Our Missouri

In this episode, host Sean Rost looks back to Frederick Douglass' 1893 visit to Springfield, Missouri, and examines who Douglass was, why he came to Springfield, and what he advised Missourians to consider at the dawn of a new century.

Episode Image: College Street, Springfield, Missouri, date unknown [Arthur Richard Hill Photographs (SP0067), SHSMO]

This episode features Andrew Olden, a PhD candidate at the University of Missouri-Columbia and staff member for the African American Heritage in the Ozarks Project, discussing Civilian Conservation Corps Company 1743, an African American unit based at Washington State Park along the banks of the Big River near De Soto, Missouri, in the mid-1930s.

Episode Image: Thunderbird Lodge, Washington State Park, 2021 [Courtesy of Andrew Olden]

This episode focuses on the life of Voda "Bea" Hardy Curtis, and documents the path of her family from slavery to suffrage. The episode also features audio clips from Voda Curtis' 1977 oral history (S0829) housed at the State Historical Society of Missouri's St. Louis Research Center, as well as final thoughts from past oral history interns–Cydney Smith, Cassie Draudt, and Keely Doll–who conducted research on Voda Curtis' life.

Episode Image: Women gathered at what was called the “Negro Service Center” in Joplin, Missouri, 1955 [Whitaker Family Collection (SP0076), SHSMO]

In this episode, host Sean Rost introduces listeners to the life and legacy of John A. Lankford. Born in Potosi, Missouri, in 1874, Lankford achieved immense fame as one of the most celebrated architects of his generation. Listen here to learn about Lankford's journey from Potosi to Washington D.C., along the banks of the Potomac River.

Episode Image: Forge Room at Lincoln Institute in Jefferson City, Missouri, ca. 1903 [Lincoln University Photographs (P1096), SHSMO]

In 2021, the State Historical Society of Missouri was awarded an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant through the National Endowment for the Humanities and Missouri Humanities for a project titled “African American Heritage in the Ozarks.” Over fifteen months, staff at SHSMO identified and compiled an extensive list of primary and secondary sources related to African American life in the region, provided public programming in numerous Ozarks communities, developed physical and digital exhibits, and conducted more than two dozen oral histories preserving the voices and memories of the people who call, or have called, the Ozarks home.

To begin the second half of Season 5 and the new series “African American Heritage in the Ozarks,” host Sean Rost introduces listeners to the some of the oral history interviewees and the key themes of Ozarks history that emerged over the course of the project.

For more information on the Emancipation Day in the Missouri Ozarks interactive map discussed in the episode, please visit: https://shsmo.org/interactives/emancipation-day-ozarks 

Episode Image: Mark Dixon interviewed by Gary Kremer at Benton Avenue AME Church, Springfield, Missouri, 2022 [Courtesy of Andrew Olden]

To conclude the Title IX in Missouri series, host Sean Rost talks with four journalists, Kathryn Lucchesi, Maddy Glab, Lauren Michelson, and Dani Wexelman, about the evolution of sports journalism in the 21st Century.

Episode Image: Radio interview between Mary Margaret McBride and Goldena Howard, Columbia, Missouri, date unknown [Mary Kathy Dains Photographs (P0300), SHSMO]

About the Guests:

Kathryn “Kat” Lucchesi is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Prior to joining the Journalism School, she held several positions in media and digital marketing, including Multimedia Director for the University of Missouri football team; Director of Social Media for Oregon State University Athletics; and multimedia reporter, anchor, and producer at KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri.

Maddy Glab is a multimedia journalist for Pegula Sports & Entertainment. In that role, she primarily serves as a team reporter for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. Prior to that role, she held several positions in media and digital marketing, including On-Air Talent/Multimedia Producer for the University of Tennessee; Video Producer/Reporter for Stanford University Athletics; and a sports reporter and anchor at KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri.

Lauren Michelson is a sports anchor for KLKN-TV in Lincoln, Nebraska. Prior to that role, she worked as a sports reporter and anchor at KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri.

Dani Wexelman is a freelance on-air reporter and producer. In that role, she has worked with MLB Network, Major League Rugby, National Lacrosse League, and Sirius XM Radio. She also co-hosts two podcasts, “Datt’s What She Said with Dani” and “Amateur Hour.” She has held several positions in media and digital marketing, including On-Air Talent, Storyteller, and Producer for MLB.com; Editor/Producer for NHL.com; Digital & Social Media Paid Intern for the Harrisburg Senators, and an anchor, reporter, producer for KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri.

The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) had a lasting impact on countless Missourians, even though it was only in existence for roughly a decade during the 1970s and early 1980s. In the latest Our Missouri Podcast episode, learn about the legacy of the AIAW and listen to oral history interviewees from the Missouri Sports & Recreation oral History Project (C4377) discuss their memories of the first few crucial years of Title IX and the AIAW.

Episode Image: Southwest Missouri State University women’s volleyball team, 1979 [Courtesy of Linda Dollar]

In this episode, host Sean Rost takes listeners into the stacks to learn about some of the State Historical Society of Missouri's collections that highlight athletics and recreation in the state of Missouri, particularly related to the evolution of opportunities for girls and women in the 20th Century.

Episode Image: Girls Gym Demonstration at Northside Branch Gymnasium in St. Louis, Missouri, 1960 [Gateway Region Young Men’s Christian Association Records (S0473), SHSMO]

The lessons learned in Hartville in Wright County impacted Dr. Mary Jo Wynn for the rest of her life. In this episode, host Sean Rost, as well as several participants in the Missouri Sports & Recreation Oral History Project, highlight key moments in Wynn's hall of fame career, including her efforts to expand educational and athletic opportunities for women far beyond the campus of Missouri State University.

Episode Image: Dr. Mary Jo Wynn, SMSU Sports Report, December-January 1978-1979 [Courtesy of Linda Dollar]

In this episode, host Sean Rost highlights some of the 1930s and 1940s barnstorming women's basketball teams and players from Missouri, and introduces listeners to Wisconsinite Helen Onson, a former player for several of these teams whose papers and oral history are at the State Historical Society of Missouri.

For a link for the "Out of the Stacks" On Demand program referenced in the episode, check out: https://shsmo.org/on-demand/out-of-the-stacks 

Episode Image: Players of the Helen Stephens Olympic Co-Eds basketball team, date unknown [Helen Onson Papers (C4043), SHSMO]