Civics & Coffee

Not much is known about the first recorded drag queen in the United States, William Dorsey Swann. A man who was born into slavery in Maryland just ahead of the Civil War, Swann eventually moved to Washington, D.C. where he held parties celebrating a different form of expression. Tune in this week as I chat about William Dorsey Swann and how his actions are considered by some to be the origins of the LGBTQ rights movement.

Joining me this week is Dr. Robin Bernstein. She is a historian, professor, and author whose latest book Freeman's Challenge: The Murder That Shook America's Original Prison for Profit investigates the origins of penal capitalism. To buy yourself a copy of the Freeman's Challenge, be sure to head over to the University of Chicago Press' website here. And to learn more about Dr. Bernstein, be sure to check out her website here.

In the nineteenth century, social norms dictated that proper ladies stayed in the domestic space, leaving the home for waged work only under desperate circumstances. As the federal government expanded during the Civil War, the need for labor intensified and administrators quickly realized they had an untapped source: women. Join me this week as I dive into the history of women working for the federal service.

Born to a wealthy Black family, Charlotte Forten enjoyed a level of privilege uncommon for Black Americans of the period. She spent her life dedicated to the uplift of her fellow countrymen by pursuing a teaching career. So just who was Charlotte Forten Grimke? Tune in to find out. To subscribe to the newly launched newsletter, be sure to head over to civicsandcoffee.substack.com

In the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln authorized the execution of 38 Dakota warriors. His decision to execute, and the reasons used to justify the action remain a black mark on Lincoln's legacy. Join me this week as I dive into the latest listener request and explore what prompted the mass execution of Indigenous Americans and why it remains one of the most troubling aspects to Lincoln's administration.