Little Big History

Have you ever worried that someone can steal your DNA, more specifically, your cells? And when I say someone, I’m talking about the government or medical institution? If you’re anything like me, you read the entire documents given to you at any institution when you have to consent to something. Sometimes the documents have oddly specific pages you have to sign...like give consent to the institution for taking your cells and using them for science. In this episode, we are going to discuss how Johns Hopkins stole cells from Henrietta Lacks, and how her cells modernized medicine.

Imagine being a young entertainer by birth. Your lifestyle revolves around traveling with your parents and jumping on stage every now and then. The problem? You live in the midwest, you’re black, and it’s the early 1900’s. Eventually, you leave your small town and relocate to good ole New York during the Harlem Renaissance. You become one of the brightest stars in French entertainment, all while being a spy during WWII. This is the story of Josephine Baker.

A black child born on the US-Mexico border in the twilight of slavery, William Ellis inhabited a world divided along ambiguous racial lines. Adopting the name Guillermo Eliseo, he passed as Mexican, transcending racial lines to become fabulously wealthy as a Wall Street banker, diplomat, and owner of scores of mines and haciendas in Mexico. This is the story of William Ellis.

On January 6, 2021, the United States was under attack. Not by foreign terrorists, but domestic terrorists. The world shook and stopped to watch as the United States of America was burning in flames...not literally, but figuratively. Not since 1814, during The War of 1812, has the Capitol ever been attacked. In 1814, British Troops, set fire to the U.S. Capitol, the president’s mansion, and other local landmarks. What occurred on January 6th was an attempted Coup D’etat. A coup d’etat, or coup, is the removal of an existing government from power, usually through violent means. This type of attack is illegal and an unconstitutional seizure of power by a political faction, the military, or a dictator. Whether this is to be acknowledged or not, that is exactly what occurred. This is the concise history of coup d’etats and how the United States has a long, complicated history of coups.

Imagine being so excited to start your first day of school! The sun is shining, you’re wearing your Sunday’s best. If you’re like me, you probably have little filly socks with a kitten heel and dress. Your backpack and lunch are packed for the day, you walk past the school nearest you, cross the train tracks, enter a class full of kids who look like you and live just as far as you. Then you ask yourself, why do WE have to walk this far, but the white kids get to ride the bus to a nicer school that’s closer to your home? This is the story of Delgado v. Bastrop.

Imagine being omitted, ostracized, and segregated your entire life because of the color of your skin. And then imagine that you literally alter history in The United States, only to have your name excluded from all history books over and over again. This is the story of Hector P. Garcia and Gustavo “Gus” Garcia.

Imagine you are enjoying a beautiful sunny day without a care in the world. You are FREE. Then one day, the government claims eminent domain on your homestead and bulldozes your life away. This is the story of Seneca Village (1825-1857), also known as Central Park, and the Freedmen’s Colony on Roanoke Island (1862-1867).

Welcome to Little Big History Podcast! Join us every other Thursday as we navigate through untold histories from around the world!