Our Ancestors Were Messy – Details, episodes & analysis

A Victorian Era love triangle rocks the elites of DC and the Washington Bee newspaper is on the scene, thrilled to cover every scandalous detail! Starring Jonquilyn Hill.

• 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
• Connect with the show on TikTok at @ourancestorsweremessy
• Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
• Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy 
• For more information about Black Storytelling Week visit https://www.blackstorytellingweek.com

SOURCES

1. "Honey for Our Friends, Stings for Enemies": William Calvin Chase and "The Washington Bee." 1882-1921
2. The Political Work of Leisure: Class, Recreation, and African American Commemoration at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, 1881-1931
3. Our Kind of People by Lawrence Otis Graham
4. Check out The Washington Bee  digitized and stored at The Library of Congress.
5. As promised, the recipe for the Dick Francis Special. Enjoy! https://imbibemagazine.com/dick-francis-special

Our Ancestors Were Messy is a show about our ancestors and all their drama! Host Nichole Hill and her guests sift through the gossip, scandals, and pop culture that made headlines in historical Black newspapers.

• 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
• Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
• Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy 

The Creative Team 

• Adriana Ambriz, Executive Producer
• Chioke I'Anson, Research Producer
• Martina Abrahams Ilunga, Story Editor
• Shonte Hill, Script Editor
• Helena de Groot, Sound Designer
• John DeLore, Sound Designer
• Pat Mesiti-Miller, Sound Designer
• Kyle Murdock, Sound Designer
• Aseloka Smith, Show Art

It's the summer of 1927 and Zora Neale Huston and Langston Hughes are driving across the South searching for folklore, swapping stories, and enjoying being the newfound stars of the Harlem Renaissance. Starring Alicia Walters.

• 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 @ourancestorsweremessy
• Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
• Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy 

SOURCES

1. Zora and Langston: A Story of Friendship and Betrayal by Yuval Taylor
2. Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston
3. In Search of Zora Neale Hurston by Alice Walker
4. The Dinner Party That Started the Harlem Renaissance by Veronica Chambers and Michelle May-Curry
5. The Complex Literary Friendship Between Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston by Yuval Taylor
6. Mules and Men by Zora Neale Hurston
7. Jackson's classic collection of Black "toasts" is resurrected by Patricia Donovan
8. Get Your Ass in the Water and Swim Like Me: Narrative Poetry from Black Oral Tradition by Bruce Jackson
9. Check out The Chicago Defender digitized and stored at The Library of Congress
10. Read the archives at The Chicago Defender Archives

Host Nichole Hill shares a research tip, updates for the Household aka the donor community, where to find bonus material, and a sneak peek at next week's episode.

To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.com

To access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com

To stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on Instagram

THE A-TEAM
The show is hosted by Nichole Hill (https://www.nicholelhill.com/)
Executive Producer A.A. Hernandez
Story Producer Martina Abrahams Ilunga (@m_tina)
Research Producer Chioke I'Anson (https://www.chiokeianson.com/)
Story Editing by Shonte Hill 
Show art by Aseloka Smith (@naturallyherown)  

BONUS STORY

• To access the bonus story check out this article: Black history emerges from 1897 time capsule.
   

Episodes release bi-weekly. 

Nichole, Zakiya and Emmanuel read three drama-filled love stories from historic Black newspapers and select the one that they believe could stand the test of time. Starring Zakiya Gibbons and Emmanuel Dzotsi.

• 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. Support the reporting done by the legendary Oklahoma Eagle still in print today!
2. Check out The Colorado Statesman, archived at the Library of Congress.

Host Nichole Hill shares listener mail, an update for the Household aka the donor community, and a sneak peek at next week's episode.

To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.com

To access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com

To stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on Instagram

THE A-TEAM
The show is hosted by Nichole Hill (https://www.nicholelhill.com/)
Executive Producer A.A. Hernandez
Story Producer Martina Abrahams Ilunga (@m_tina)
Research Producer Chioke I'Anson (https://www.chiokeianson.com/)
Story Editing by Shonte Hill 
Show art by Aseloka Smith (@naturallyherown)  

Episodes release bi-weekly. 

At the turn of the century, Oscar Micheaux - a dreamer from Smallville - makes his way to the big city searching for fame, fortune...and a change to his single status! What he finds is a wife he loves, a father-in-law he hates, and a path into Black history he could have never imagined. Starring Dr. Ray Christian.

• 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. The Conquest: The Story of a Negro Pioneer by Oscar Micheaux
2. Oscar Micheaux Homestead National Historical Park, Pullman National Historic Park, National Park Service
3. Sully County Black Homesteader Community, Homestead National Historical Park, National Park Service
4. Oscar Micheaux, NAACP
5. Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking
6. "The life and times of Oscar Micheaux" by Mary Beth Roderick for the Southern Illinoisan
7. Check out The Chicago Defender digitized and stored at The Library of Congress
8. Read the archives at The Chicago Defender Archives.

Host Nichole Hill shares a programming note, a thank you, and a sneak peek at next week's episode.

To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.com

To access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com

To stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on Instagram

THE A-TEAM
The show is hosted by Nichole Hill (https://www.nicholelhill.com/)
Executive Producer A.A. Hernandez
Story Producer Martina Abrahams Ilunga (@m_tina)
Research Producer Chioke I'Anson (https://www.chiokeianson.com/)
Story Editing by Shonte Hill 
Show art by Aseloka Smith (@naturallyherown)  
 

Episodes release bi-weekly. 

Host Nichole Hill shares how listeners can support the show and a sneak peek at next week's episode.

To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.com

To access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com

To stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on Instagram

Correction: An earlier version of this story cited events as having happened in 1970 that occured throughout that decade.

Zora Neale Huston and Langston Hughes finally set to work writing their play but outside influences and crossed wires spell trouble for this historic pair. Starring Alicia Walters.

• 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 @ourancestorsweremessy
• Learn more about the show at https://ourancestorsweremessy.com
• Listen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurAncestorsWereMessy 

SOURCES

1. Zora and Langston: A Story of Friendship and Betrayal by Yuval Taylor
2. Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston
3. In Search of Zora Neale Hurston by Alice Walker
4. The Complex Literary Friendship Between Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston by Yuval Taylor
5. Check out The Interstate Tattler digitized and stored by the New York Public Libraries
6. Read the archives at Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture