview with David Greaves and Liani Greaves, the father-daughter duo behind the documentary Once Upon a Time in Harlem about a party organized in 1972 by filmmaker William Greaves. He invites some of other last living luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance ver and for four hours, this incredible group, reminisce, laugh, and argue, about the Renaissance and their place in a rapidly shifting cultural landscape.

    • Support this independent production and access bonus content at https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com
    • Stay in touch at ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com
    • Follow the show on Instagram at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Follow the show on TikTok at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
    • Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy
    The Revolutionary Black Loyalists! Live with Tressie McMillan Cottom Jul 08, 2026
    Show notes

    Thousands of our ancestors escaped slavery during the American Revolution, fought for the British on the promise of freedom, and left an outsized legacy in the US, Canada, and beyond. Starring writer, sociologist, and MacArthur Fellow Tressie McMillian Cottom taped live on Juneteenth at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU in Richmond, VA.

    • Support this independent production and access bonus content at https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com
    • Stay in touch at ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com
    • Follow the show on Instagram at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Follow the show on TikTok at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
    • Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy

    SELECT SOURCES

    1. The Black Loyalists of the American Revolution
    2. Enslaved by George Washington, This Man Escaped to Freedom-and Joined the British Army
    3. Black Loyalists Exodus to Nova Scotia
    4. An Account of the Life of Mr. David George from SLA given by himself
    5. George Liele
    6. Thomas Peters
    7. The Black Loyalist Heritage Center
    The Revolutionary Black Loyalists! Live with BA Parker and Gene Demby Jul 08, 2026
    Show notes

    Thousands of our ancestors escaped slavery during the American Revolution, fought for the British on the promise of freedom, and left an outsized legacy in the US, Canada, and beyond. Starring the co-hosts of Code Switch B.A. Parker and Gene Demby taped live at the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University in Washington, DC.

    • Support this independent production and access bonus content at https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com
    • Stay in touch at ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com
    • Follow the show on Instagram at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Follow the show on TikTok at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
    • Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy

    SELECT SOURCES

    1. The Black Loyalists of the American Revolution
    2. Enslaved by George Washington, This Man Escaped to Freedom-and Joined the British Army
    3. Black Loyalists Exodus to Nova Scotia
    4. An Account of the Life of Mr. David George from SLA given by himself
    5. George Liele
    6. Thomas Peters
    7. The Black Loyalist Heritage Center
    Coming Soon: The Black Loyalists (July 8) Jul 06, 2026
    Show notes

    A preview of an upcoming episode about the Black Loyalists. Thousands of our ancestors escaped slavery during the American Revolution, fought for the British on the promise of freedom, and left an unbelievable legacy in the US, Canada, and beyond!

    Full episodes air July 8th starring writer, sociologist, and MacArthur Fellow Tressie McMillian Cottom taped live on Juneteenth at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU in Richmond, VA. You'll also get to hear the same story told again to the co-hosts of Code Switch, B.A. Parker and Gene Demby taped live at the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University in Washington, DC.

    Different guests. Different audiences. Very different perspectives!

    • Support this independent production and access bonus content at https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com
    • Stay in touch at ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com
    • Follow the show on Instagram at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Follow the show on TikTok at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
    • Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy
    Household Exclusive: Researching Our Ancestors Apr 08, 2026
    Show notes

    Host Nichole Hill responds to listeners' comments and shares an interview with the show's Research Producer, Chioke I'Anson, about the research behind the histories shared on the show. Their conversation was originally taped for the donor community known as The Household.

    • Support this independent production and access bonus content at https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com
    • Stay in touch at ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com
    • Follow the show on Instagram at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Follow the show on TikTok at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
    • Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy
    Eslanda and Paul Robeson: Revolutionaries in the Making (Part 1) Jan 28, 2026
    Show notes

    Eslanda Cardozo Goode and Paul Robeson meet and fall in love during the Roaring 20s in Harlem. They give up promising careers and devote themselves to climbing the ladder of fame and fortune. Can their relationship survive the success that follows? Starring Jason Reynolds

    • Support this independent production and access bonus content at https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com
    • Stay in touch at ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com
    • Follow the show on Instagram at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Follow the show on TikTok at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
    • Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy

    SELECT SOURCES

    1. Eslanda: The Large and Unconventional Life of Mrs. Paul Robeson by Barbara Ransby
    2. The Undiscovered Paul Robeson: An Artist's Journey 1898-1939 by Paul Robeson, Jr.
    3. The Undiscovered Paul Robeson: Quest for Freedom 1939-1976 by Paul Robeson, Jr.
    4. Here I Stand by Paul Robeson
    5. History of America in Ten Strikes by Erik Loomis
    6. How American Slavery Echoed Russian Serfdom by Matthew Wills
    7. Haymarket Book Talk with Barbara Ransby
    8. The Scramble for Africa
    9. Arturo Alfonso Schomburg
    10. The Atlanta Daily World
    Paul and Eslanda Robeson: For the Rights of People. For the Rights of Workers. (Part 2) Jan 28, 2026
    Show notes

    Essie & Paul’s passions lead them to the front lines of the fight to defeat fascism. Starring Jason Reynolds

    • Support this independent production and access bonus content at https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com
    • Stay in touch at ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com
    • Follow the show on Instagram at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Follow the show on TikTok at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
    • Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy

    SELECT SOURCES

    1. Eslanda: The Large and Unconventional Life of Mrs. Paul Robeson by Barbara Ransby
    2. The Undiscovered Paul Robeson: An Artist's Journey 1898-1939 by Paul Robeson, Jr.
    3. The Undiscovered Paul Robeson: Quest for Freedom 1939-1976 by Paul Robeson, Jr.
    4. Here I Stand by Paul Robeson
    5. History of America in Ten Strikes by Erik Loomis
    6. Haymarket Book Talk with Barbara Ransby: Eslanda: The Large and Unconventional Life of Mrs. Paul Robeson
    7. The History of Camp Wo-Chi-Ca
    8. The Peekskill Riots Revealed the Racism and Antisemitism Hidden Beneath the Surface of the Anti-Communist Movement by Matthew Schuerman
    Coming Soon: Eslanda and Paul Robeson (Jan. 28th) Jan 21, 2026
    Show notes

    Host Nichole Hill shares the story behind Black History Month ahead of the 100th anniversary of it’s celebration and gives listeners a sneak peek of a new episode coming out on January 28th.

    • Support this independent production and access bonus content at https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com
    • Stay in touch at ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com
    • Follow the show on Instagram at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Follow the show on TikTok at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
    • Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy
    Feature: The Lonesome Hearts Column with NPR’s Code Switch (plus an announcement!) Sep 03, 2025
    Show notes

    Was dating any easier in the past? Nichole Hill joins Gene Demby and B.A. Parker, hosts of NPR's Code Switch, to put this question to the test by traveling back in time to 1937, using archival personal ads from the Washington Afro-American newspaper. Together, the trio gets a small taste of what it was like for Black folks to date almost a century ago. Turns out, the ancestors were messy, too!

    • Support this independent production and access bonus content at https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com
    • Stay in touch at ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com
    • Follow the show on Instagram at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Follow the show on TikTok at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
    • Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy
    Nora Holt: The Lives and Loves of Harlem's Legendary Blonde Bombshell May 14, 2025
    Show notes

    A musical prodigy from Kansas becomes a renowned race woman in Chicago, a tabloid sensation in Harlem, and a musical force the world over. These are the many lives and loves of one of the most famous women of the era: Nora Holt. Starring Natalie Tulloch and Christabel Nsiah-Buadi

    • Support this independent production and access bonus content at https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com
    • Stay in touch at ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com
    • Follow the show on Instagram at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Follow the show on TikTok at @ourancestorsweremessy
    • Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
    • Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy

    SOURCES

    1. Nora Holt: The Most Famous Woman You've Never Heard Of by Imani Perry
    2. Nora Holt by Matthew Guerrieri
    3. Nora Holt: New Negro Composer and Jazz Age Goddess by Cheryl A. Wall
    4. "Strange What Cosmopolites Music Makes of Us": Classical Music, the Black press, and Nora Douglas Holt's Black Feminist Audiotopia by Lucy Caplan


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