Say It With History: Stories That Shaped the Past with Holley Snaith

Often portrayed as reserved or overlooked, Pat Nixon played a significant role as First Lady during a period of political and social change. Biographer Heath Hardage Lee explores the woman behind the public image, from Pat’s Western upbringing and international diplomacy to her views on women’s issues, marriage, and the demands of public life.

Key Topics

• Pat Nixon’s upbringing and the experiences that shaped her
• Her role in international diplomacy as First Lady
• Pat’s views on women’s rights and the changing role of women
• Her public image and relationship with the media
• Pat and Richard Nixon’s marriage and life in politics
• Myths and misconceptions surrounding her life and legacy

Guest Bio

Heath Hardage Lee is an award-winning historian, biographer, and curator. She is the author of The League of Wives and The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon: Washington’s Most Private First Lady, the first commercial biography of Pat Nixon in nearly four decades. She also serves on the boards of the First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) and Biographers International Organization (BIO).

Heath’s Links

• Website: https://heathleeauthor.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heath_hlee/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathleeauthor

The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon: Amazon link

Connect with Holley: Buy Me A Coffee | Website | LinkedIn

Listen on YouTube: Channel

Local history can reveal how communities are shaped by faith, activism, and the experiences of everyday people. Public historian Shae Corey explores the power of oral history and community storytelling, drawing on her research into religious activism and neighborhood life in Washington, D.C.

Key Topics

• Oral history and the importance of preserving lived experience
• Religious activism and its influence on Washington, D.C., communities
• The history behind The Holy Local podcast
• Combining archival research with community memory
• Digital storytelling as a tool for public history
• Preserving histories that can be overlooked in traditional narratives

Guest Bio

Shae Corey is a historian whose research focuses on religious activism and its role in shaping urban communities. She earned her master’s degree in Public History from American University and is pursuing a PhD in History at George Mason University. She is also the creator of The Holy Local, a podcast exploring the history and legacy of Washington, D.C.’s Church of the Saviour community.

Shae’s Links

• Website: www.shaecorey.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaecatherinecorey/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shae-corey-34902a168/
• Holy Local Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/39seO22mrCfssARdiRF8Bz?si=ed96b9090aad4a33

Books Recommended by Shae

• Foul Bodies: Cleanliness in Early America by Kathleen M. Brown Amazon link

Holley’s Links

• Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/sayitwithhistory
• Website: www.holleysnaith.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holleysnaith/
• Listen on YouTube: Channel

Behind the glamour of Classic Hollywood was a studio system that carefully controlled the images, careers, and personal lives of its stars. Historical fiction author Martin Turnbull explores the world behind the silver screen, the human cost of fame, and how his research brings the people and places of Hollywood’s Golden Age to life.

Key Topics

• The glamour and realities of Hollywood’s Golden Age
• How the studio system shaped and controlled its stars
• The people and history behind The Garden of Allah series
• Researching and writing historical fiction
• The personal cost of fame and maintaining a public image
• Separating Hollywood myth from historical reality

Guest Bio

Martin Turnbull is a historical fiction author and Classic Hollywood expert originally from Melbourne, Australia. After moving to Los Angeles in the 1990s, he developed a deep knowledge of the city and its entertainment history through his work as a researcher and tour guide. His novels, including The Garden of Allah series, explore the people, places, and stories of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Martin’s Links

• Website: https://martinturnbull.com/
• X: https://x.com/TurnbullMartin
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martinturnbullauthor/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/martinturnbull.bsky.social
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gardenofallahnovels
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/turnbullauthor/

Garden of Allah Novels

• Amazon link

Books Mentioned

• By Myself and Then Some by Lauren Bacall

Holley’s Links

• Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/sayitwithhistory
• Website: www.holleysnaith.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holleysnaith/
• Listen on YouTube: Channel

The Eleanor Roosevelt School in Warm Springs, Georgia, represents an important chapter in the history of Black education and the Rosenwald School movement. Voncher Walker shares the school’s remarkable history, its connections to Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, and the work she and her brother Debron are undertaking to preserve the property for future generations.

Key Topics

• The history of the Eleanor Roosevelt School
• The Rosenwald School movement and Black education in the South
• Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt’s connections to the school
• The challenges of historic preservation
• Preserving historic places through community investment and partnerships

Guest Bio

Voncher Walker is an entrepreneur and investor who, with her brother Debron Walker, purchased the historic Eleanor Roosevelt School in Warm Springs, Georgia, in 2020. She is working to preserve the 1936 school and transform it into a museum, event space, and educational tourism destination that honors its history and legacy.

Links

• Eleanor Roosevelt School: http://erso1936.com
• YouTube Video: Siblings acquire a National Treasure, Eleanor Roosevelt - Last Rosenwald School
• Voncher’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its_voncher/
• Voncher’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@its_voncher

Books Recommended by Voncher

• The Mis-Education of the Negro by Carter Godwin Woodson Amazon link
• Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin Amazon link
• Growing Up Roosevelt by Nina Roosevelt Gibson Amazon link

Holley’s Links

• Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/sayitwithhistory
• Website: www.holleysnaith.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holleysnaith/
• Listen on YouTube: Channel

I am Holley Snaith—historian, writer, and your host. Say It With History is a show about the people, stories, and unexpected threads of the past that shape how we think, create, and connect today.

In each episode, I sit down with authors, artists, podcasters, educators, and creatives whose work is rooted in history—but always speaking to the present. From overlooked historical figures and cultural movements to the way history shows up in books, films, classrooms, and everyday conversations, we’ll explore it all with curiosity, depth, and a little bit of fun.

If you love a good story, enjoy thoughtful conversations, and want to see how history lives in the world around us, you’re in the right place.

Follow or subscribe so you never miss a conversation. Thanks for being here—I cannot wait to explore the past with you.

Website: www.holleysnaith.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holleysnaith/

Listen on YouTube: Channel