Podcasts about cape coast castle

One of the biggest challenges for a local reparations effort is determining who should get repaid. Historically, the idea of reparations has been tied to the forsaken promise of 400,000 acres the U.S. government was going to give to formerly enslaved people due to the atrocities of slavery. However, the harms endured by Black people have not been confined to that period. We start the episode at Cape Coast Castle, a slave trading outpost on the coast of Ghana where enslaved people were first taken from the African continent and sold into the institution of slavery. We use this first point of harm to begin a discussion with a series of Black political thinkers about how the harms against Black people can begin to be addressed through reparations. 

Stackars Dickhard, som ger sin syn på saken.. "Under 1600-talet ägnade sig Svenska Afrikakompaniet åt handel med guld, elfenben och socker – och med tiden åt en allt mer omfattande slavhandel. Men innan kompaniet vuxit sig starkt nog drabbades det av en allvarlig kris. Hur viktig var vår afrikanska koloni? Det har vållat uppståndelse i svenska medier, bland annat i Göteborgs-Posten, att SVT:s ”Historien om Sverige” föredrar att skicka Simon J Berger till Ghana istället för till Göteborg. Hur kan man mena att den kortlivade svenska kolonin vid Cabo Corso förtjänar mer utrymme än uppkomsten och utvecklingen av Sveriges andra stad? Det här är inte rätta platsen att utröna vilka förmodat postkoloniala perspektiv som har väglett producenterna, men det finns en annan fråga som antagligen är viktigare att konfrontera för majoriteten av tv-tittarna och tidningsläsarna. Hur viktig var egentligen vår afrikanska koloni? Blev Sverige en stor slavhandelsnation eller inte? Den svenska handels- och koloniverksamheten i Afrika inleddes i mitten av 1640-talet. Initiativtagare var Louis De Geer, som beskyddades av kronan och dessutom investerade ett stort personligt kapital. Den första resan om vilken vi har god information ägde rum 1646 under ledning av kapten Arend Gabbes på fartyget St. Jacob. Skeppet avseglade från Göteborg den 12 maj och nådde Guineakusten i juli. Afrikansk handel intresserade drottningen Dödligheten var hög eftersom dysenteri bröt ut i lastutrymmet redan innan Atlantöverfarten påbörjades, men till slut kom Gabbes fram till Barbados och sålde sin last till engelska plantageägare. Därefter skaffade han sig ny last, främst socker, och återvände till Göteborg på sensommaren 1647. Vinsterna bevisade för svenskarna att afrikansk handel var värd att satsa på. Till skillnad från riksrådet, som var skeptiskt inställt till dylika äventyrligheter, blev drottning Kristina intresserad och understödde Louis De Geers vidare planer. Inom kort hade Carlof byggt upp ett imponerande handelsnät längs kusten i dagens Ghana. Efter att han lämnat tjänsten 1652 fortsatte kompaniet att expandera under ledning av den nye kommendanten Isaac Mivilla från Basel. Det var Mivilla som påbörjade byggandet av ett regelrätt fort i Cabo Corso, vilket fick namnet Carolusburg. Det byggdes av sten med tjocka murar och vette mot havet. I ombyggt skick står fortet ännu kvar vid Ghanas kust och är numera känt som Cape Coast Castle. De varor som kompaniets skepp förde till Carolusburg var de sedvanliga: textilier, järnstavar, smycken, kopparföremål, knivar och speglar, det mesta inhandlat i Amsterdam hos lokala hantverkare och handelshus. Den i särklass viktigaste produkten kompaniet forslade tillbaka till Europa var guld, följt av elfenben och socker. Dessutom ägnade man sig åt en med tiden allt mer omfattande slavhandel, både med den portugisiska kolonin São Tomé och med Västindien. Om Svenska Afrikakompaniet hade fortsatt att bedriva handel i Guineabukten och vidareutvecklat sina kontakter med de västindiska plantagesamhällena hade Sverige mycket väl kunnat utvecklas till en aktiv slavhandelsnation, som fallet blev med Danmark. Men så blev det inte. Kompaniet drabbades av en allvarlig kris innan det hade vuxit sig starkt nog att kunna stå emot attacker. Ironiskt nog bar den man som byggt upp kompaniets verksamhet, Henrich Carlof, huvudansvaret för att det gick som det gick. Carlof kände sig överspelad och lämnade kompaniet 1657, varefter han vände sig till den danske kungen Fredrik III och erbjöd honom sina tjänster. Carlof ville hämnas. Vid denna tid planerade Fredrik krig mot Karl X Gustavs Sverige, vars trupper befann sig långt borta i Polen, och i april samma år gav han Carlof tillåtelse att föra krig mot Svenska Afrikakompaniet i den danska kronans namn. Han anlände till Guldkusten i januari 1658 och intog på kort tid samtliga svenska handelsstationer. Svenska Afrikakompaniet isolerades och även Carolusburg föll. Det danska väldet blev inte långvarigt. I enlighet med statuterna i Roskildefreden 1658 skulle fortet återlämnas till svenskarna, och de inledande svenska framgångarna under kriget 1658–1660 gjorde köpmännen i Afrika nervösa. De trupper Carlof lämnat kvar övermannades av afrikanska krigare som var allierade med Sverige, och i maj 1659 stod Carolusburg åter till Svenska Afrikakompaniets förfogande. Några nya kraftansträngningar för att dra igång verksamheten gjordes emellertid inte. Kapital saknades. Luften hade gått ur projektet och sedan andra afrikanska trupper intagit Carolusburg i april 1663 gjordes inga nya svenska försök att återta ställningarna. Fortet övertogs av nederländarna, som ett år senare miste det till engelsmännen. (Länder skall i detta nog med fördel översättas till företagsintressen...)

Guest Bios Show Transcript https://youtu.be/eX7GZjdC4DEWhy can't people get over talking about race? Ever heard that line? Or, how about: We live in a post-racial world. We've even had a black president! If racism doesn't exist, then we don't have to deal with it. Yet racism, sadly, is alive and well—not just in our culture, but within the church. On this edition of The Roys Report (TRR), Dr. Lainna Callentine—an educator, pediatrician, and former evangelical faith leader—delivers a powerful talk from our recent Restore Conference. Lainna has walked an incredibly difficult and painful journey as a Black woman in the evangelical church. This is a journey that white evangelicals often don't acknowledge. And it's an experience that Julie Roys, TRR founder and a friend of Lainna's, admits that she once didn't believe or affirm. But, just as Julie's eyes have been opened to abuse and corruption in the church, the past few years have given her a new awareness of racism in the church, as you'll hear in Julie's introduction of Lainna's talk. Lainna's talk, which is rich with history and personal anecdotes, has the power to open the eyes of many others. Please listen with a heart and mind open to what Lainna and the Holy Spirit have to say. Guests Lainna Callentine, M.D., M.Ed. Lainna Callentine, M.D., M.Ed., is a pediatrician, former homeschool mother, master's trained educator, and creator of curriculum program, Sciexperience. Dr. Callentine received her B.A. from Northwestern University and completed her M.D. at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. She has taught all levels from early childhood to postgraduate students. Learn more at sciexperience.com. Show Transcript SPEAKERSJulie Roys, LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. Julie Roys  00:04Why can’t people just get over talking about race? Ever heard that line? Or how about, we live in a post racial world, we even had a black president. Of course, if racism doesn’t exist, then we don’t have to deal with it. But as you’re about to hear racism, sadly is alive and well, not just in our culture, but within the church. Welcome to The Roys Report, a podcast dedicated to reporting the truth and restoring the church. I’m Julie Roys. And on this podcast, you’re about to hear a powerful talk from our RESTORE conference by Dr. Lainna CALLENTINE Lainna is a pediatrician and an educator and a former faith leader in the evangelical church. But she’s also a friend of mine who’s walked an incredibly difficult and painful journey as a black woman in the white Evangelical Church. This is a journey that white evangelicals often don’t acknowledge. And as you’ll hear, it’s an experience I once didn’t believe or affirm. But just like I’ve had my eyes opened to abuse and corruption in the church, the past few years have opened my eyes to racism in the church as well. And coming to terms with this reality has been hard because I’ve had to deal with my own ignorance and indifference. And I’ve had to acknowledge my complicity with a sinful system that treats persons of color as less than full bearers of the image of God. But what Lainna did, coming into a predominantly white space and delivering this message was even harder. And I think that’s something I haven’t realized until recently as well. So many of our Black, Hispanic, Asian, and indigenous brothers and sisters have been profoundly wounded and traumatized by white Christians. And they have every reason to expect that when they speak to us, they’ll be minimized, dismissed, and traumatized again. I’m grateful that didn’t happen at RESTORE and I hope like the audience at RESTORE, you’ll open your heart and your mind to receive this important message from Dr. Lainna Callentine on surviving white evangelical racism.   Julie Roys  01:57 But before we hear from Lena, I’d like to thank the sponsors of this podcast, Judson University and Marquardt of Barrington if you’re looking for a top ranked Christian University, providing a caring community and an excellent college experience, Judson University is for you. Judson is located on 90 acres just 40 miles west of Chicago in Elgin, Illinois. The school offers more than 60 majors, great leadership opportunities, and strong financial aid. Plus, you can take classes online as well as in person. Judson University is shaping lives that shaped the world. For more information, just go to JUDSONU.EDU. Also, if you’re looking for a quality new or used car, I highly recommend my friends at Marquardt of Barrington. Marquardt is a Buick GMC dealership where you can expect honesty, integrity, and transparency. That’s because the owners there Dan and Kurt Marquardt are men of integrity. To check them out, just go to BUYACAR123.COM   Julie Roys  03:01 Well, again, you’re about to hear a talk by Dr. Lainna Callentine on surviving and thriving beyond white evangelical racism. I’ve also included in this podcast a portion of my introduction of Lainna at RESTORE, which includes an important apology. For time sake, I’ve had to remove my description of how my eyes were opened to racism in the church, while investigating what happened at Bethlehem Baptist Church, the Church John Piper pastored for three decades. But I encourage you if you want to understand more about the covert nature of racism in the evangelical church, go back and listen to our two-part podcast on what happened at Bethlehem Baptist Church when you’re finished with Lainna’s talk. But now here’s Lainna’s powerful talk at RESTORE 2023 with a short introduction and apology by me.   Julie Roys  03:49 So, three weeks ago, our next guest and I got together at her request, and we talked for about four hours. And she said, Julie, I just don’t know if I can do this talk. And she said this is what normally happens when I come into a predominantly white audience, and I talk about the trauma I’ve experienced as an African American woman in the church. So, I go out there and I bleed,  I bare my soul, and then they look at me with eyes of disbelief., and they just go on their way. And I mostly listened because I really didn’t have a lot to say, and I just needed to hear. And then she reminded me about how we had gotten together because our next guest is a friend of mine. In fact, she was my daughter’s 11th grade biology teacher. And she reminded me of a time we got together in a coffee house, and she shared her, really bared her soul to me, about all the racism that she had experienced. And she said, Julie, I didn’t feel like you believed me either. And the truth is six, seven, however, many years ago, this was I didn’t really believe it. I mean, I believe there was probably some racism in the church. It really wasn’t until I did the investigation on Bethlehem Baptist Church, John Piper’s church, and I got to know these people who had persons of color that had gotten together, had a dinner for the first time where it was just them. And they shared some of their experiences. And out of that, they decided that they wanted to put together a committee and address why is it that we have so few persons of color on our elder board? And then what happened with this committee is that then they spent, I forget how many months, a lot of months working on this, and then they gave their findings. And you know, it’s kind of death in committee. They gave their findings, that was it, nothing happened. Every single member of that committee ended up leaving the church.   Julie Roys  06:22 And so, it kind of opened my eyes to how this is done. And it’s kind of a covert thing. And I had to say to Lainna, you know what? I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I didn’t see that. And I’m sure that hurt you. And that was wrong of me. And I also told her that you guys are different. And when you’ve had enough bad experiences with white people, it’s hard to say this group is different. But I said, one, this group knows about believing victims, about believing survivors, and believing their stories. And we also know that when you get up and you bleed, when you tell your story, we get the cost. It’s like re traumatizing. And if you’re going to do that, and nothing’s going to happen. It’s like it happened again. Right? And so, I know you guys, I believe in you guys, or I wouldn’t have asked my friend to come, who I care about deeply. And It’s my prayer that this will be a healing experience for all of us. But especially for persons of color who have been hurt profoundly in the church. Just to tell you a little bit about Lainna’s credentials. She’s a pediatrician, who completed her MD at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. She’s also a former homeschool mother, Master’s trained educator, a creative curriculum program called SCI Experience. And then she served on a whole bunch of different Christian organizations that we would recognize, although she said to make sure that I say she was the former, or formerly served on the Physician Resource Council at Focus on the Family. But I love Lainna dearly. And I’ll just warn you, she doesn’t mince words. I have no idea what she’s gonna say. Let’s welcome Lainna.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 08:38 Thanks, Julie, for your words, and your apology is very heartfelt. Thank you. One of the things you need to know that I’m just traumatized being in this space speaking to you. Okay? And I know that as we prayed for all of you this morning, how coming into a church space listening to some of the songs that we’re singing, how traumatizing that is to you. And I hold that in my heart and understand that pain. As I’ve walked through evangelical spaces there are many things that have been said to me. These are just a few in the fine collection of lines that have been delivered to me with good intentions. I don’t see color. You are so articulate. You’re playing the race card that I’m doing reverse discrimination and racism. Why can’t people get over talking about race? I don’t even care if you’re black, white, or purple. I’m not sure. Only purple people I’ve seen are dead. But one of my best friends is black. We live in a post racial world. We’ve had a black president, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan. My family did not own slaves, and All Lives Matter. So, these are a few things. These are just a few of the sophomoric, unhelpful, and lacking insight retorts that I’ve received from my white brothers and sisters in Christ when discussing race with them. I’ve questioned myself over and over again, why am I here today? Up to this morning. I really didn’t think I could be here. A few months ago, as Julie said, when she asked me to speak at the RESTORE conference, I have struggled and questioned my need and your need to hear me speak. I have not spoken in front of a large audience since 2019. I swore off speaking in front of white Christian-like audiences, like someone giving up chocolate for Lent. I have been successful up until today to keep that pledge.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 11:08 This is a bit of a public coming out for me. Authentically, being myself, you’re the first people to see this. In the words of Maya Angelou. I no longer are beholding to the white gaze. I must have sat down 1000 times to write some kind of speech for you. I’ve struggled to share intimate parts of me, potentially to an audience and community like those in the past that caused me so much pain. It was then I was a respectable model Negro who provided a limited colorism to their homogeneity, I allowed myself to be squashed and to be strategically unassuming, as I would not convey the angry black woman or intimidate the fragility of the individuals around race. Now, I do not have the motivation or desire to wrap up this in joining into a neat tidy package sprinkled with various Bible verses and then joining hands to sing a rendition of Kumbaya making all feel comfortable with my threatening presence as an educated black woman. I’m going to be completely honest with you; discussing racial trauma in white evangelical spaces to me, as Julie was talking about, is like slitting my wrists for white folks to see me bleed as a bizarre form of curiosity and entertainment, while giving them the power to determine if my blood is red, debate the merits of the tool of my infliction and determine the depth of my wound and the level of pain I may be experiencing. All of this is based on their intellectualized bystander observations and their limited personal experiences. I’m tired of being treated when I talk about race, racism, unfair, unjust practices, and white Christian spaces as not being a credible witness. Being divisive and unloving in some way, my race disqualifies me, because I have a conflicted interest in my blackness, and that only white folks have the power to be the judge in jury in such matters.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 13:37 Julie assured me that this audience would be different. I told Julie, there is a great difference between white folk who have been hurt by the church and by the figures in Christian organizations, than the pain of being black in overwhelming Christian space. There are many nuances. Yes, Julie, they feel pain, isolation, and loss. But here’s the key difference. You see, Julie, you all were part of the family. You and they belonged until you didn’t. Me, however, while I was never part of the family, I was allowed to be in those spaces, tolerated as long as I did not upset the fragile balance or to critique or speak of the lack of people of color, in leadership or in lowly position in that space. I was to be unseen and unheard, and I was allowed to enjoy the delicious morsels that fell from the table where no seat was available for me. I felt a little bit like Charlie Brown ready to kick a football, getting into position to swing my leg, and Lucy quickly going from holding the ball and snatching it away again, and my landing square into my backside. I am so tired of not being believed, watching white folks finding no compelling reason to address the issue, feeling like they will lose something or be subjugated to the evils in demonic treatments that blacks have experienced. As if those like myself want to pay back every horror on white bodies that have been inflicted on us. I’ve watched white folks actively and complicitly be antithetical to the Gospel, denying the Imago Dei in all people. I’m tired of racism being viewed by white folk as a political issue outside the realm of the gospel and being chastised that we are one human race in a story.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 16:04 I hear God whispering, do you love me? A piece of me dies a bit, and my heart hardens repetitively, telling the story even if later a person starts to believe perhaps my story might be slightly credible. I have paid the price over and over. I feel God holding my hand,  will you trust me? I’ll be rejected and dismissed once again God. You are my child and so are they. But they hurt me so much. Look at all that I have lost. I have been hurt and othered all my life in predominantly white spaces. I have lost so much. I do not believe racism will ever go away. It is deeply rooted into the fabric and foundations and the DNA of this country.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 17:04 God can I really love these people? Proximity and the hugging it out doesn’t work. I fought this issue in the world and within my own home. I had no reprieve. I’ve got you, fall back into my arms. I will bear this. God, it’s so hard. But you have sent friends who have done the same who are not the same pigmentation of me. And many of them are here in this audience. They have borne with me the pain and loss that I’ve endured over the last several years. They have shown up with meals, encouragement, and prayer, sat beside me and held my hand on some of the darkest nights. They have listened to my disappointment and even my anger. They have been the hands and feet of Christ. Yes, Lord, I can love them. Because as I look around this room, I see so many of my friends. Although the pain is still there, hope has not been extinguished. I trust you, God, please stay by my side and walk with me and protect me.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 18:30 So, with that, I’m going to tell you a little bit about my story. But I can say something I couldn’t even say 72 hours ago. I love you guys. I have been hurt, but I still have hope. And I want to tell a little bit you know in this time. I’m like, How can I tell a hard story like this in 40 minutes? So, I’m gonna share a little bit about my story. I think parts of it that are  pertinent to this particular audience and my titular brothers and sisters. Unlike most African Americans, I’ve never been in an all-black space. I’ve never been part of a black church. I’ve always lived in white communities. And no, I was not adopted. Okay. So, growing up in white spaces, I also have had and continue to have education, because I just seem not to get enough. Right now, I’m getting a fourth degree from Wheaton College in evangelism and leadership. I decided to go there to see what white people were learning. And I got that done and knew in two weeks what was happening but dang I signed up for a three-year degree. That wasn’t well thought out. In my 30 years of formal education, I’ve only had two black instructors. A total of 12 weeks of those 30 years. I’ve learned to study white people learning to code switch and adapt in order to assimilate and be unassuming. My success depended on knowing how to operate in spaces. Their success I’ve learned culturally in medical school. And there have been times in my life where I was on the brink of wanting to join the Black Panther group and forever being away from white people, not black people, because Lord knows I haven’t been around them. So, I had an amazing mentor by the name of Dr. J. Hirsch, in medical school, he was a traditional Jewish man, amazing man. Had an incredible command of an audience. So, he was a child psychiatrist. And he always did the greeting at UIC, where I went to medical school for the incoming medical first year class. And he had a way that he could capture an audience. And I would be sitting in the audience with over 400 of my colleagues, and make you feel like you were the only one in that auditorium. And I was like, I don’t know what that is, but I want that. And one day he was offering, understanding the family as a patient. Anytime you treat a patient, you’re treating the whole family. And so, I decided I need to go to that class for this mysterious man. And I got into his class, it was just a four-week class. And one day I was walking down the hallway, and I was at that time, engaged to my white husband at the time. So, no one knew about that. We kept it kind of secret  I hung out with many of the black students, he came up to me and asked me if I would allow him to be my mentor. I looked at him like, really? I’m  like, I’m gonna have to think about this. I said, give me some time to think about this, and I walked off. I’m glad to report that I did take him up on his offer. And it was the most amazing time. Actually, my second child is named after Dr. J. Hirsch. He became my academic father; he used his privilege to stand beside me. I didn’t come from a whole line of doctors. I do have a brother that’s a doctor. And that’s something my parents instilled in us. But it wasn’t my background. And there were many times I struggled during medical school where I was close to being kicked out of medical school for academic failure. And he never did my work. I didn’t even know how to write a letter on my behalf. He would make me I would write it, he would edit it, he would make me write it over and over again until I got it right. And at one point, it was so bad that anytime I was called into the dean’s office for academic struggling, he would come with me. Didn’t say a word. I remember one time we were in the elevator, the doors closed, and I was exhausted, I was done. I was like,  I can’t fight anymore. And I remember when the doors close, that man took his fist and slammed it against the elevator door and let out a swear word that they better not eff with me. And at that point, his anger overwhelmed me. He freaked me out, oh, like, Man, this guy’s crazy. He wants it worse than I do. And he stood by my side. And that brought me to the brink of  going to the dark side.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 23:40 I spoke nationally in homeschool conferences all over the country. And I have a publisher that is, just Google my name, you’ll find out who it is. Who I worked with, who has my books. And I thought we believed the same thing. I was walking in any of these really big conservative organizations, even though I wasn’t up front or seen, I believed in the vision and mission. And as I watched the things that my children went through, and I watched my boys who were cute little biracial boys grow up to start looking like men, watching that they suddenly became dangerous. And I watched how I was treated in the world. And about five or six years ago, I said something’s wrong. So, I began to start speaking out about the racism and exclusion of people of color in leadership and the messaging of predominantly national organizations, ones that may have centered on white families using stock photos of black people to colorize their messaging to give the illusion that they were interested in diversity. I think the last thing that brought me back besides my great family from Tov that Julie spoke of, I’m part of that group of our Tov family, was I was bewildered just like you were. And I was like, these people’s orthodoxy do not match their orthopraxy. And I kept talking out, and I found myself at a conference called liberating. And check this. I did not put this on Facebook, liberating evangelism. decentering whiteness, okay. It’s like, what the heck is decentering whiteness? I don’t even know what that means. And so, I went into this conference., and at the time, I was already being kind of, excuse the pun, blacklisted in the evangelical circles. And I went into this conference, and I knew that no one that I associated would ever find themselves there. So, I walked into the hotel conference room, peeked my head in there, and a third of the people were white. I think I gasped out loud. And I stepped back, and I looked at the sign on the door. Yep. Liberating evangelism. decentering whiteness, why are there white people here?   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 26:20 And it was bizarre to me. And because no one in my evangelical circles would have been caught dead there. And so, I was fascinated as I watched the pulpit be shared by people of color of various nationalities. Now, this is the first time I was at a conference that I didn’t see a white male be a keynote speaker. And what I saw from the indigenous to Latinos, and Asians and other people that did it, it had a different flavor. So I was out of my mind, like observing this really weird world. And I asked one of the white individuals, why are you here? And they looked at me like I was asking a trick question. And they’re like, What do you mean? I said, “Did you not read my lips? Let me try this again. Why are you here? And they said, because the Bible says we should love our brother. And I like, seriously? Do you really believe that? Like, yeah, what else would that mean? And it was that adventure that I went into. And as I started sharing my circles, no one in this circle that I was at, had any idea really of Focus on the Family, or any of these organizations I associated in the homeschool world. And I’m like, Don’t you know who they are? I was like, kind of proud., because I was name dropping all those people. They’re like, I don’t know who these people are. And I was like, really? Because they told me they’re the center of Christianity. But you guys say you’re Christians, but you don’t know those people? They're like, nope, no clue. And so, after I would introduce myself, people would look at me at the conference like, and when those ASPCA commercials, you know, with the little dog in the cage shaking, they would look at me like really pathetically like, Oh, bless her heart, look at her. And I didn’t understand it at the time. And so, after one of the meetings, I was sitting on the couch just bewildered because I had not the language to describe what I was experiencing in the white evangelical space. And, lo Behold, this is how God works, a white woman stood and sat beside me. I was in my thoughts. She put her hand on my shoulder, and she goes, I know from which you come. And it’s just like, God, you know, and I was like, Oh, my gosh. And she’s like, Oh, I know all the people you’re talking about. I’m like you do because I was feeling kind of crazy. Like they didn’t really exist. And she goes, Yes, I’m a homeschool mom. I’m from Florida but I live in Philadelphia. And I traveled here because my husband gave me this gift. And I have two little boys, the woman was white, and I vow that I won’t raise them in the stuff that I was raised in. I was like, wow, this is a whole new world. And she goes, Well, where are you staying tonight? I’m like, I don’t know, this hotel is kind of expensive. I’ll find somewhere else to stay. She’s like, why don’t you stay with me? I said seriously, in your hotel room? I’m like It’s been a while since I’ve been in college and stuff. But so, I said, Okay, this is crazy, but I’ll stay in your room.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 29:40 So over two nights, this white woman mentored me. She’s like, and she didn’t chastise me. She’s like, okay, Lainna, you need a little help here. So, get a notepad out. Okay. And she’s like, let me give you names of some podcasts and some authors. She’s giving me black authors and other things, all the stuff that was taboo, and evangelical will start discovering James Cohn. And I started discovering the real Malcolm X and the real Martin Luther King. I started reading all these things. And I’m like, Oh my gosh, I didn’t even know about James Baldwin. Nothing in my education had prepared me for this stuff. And she bandaged my wounds that night and brought me from the brink of hate. So, I share that, in that she was willing to step into space with me and walk with me.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 30:39 And my third story of where my friends have come, the last three years, I have had a new friend group. They don’t know they just laugh when I tell them where I’ve been. And these organizations that I have served, and they’re like, that doesn’t sound like the Lainna we know. Like, I know, I’m kind of a different person now. And the way that they’ve come beside me, and the love that I’ve been shown has been unprecedented. So, I can’t thank my friends enough. One of the things that has been really grounding into me is I had the opportunity to go to Ghana this summer. It was life changing, I will never be the same. I am so grounded now. I went on something called a Sankofa. It’s called and Sankofa is from the language A Twi from Ghana, and it means loosely, go back, and get it. And so the whole idea, and this is me sitting on underneath a Sankofa is the bird is facing forward, its neck is backwards. And as it’s going forward, it has the ability to look back. So, the idea is to retrieve things of value from knowledge of the past, you have to go back to move forward. And living in a country where they’re trying to ban all black history as if it’s alternative American history. I have grown up in a world that has told me my people were nothing; that we were savages until we had the unfortunate issue of slavery. And well, that was kind of a bummer. But now we’ve had the opportunity to be civilized. There is no history that we’ve done anything significant in this country or anything. So, I’ve always felt lost. I felt I couldn’t understand who I was. And so, when I went to Africa, I felt an incredible grounding, and a sense of pride. I couldn’t find it here. But I found it there. I learned about my ancestry, that I’m the descendant of kings and queens, where the European Christianity is not nearly as old as the African Christianity. So, I’m learning all these things I never had an opportunity, and it has been life changing. So, I went to for the first time in my life to be in a place where people look like me. Okay? I get lost in the crowd. I’ve never had that happen to me before. And so, we were able to be entertained by African chiefs. And actually, one of the chiefs reminded me of my father. I’ve never been in a group where I could actually see me, and I saw this man, and he resembles my father. Both my parents died of COVID, a couple of years ago, two weeks apart. And I’m going to tell you a little bit about that in a moment. But to see this man, I just welled up in tears and crying because I could see myself for the first time.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 34:08 So going to Ghana, I’d never seen all these billboards with black folk. Okay? I think I saw one billboard with one white person, but everything from their leaders to their celebration to everything else, I saw me. But the interesting thing in Ghana, there’s no such thing as a black person. And so that kind of understanding that their race is invisible, helped me to understand how white people see their race as being invisible. So, to be able to relish in the joys of being a part of a community where people looked at me, looked like me was incredible.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 34:50 I also had the opportunity to visit the Cape Coast and the Gold Coast. And I went into two castles that housed my ancestors when they were stolen raped and taken from their homes. And these castles are on the Cape Coast, Elmira and a Cape Coast Castle. And these were built in the 1400s. This one, particularly by the Portuguese was a trading post that later became a place for black cargo. So, to walk in these buildings and these castles to try to embody and feel the pain of my ancestors was overwhelming. And as I walked through one of the uncommon things that you wouldn’t imagine belief, do you guys know what that is? This is in the middle of one of the castles. It’s a church. There were churches where white people would come while the suffering and horror happened in the same space. And this was very formative to me. At one point, we were merged with a group of white tourists. And it was interesting to watch the white tourists posture. Believe it or not, our whole group from Wheaton College was black. I don’t know how that happened. But all of us were black that were on the trip. And we were merged with the white group. And as we walked solemnly through the sacred places, we watched our white brothers and sisters act like they were on a field trip. They would push to get in the front to get a better view. As they talked about the carnage that was happening in the space, I remember, we went up to the governors quarters. And they were telling us in the space that the governor’s quarters was, it would house up to nine people. That same space down below, would house over 300 of enslaved Africans in the space, without food, any kind of hygiene. Everything happened in that space. And what did my white brothers and sisters say, as they were in that space? They were looking out the windows and talking about what a beautiful view there was. So, at that point, I was like, I’m done. I can’t be around this. And I was sitting next to one of the cannons that protected the castle, kind of reflecting on it and someone kind of caught that picture of me at the time. This is one of the things on the castle. It reads an everlasting memory of the anguish of our ancestors. May those who died Rest in peace, May those who returned find their roots. May humanity never again perpetrate such injustice against humanity. We the living vow to uphold this. So, my whole talk is supposed to be about surviving and thriving. I know about surviving; I have been in survival mode for some time. I’ve had in the last four years I’ve had a total knee replacement as a former athlete along with many health challenges, I’ve ventured into spiritual wilderness teasing out the Jesus of the Bible, versus the twisted Jesus that had no concern for justice. Those who have been harmed in the church, who were unable to refuse to see the imago Dei and all people. I navigated racial unrest and the silence of my white Christian friends and my former circles, who always had something to say about black bleeding and dying bodies laying the street about their character and had nothing to say about the character of a yellow haired man with a bad comb over sitting in the Oval Office. I lost my 30-year marriage to a white man. I haven’t gone public. My divorce was finalized about six months ago. And had a lot to do with this issue. My family has been shattered. I’m watching the politicization of mass while millions die across the world from COVID. And those last being considered expendable. Watching my dad die over FaceTime, due to COVID and not being able to hold his hand or be present as he drew in his last breath,. No funeral and then there’d have to be my mom who died two weeks later. This is just a few of the things that I’ve had to survive over the last four years. I’ve survived a predominantly white churches where my pain and the pain of others who look like me were ignored so that my brighten brothers and sisters could remain comfortable without self-examination.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 39:49 I understand surviving. Surviving is remaining alive. Some days, that was all I could do. It’s continuing to exist after coming close to dying and being destroyed. surviving is holding up holding on and enduring when very little is left in your tank. I know all of you guys understand that. At times surviving is all that we can do. God carried and continues to carry me and you through this. God brought friends into my life who bandaged my wounds and lifted me up when I had no strength on my own.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 40:28 So, I want to get a little geeky, I want to show you something about healing. So, you know, I’m a doctor, and I kind of like that science thing and stuff. So, I’m going to talk about healing by secondary intention. So, this is like a medical picture. So, bear with me, maybe you can see the analogy here is, there are two ways of healing, there’s called first intention versus second intention. So, when a surgeon goes in to repair something, and they make that clean cut, after they repair it, they bring the edges nicely together and sew things up. That leaves a minimal scar. Okay? I feel like what we’re all going through is healing by second intention. And what that is, is when you have a gaping wound, and let’s say it’s been open for some time, or it gets pulled open several times. After about six to eight hours, for more as close to six, we as physicians can’t sew that wound up because of the concern of infection. So, you let that wound stay open. And with that open wound, you have to care for that wound. A lot of times we have antibiotics, and we’ll pack that antibiotic in that wound that the dressings have to get changed often. And as that wound is going through the healing, it actually heals from the bottom up, okay? From the inside, out. And I see us kind of like that secondary intention, as that wounding first we have to start that healing inside of us as we work it out. And then, of course, the scarring from second intention healing is much greater. There’s much scarring, but it’s been restored in a new way. And I feel that a lot of what we’re going through is similar to that secondary healing.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 42:21 So, we talked about surviving, what about thriving? I started looking through this whole idea, what does it mean to be thriving? Am I thriving? I do feel like I have a little more. The fact that I’m here is a big testimony that I’m starting to feel God’s healing presence, and it’s working. And thriving means growing and developing, having resilience. It means you’re comfortable with yourself, you’re able to take control of your physical, mental, and spiritual health. And there’s an increased optimism for the future. Ah, I think I’m starting to thrive. It’s not that the pain is not there. It’s not even that I believe that this world will ever get better. But I know as we walk and take our wounds, and we heal from them, the power that GOD can do with us through our thriving. So, we have a thriving we have flourishing. Like how is thriving and flourishing different? And Acts 2:42-47, If you read that when it talks about the hospitality, it’s a place of a joyous community, where there’s a festival friends. And there are five domains in flourishing; one, happiness and satisfaction that’s gonna look a little different for each of us. It is having the mental and physical health, having meaning and purpose in your life, and character and virtue. Now I know we’ve had a lot of character training in evangelical spaces. So, this will sound bizarre, but that character in virtue cannot be fully embodied unless you have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Okay? And most churches and evangelical spaces talk about God, Jesus, and the Holy Bible, because Lord, we won’t get close to the Holy Spirit because that gets a little radical and out of control. And that doesn’t go in our 20-minute sermon series that we’re trying to do. Okay? So, in order to have good character and virtue it has to be nurtured through the Holy Spirit. And lastly, close relationships, close good social relationships. And finally, how do we get there? Okay. In 2019, as I was swearing off white evangelical spaces like chocolate I feel like God laid four words on my heart about this and it seems to apply to all these hard circumstances and prior speakers have spoke of this. So, the four words, the first one is lament. This is not feeling sorry, this is not God created you white. It’s a beautiful thing. No one’s asking you to be anything else than what you’ve been graded. But understanding that hearing these issues, no one wants pity. It’s a legitimate lament, it’s not a sadness. It’s not an Oh! that’s so sad. A lament is a deep longing in pain and sorrow for something. Unless you can lament, you can’t move forward. So, it is a spotty window that someone has talked about that embodying it.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 45:45 The second word he sent me was liberate. Oh my gosh, this seems out of touch. Because of all that stuff I hear an evangelical word about liberating means once Jesus comes, then we’ll be good. No, this means as soon as you see the problem, you have to liberate that issue. You don’t wait till Jesus comes. I lament, there’s a problem, it needs to be corrected now. I love how we like use time; I was told this at a prominent school, Christian school, you know, Lainna, you’re just trying to rush us too much. We’re just going to need a little more time to change hearts. Like seriously? Wait, your Bible says, When you see something wrong, you correct it. How does racism take time? So, you have to liberate.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 46:37 Third thing is to reclaim because Lord knows, you have to, like clean that space out. And you have to reclaim it for Christ because of the distortion and the evilness that’s been pervaded there, that space has to be reclaimed, or that mess comes back. And lastly, you have to reimagine. This is not a little tweaking of systems, you know, like finding a couple more chocolate chips to put into  your little organization to try to give the issue that you have reformed yourself. This is a whole reimagining. It’s a whole reimagining of systems and purposes of what you’ve done. You can’t tweak something that’s already distorted, tainted and evil. So, wow, I’m doing good, it’s only 49 seconds. Yes. Okay, so I didn’t think I could do this.   LAINNA CALLENTINE M.Ed., M.D. 47:40 So, I just want to leave you I have a little bit of I don’t know if you guys know this book, I didn’t write it. Darn! I wasn’t thinking – I should have brought my own books and should have been holding them up like this. But this is not one  I wrote. But it’s by Kate Bowler and it’s The Lives We Actually Have. And I thought something and it’s 100 blessings for imperfect days. And there was a perfect blessing that I want to leave with you. It’s called for when you’ve been hurt by the church. God saw me walk away. I had to, for what was supposed to have been a refuge, a community of hope and purpose, mutual encouragement, distorted all I understand you to be. Oh God, lead me to the heart of love so I might find the healing I need and protect the reverence I have for you. For you do not consume, but rather feed, you do not destroy but build up. You do not abandon your little ones but insist that they belong in your arms. Enfolded here, I see you now. The God who loves us to the end. For though I walked away, you didn’t. You found me and will lead me. Let’s now find the others. Thank you.   Julie Roys  49:17 Will again that’s Dr.Lainna Callentine speaking at RESTORE 2023 and Lainna, thank you so much for sacrificing yourself on our behalf to bring this message. And as you explained, there is no quick fix to racism. We need to lament deeply. We need to totally reimagine our systems and our purposes. And that’s something we’re committed to doing at The Roys Report. And I don’t know exactly what that entails, but I am confident that the Holy Spirit does. And we are committed to listening to the Spirit and to following the spirit. So please pray for us as we continue to take Lainna’s message to heart. And as we continue to discern how to practically walk out our conviction that every human being is a bearer of God’s image and worthy of equal respect and love. And I hope you’ll do the same. There’s so much to process in what Lainna said. But dealing with racism is not optional. Any more than following Christ command to love each other is optional. So, let’s commit to doing that together. And again, thank you so much for listening and supporting our podcasts and our mission here at The Roys Report. As I’ve noted before, we don’t have any big donors or advertisers, we simply have you, the people who care about abuse and corruption in the church and want to expose it. So, if you’re able, would you please consider giving a gift to support our ministry? And this month when you donate $30 or more, we’ll send you a copy of The Great DeChurching. This is a great resource exploring what’s causing the current exodus out of the church, and what can be done to stop the bleed. To donate and to get the book just go to JULIEROYS.COM/DONATE. Also, just a quick reminder to subscribe to The Roys Report on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or Spotify. That way you won’t miss any of these episodes. And while you’re at it, I’d really appreciate it if you’d help us spread the word about the podcast by leaving a review. And then please share the podcast on social media so more people can hear about this great content. Again, thanks so much for joining me today. Hope you’re blessed and encouraged.   Read more

Welcome to the Mind Of A Renegade Podcast where the deep voice host Renegade X talks about certain topics and gives his opinion of said topics to give you something to think about and give you a different perspective. This episode Renegade X will talk about the recent incident of a group of New Age Black American Women Twerking at The Cape Coast Castle in Ghana. Proof That My Voice is Natural: https://rumble.com/vdbo09-renegade-x-proof-that-my-voice-is-naturally-deep.htm Gab Account: https://gab.com/RenegadeXGaming --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/renegade-x/support

Asshur and Kellisia sat down to catch up on their lives since they last spoke. Kellisia shared about her recent trip to Ghana last December, which she describes to now be her second home . During her trip, Kellisia recommended that travelers stay in the capital city of Accra, where there are plenty of accommodations and things to do. But she suggest that Accra is spread out and shared her recommendations such as East Legon or Air Port Residential. She also highly recommended visiting the Cape Coast Castle, Door of no return etc. They have a rich history related to the slave trade. Kellisia also talked about the importance of GiveBack or social responsibility, which is near and dare to our heart. Asshur congratulated Kellisia on the recent creation of her law firm and asked about her plans for the future. Kellisia shared that she is excited to continue growing her business and expanding her reach to help more people in need. She also talked about her passion for social justice issues and how she hopes to use her legal expertise to make a positive impact in the world. Overall, Asshur and Kellisia had a wonderful conversation and of course highlighted their shared Vincentian heritage. Hopefully you enjoy!!! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/youngblacktravelers/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/youngblacktravelers/support

On this Wednesday episode of THE POLITICRAT daily podcast Omar Moore talks about political responsibility and Republican culpability on gun violence. Featuring US Senate Chaplain Dr. Barry C. Black. Also: House Democrats fight the GOP's appalling H.R. 1 bill that supports polluters. And: Vice President Kamala Harris speaks about enslavement of Black people in Cape Coast Castle, Ghana, at the Door Of No Return. March 29, 2023. New podcast: TÁR Talk (https://bit.ly/3QXRkcF) The new POLITICRAT newsletter is here! Subscribe for free: https://politicrat.substack.com. Social media: Spoutible - https://spoutible.com/popcornreel Mastodon - https://mas.to/@popcornreel Post: https://post.news/popcornreel Twitter: https://twitter.com/popcornreel Black Voters Matter: https://blackvotersmatterfund.org. Vote 411: https://vote411.org. The AUTONOMY t-shirt series—buy yours here: https://bit.ly/3yD89AL Planned Parenthood: https://plannedparenthood.org Register to vote NOW: https://vote.org The ENOUGH/END GUN VIOLENCE t-shirts on sale here: https://bit.ly/3zsVDFU Donate to the Man Up Organization: https://manupinc.org FREE: SUBSCRIBE NOW TO THE BRAND NEW POLITICRAT DAILY PODCAST NEWSLETTER!! Extra content, audio, analysis, exclusive essays for subscribers only, plus special offers and discounts on merchandise at The Politicrat Daily Podcast online store. Something new and informative EVERY DAY!! Subscribe FREE at https://politicrat.substack.com Buy podcast merchandise (all designed by Omar Moore) and lots more at The Politicrat Daily Podcast Store: https://the-politicrat.myshopify.com The Politicrat YouTube page: bit.ly/3bfWk6V The Politicrat Facebook page: bit.ly/3bU1O7c The Politicrat blog: https://politicrat.politics.blog Join Omar on Fanbase NOW! Download the Fanbase social media app today. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to this to this podcast! Follow/tweet Omar at: https://twitter.com/thepopcornreel.

For the Black community, the impact of centuries of unaddressed trauma still manifests today. And while part of that is certainly due to ongoing social injustice, some of the impact might very well be inherited. Today's guest is Natalie Patterson, a poet, teaching artist, mental health advocate, and diversity, equity, and inclusion leader. She uses her dynamic range and expertise to masterfully make abstract concepts tangible, bridging personal experience with larger cultural occurrences using art, performance, talking circles, and custom workshops. Natalie is known for her integrity, passion, social activism, and her ability to work with people of all ages, genders, races, and cultures by showing up fully and inviting folks to remember that who they are is enough. In today's deeply personal episode, we address intergenerational trauma through the lens of a trip that Natalie took to Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, one of the most famous trading posts in Ghana's dark history of slavery. Natalie shares her candid reflections on the delusion of the human spirit, why knowing where you come from should be a birthright, not a privilege, and the relationship between generational trauma, disenfranchisement, and belonging, as well as how she seeks to deconstruct and humanize these experiences through her work. This is a deeply insightful and difficult conversation, but one that is critically important for understanding the blueprint of historical cruelty that still exists in our systems today, so make sure to join us for part one of our discussion with Natalie Patterson.Key Points From This Episode:•    What led Natalie to take an ultimately extraordinary trip to Ghana.•    The deep, visceral impact of the tour she took of Cape Coast Castle.•    Natalie shares her experience of the rooms where slaves were held before being shipped off.•    The immense grief and overwhelm she felt while bearing witness to the inconceivable horror of what occurred in these spaces.•    Our reflections on the intolerable and mind-blowing cruelty that occurred in the castle.•    Why Natalie believes that returning to the place of your ancestors should be a birthright.•    What the water led her to understand about Black intergenerational trauma and swimming.•    Hear about her experience of being othered by a local in a bustling, outdoor market.•    Generational trauma, disenfranchisement, and belonging; how Natalie fights for comfort.•    Understanding the blueprint for this kind of horror that still exists in our systems today.•    How Natalie seeks to deconstruct and humanize these narratives through her work. Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Natalie PattersonNatalie Patterson on TwitterNatalie Patterson on InstagramNatalie Patterson on YouTubeZoë Kors' Links:Zoë's WebsiteZoë's Book: Radical IntimacyThe Radical Intimacy PodcastCoral: Sexual Wellness App

Afrobeats, Jollof rice, and lush rainforests and beaches are just a peek into Ghana's vibrant culture. Sheila G. and Paul D. share the lively nightlife of Accra, the amazing outdoor scene in Elmina, and the important history of the Cape Coast Castle.

Today we celebrate the botanist who discovered the Rhododenrun minus growing in South Carolina. We'll also learn about the young German botanist who died on the Niger Expedition after valiantly trying to keep his plants alive. We’ll recognize an Irish doctor who was one of the first people to discover the greenhouse effect. We salute the naturalist of Germantown, Pennsylvania, whose love for wildflowers and nature was unsurpassed. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a downhome book dedicated to helping you with the family garden to make it a resounding success. And then we’ll wrap things up with the brilliant plantswoman who understood the subtleties of gardening and design.   Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to “Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast.” And she will. It's just that easy.   The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring: A personal update from me Garden-related items for your calendar The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week Gardener gift ideas Garden-inspired recipes Exclusive updates regarding the show and more. Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf.   Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org.   Curated News David Domoney’s Fencing Guide | David Domoney   Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community.   So, there’s no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community, where you’d search for a friend… and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events December 4, 1788 On this day, Andre Michaux made his way from Georgia into South Carolina by crossing the Tugalo River. In his journal, Michaux wrote: "At dawn, I went to look at the banks of the river, and I recognized the yellow root, [a new species of rhododendron], mountain laurel, hydrangea, [and] hemlock spruce. . . ." Now Harvard's Charles Sprague Sargent remarked on the significance of this moment because it was the first time that Michaux laid eyes on the Rhododendron minus. Rhododendron grows naturally in the South from North Carolina to Alabama. With its soil and climate, Rhododendrons are perfectly suited to grow in South Carolina. The blossoms of rhododendrons have a wide color range from white to deep purple and blue. A versatile plant, Rhododendrons can be planted as specimens or even as hedges in gardens or natural settings. If you have oak or pine trees on your property, Rhododendrons are ideal for underplanting due to the filtered light from the tree canopy, the soil pH, and natural mulch. As the mulch breaks down, the organic matter provides the rhododendron with the perfect mix of nutrients. Finally, Rhododendrons need well-drained soil, and you should consider taking advantage of that fact by planting them on a slope.   December 4, 1841  On this day, the German botanist Theodore Vogel was laid low with dysentery. After joining the Niger (“nee-ZHER") expedition, Theodore recorded in his journal the difficulties of traveling without the benefit of a Wardian Case on board a naval warship called the Wilberforce: "As soon as I got on board... my first care was to… the plants gathered since we arrived at Cape Coast Castle. But though I had taken all possible care, much was spoilt and almost everything in a bad state. It has been my lot ... after endless labor. I mention this, on purpose, that in case my collection comes into other hands, I may not be accused of negligence. I have sacrificed every convenience to gain room and spared no trouble to overcome the dampness of the ship and of the atmosphere, but without success. The general arrangements of a man-of-war do not give many opportunities for such experiments. When will the time arrive, that ...naturalists [will receive] the appropriate and necessary support?" When Theodore became sick on this day in 1841, his friend and fellow German, the mineralogist, Charles Gottfried Roscher, tended to him for thirteen days and never left his bedside. On December 17th, about mid-day, Theodore woke to ask Charles if everything was ready for their excursion, and then he peacefully passed away.   December 4, 1893 Today is the anniversary of the death of the Irish experimental physicist John Tyndall. In 1859, John discovered the link between atmospheric CO2 and what we call the Greenhouse effect. And Although John was often attributed as the first person to discover the Greenhouse effect, today we know that a female scientist named Eunice Foote discovered it in 1856 - a full three years earlier. That said, John is best known for learning why the sky is blue. It turns out that light scattering through molecules suspended in the atmosphere creates the color, which is sometimes referred to as Tyndall Blue. As all gardeners know, there is nothing more beautiful than the garden set against the backdrop of a brilliant blue sky. All in all, John was one of Ireland’s most successful scientists and educators.   December 4, 1903 On this day, the Germantown historian, botanist, and writer Edwin Jellett wrote his final column for The Independent Gazette. Edwin’s charming column in The Independent Gazette appeared for forty weeks and shared his thoughts on his two passions: history and botany in Northwest Philadelphia. Gardeners will appreciate that every one of Edwin’s columns wrapped up with a list of the 30 to 40 plants shared in the post, along with both the Latin and common names. And if you'd like to read Edwin's work, you can - thanks to the Awbury Arboretum. In honor of its centennial in 2016, the Awbury Arboretum digitized all of Edwin's columns.  Here’s an excerpt from his last column published today in 1903: “To me, the vale is stored with memories, and one of its most pleasing and tender is Thomas Meehan’s connection with it. In this region dwell many of our fairest and rarest wildflowers… Usually, about the middle of January, [there is] a new color in sweet-birch, sassafras, red maple, and many small plants... and the blushing glow is evidence of a renewed circulation. Hazelnut, if not in bloom at Christmas, is always so shortly after and is closely followed by alder, pussy willow, and silver maple; in favorable seasons, these always bloom before February first. In gardens, ice plant, sedums, and euphorbia appear early above ground, and evergreen native and exotic, Adam’s needle, Scottish heath, Japanese euonymus, retinospora, native and Chinese arborvitae, box and Japan privet, laurel and rhododendrons, holly and yew, cedar, juniper and evergreen cypress, fir, spruce, and pine, and other... evergreen plants, cast shadows upon the snow to remind us of pleasant days past, and of warmer, brighter ones to come.”   Unearthed Words The way that leads to winter Will lead to summer too, For all roads end in other roads Where we may start anew. — Arthur St. John Adcock, English poet and novelist (1864-1930), The Travellers   Grow That Garden Library The Family Garden Plan by Melissa K. Norris  This book came out in 2020, and the subtitle is Grow a Year's Worth of Sustainable and Healthy Food. In this book, Melissa shares her expertise after growing up gardening - and now gardening with her family on almost 15 acres of land in the foothills of the North Cascade mountain range in Washington State. Melissa shares hard-won knowledge from decades of trial and error. She is an expert heirloom gardener, preserver, farmer, cook, and homemaker. Her book is personal and Inspirational. Melissa shares inspiring bible verses, family stories, and photography from her very own garden, which gives her book an authenticity that many garden books lack. Melissa’s book is meant to be used as a reference. She includes helpful tips and suggestions to keep you and your garden growing. This book is 224 pages of downhome advice from a genuine gardener with a passion for helping others. You can get a copy of The Family Garden Plan by Melissa K. Norris and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $19.   Today’s Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart December 4, 1896 Today is the birthday of the charismatic Australian gardener, designer, and writer Edna Walling. Remembered for her gorgeous garden designs, Edna wrote some wonderful books on Australian gardening & landscaping. After working nonstop for four decades between the 1920s and 1960s, Edna created over 300 gardens. Today many Australians regard Edna as the most excellent landscape designer that Australia has ever known. An ardent conservationist, Edna was ahead of her time. By advocating for native plants, Edna’s favorite plants were naturally drought-hardy - a must for Australia’s harsh climate. Peter Watts wrote about Edna’s work and legacy and said, "[Enda] was a gardener’s designer – a brilliant plantswoman who understood the subtleties of gardening and design… [She] always thought gardens should be just a bit bigger than they needed so that you couldn’t control them entirely." It was Edna Walling who said, "Nature is our greatest teacher." And, there’s an adorable story about Edna. In November of 1941, Edna received criticism from a friend for sharing her preference for perennials over annuals. "[I got] a letter from a friend the other day who addressed me: ‘Dear Anti-annual!... If you can't grow them yourself, you needn't be snippy about them.’ Oooooh, what have I said? Something rude about Iceland poppies or asters? How narrow-minded of me.”   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Today we celebrate one of the first botanists to explore South Carolina and a German botanist who met his end during the 1841 Expedition to Niger.  We'll learn about the man who discovered why the sky is blue, and one of Australia's top garden designers, in addition to the monument to one of Australia's greatest botanical collectors. We'll hear some thoughts on the birds of winter and, we Grow That Garden Library with a book that helps us become a seed starting and saving champion. I'll talk about my favorite brand for wooden plant labels (the come in a pack of 60!) and then we'll end today with a garden club story out of Davenport Iowa. But first, let's catch up on a few recent events.   Today's curated articles: Branching Out: The Arborists Behind (and in) Central Park’s Trees - The Official Website of Central Park NYC I think that I shall never see... a team as lovely as @centralparknyc Arborists!   Bookmark this Great Post w/ A+ Video ~ Meeting the Arborists Behind (and IN) Central Park’s Trees!   As we talk to kids about careers, Arborist needs to be on the list!       Dahlias -Overwintering Dilemmas | Bramble Garden Hi Dahlings! Here's a great behind-the-scenes post with advice and tips from @kgimson on Dahlias:   “I’ll take basal softwood cuttings when shoots are 1″ tall...Cuttings will make good size tubers and will flower in one season.”         Plantlife: Mission to save gin plant Juniper a recipe for success | @Love_plants   This is great news for Junipers and a fascinating post.   "No wonder the English ‘gin plant’ is under threat - the battle really begins at birth.   Juniper seeds require two winters before they even germinate and seedlings then require very specific conditions to grow.   If they survive childhood, it takes another 10 years or more before these ‘teenagers’ mature and begin producing those lovely gin-flavored berries.”   I'll never look at gin the same way!     Now, if you'd like to check out these curated articles for yourself, you're in luck- because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There’s no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, just search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.       Brevities #OTD On this day in 1788, Andre Michaux made his way from Georgia into South Carolina by crossing the Tugalo River. In his journal, Michaux wrote: "At dawn, I went to look at the banks of the river and I recognized the yellow root, [a new species of rhododendron], mountain laurel, hydrangea, [and] hemlock spruce. . . ." Harvard's Charles Sprague Sargent concluded this moment was significant because it was the first time that Michaux laid eyes on the Rhododendron minus. Rhododendron minus grows naturally in Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Alabama along streams and rocky ridges.   Four years after first seeing it, Andre Michaux described the Rhododendron minus in detail. He called it the minus meaning smaller, due to the size of its leaves as compared to Rhododendron maximum.       #OTD  On this day in 1841, the German botanist Theodore Vogel was laid low with dysentery. Vogel was botanizing in Niger (“nee-ZHER") after joining the Niger expedition in May of that year. By August, Vogel recorded the hardships of traveling by naval warship in his journal: "As soon as I got on board the Wilberforce, my first care was to shift my entire collection, especially the plants gathered since we arrived at Cape Coast Castle. But though I had taken all possible care, much was spoilt and almost everything in a bad state. It has been my lot ... that after endless labor, I could only get together ill-conditioned plants; for dampness and want of room are obstacles impossible to be overcome... I mention this, on purpose, that in case my collection comes into other hands, I may not be accused of negligence.    I have sacrificed every convenience to gain room, and spared no trouble to overcome the dampness of the ship and of the atmosphere, but without success. The general arrangements of a man-of-war do not give much opportunity for such experiments.    When will the time arrive, that expeditions, whose result must depend on the observations of naturalists, will afford them, from the outset, the appropriate and necessary support? At present, the vessels are fitted up for other purposes, and it is left to chance, to discover a little nook for the philosopher. I was now obliged to devote the two days remaining which we spent at Accra, to the drying of my collection, that all might not be lost."   When Vogel became sick on this day in 1841, his friend and fellow German, the mineralogist, Charles Gottfried Roscher, tended to him for thirteen days and never left his bedside. On December 17th, about mid-day, Vogel asked his friend if everything was ready for their excursion and then a few minutes later, he peacefully passed away.         #OTD  Today is the anniversary of the death of the Irish experimental physicist John Tyndall who died on this day in 1893. Tyndall made many discoveries in the field of infrared radiation, including discovering the link between atmospheric CO2 and what is now known as the Greenhouse effect in 1859. Today, we know that a female scientist named Eunice Foote was actually the first to discover the effect - three years before Tyndall in 1856. That said, Tyndall is best known for learning why the sky is blue. It turns out that light scattering through molecules suspended in the atmosphere creates the color which is sometimes referred to as Tyndall Blue.   As all gardeners know, there is nothing more beautiful than the garden set against the backdrop of a brilliant blue sky. John Tyndall was one of Ireland’s most successful scientists and educators.          #OTD  Today is the birthday of the charismatic Australian gardener, designer & writer Edna Walling who was born on this day in 1896.   Edna created some gorgeous gardens in Australia. She is remembered for her wonderful books on gardening & landscaping.   Edna worked nonstop for four decades between the 1920s and 1960s; creating over 300 gardens. Many Australians regard her as the greatest landscape designer that Australia has ever known. Her books and garden designs continue to be an inspiration.   Edna was a conservationist at heart. And, Edna was ahead of her time. She advocated for the use of native plants which were naturally drought-hardy - a must for the harsh climate of Australia. And, given her pragmatism, Edna naturally preferred perennials over annuals. She wrote about the backlash that she received from a friend in November 1941:   "[I got] a letter from a friend the other day who addressed me "Dear Anti-annual!" Oooooh, what have I said? Something rude about Iceland poppies or asters? How narrow-minded of me. "If you can't grow them yourself you needn't be snippy about them", she thinks."   It was Edna Walling who said, "Nature is our greatest teacher."   Edna's work and legacy were brought to light by Peter Watts who wrote about Edna as part of his thesis in college. The paper became the basis for a book published by the National Trust and it fueled Peter's love for historic gardens.   In an article for ThePlantHunter.com by Georgina Reid, Watts said that,   "Walling would be regarded now as a bit old-fashioned. She was a gardener’s designer – a brilliant plantswoman who understood the subtleties of gardening and design... [and that Edna] always thought gardens should be just a bit bigger than they needed so that you couldn’t control them entirely."     #OTD On this day in 1897, executors for the botanist Baron von Mueller's estate posted a request for donations in newspapers. The plan was to raise money for a monument over von Mueller's grave in the St. Hilda Cemetery in Melbourne. Four years later, by the end of November in 1901, newspapers announced that the monument was unveiled at a small ceremony with friends and government officials. The effort to establish the monument was led by Mueller's friend, Reverand Potter. Potter recalled that Mueller had "expressly desired that only wildflowers and grasses should grow upon his grave until such time as a worthy monument could be erected." Mueller's monument is a tall stone obelisk topped with an urn. A copper medallion shows his profile and the inscription on the monument ends with these words by Friedrich Schiller, the Baron’s favorite poet:   "Despair not! There are still noble hearts that glow for the august and sublime."         Unearthed Words The American naturalist, Edwin Way Teale has given us some marvelous prose about birds and winter in his books. During World War II, Teale’s son, David, was killed in Germany. Teale and his wife began traveling across the country by automobile. The trips helped them cope with their grief and became an integral part of Teale's writing. Their 1947 journey, covering 17,000 miles in a black Buick and following the unfolding spring, led to Teale's book North with the Spring. Additional road trips lead to more books: Journey Into Summer, Autumn Across America, and Wandering Through Winter. Wandering Through Winter won the Pulitzer Prize in 1966.  Here are some of Teale's thoughts on winter and birds: “The "dead of winter" ----- how much more dead it would be each year without the birds!”  “On the roughest days of winter, when life seems overwhelmed by storm and cold, watch a chickadee, observe in good cheer and take heart.”     “Bluebird blue....one of the loveliest manifestations of the color blue.” My favorite Edwin Way Teale quote honors his thoughts about life. They are especially poignant when one thinks that he wrote them after losing his son:   “How strangely inaccurate it is to measure the length of living by length of life! The space between your birth and death is often far from a true measure of your days of living.”      It's Time to Grow That Garden Library with Today's Book: Starting & Saving Seeds by Julie Thompson Adolf The subtitle to this book is Grow the Perfect Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and Flowers for Your Garden. Julie's book is a great gift for anyone who wants to start growing plants from seed. It's a whole 'nother world and it can be scary for gardeners to attempt starting & saving seeds on their own. I get it. Well, here's why Julie's book is a great guide: she gets it. She totally relates to the newbie seed starter anxieties and questions around this topic. Best of all, she is 100% approachable. As she says in the introduction to her book: "Think of me as your new friend or the neighbor next door who loves to garden. Together we'll banish any fears of failure and create a beautiful, healthy, delicious, self-sufficient garden - from seed." Yay! So, now that intimidation is off the table, let Julie walk you through how to handle bigger challenges like dealing with seeds that are stubborn germinators - seeds that I call the "Terminator Germinators." Even better, Julie recognizes that not everyone wants to set up shop indoors. If you don't want to grow lights or have limited space, let Julie teach you how to seed outdoors - because direct sowing couldn't be simpler. Did someone say zinnias? Better yet, as your confidence grows, let Julie convince you of the many benefits of starting plants from seeds  - the cost savings, the increased variety options, and the appreciation factor. When you start a plant from seed - you really appreciate the entire life cycle of the plant and that deepens your understanding.        Today's Recommended Holiday Gift for Gardeners: HOMENOTE 60pcs Bamboo Plant Labels (6 x 10 cm) with Bonus a Pen Vegetable Garden Markers T-Type Plant Tags for Plants $12.99 Great Value Pack. Compared to other brands, the HOMENOTE plant labels include 60 pieces and bonus a marking pen for you, which could help you mark sorts of plants, seeds, or vegetables with the garden markers. Eco-friendly Material. The garden markers are made by 100% natural bamboo that does not harm the earth like plastic plant labels, which is an eco-friendly and renewable resource to the environment. Easy to write, not Easy to Wash Off. The plant labels are so easy to write on the smooth surface with this bonus permanent marking pen, and please don’t worry at all about the ink in the plant tags wash off in the rain or fade in the sunshine. Perfect Design and Size. Measuring in at 4" tall x 2.36" wide on top (1.4" tall on the top part), these T-type plant markers have enough room to label more than just the plant's names on them. Each marker is 1/16" thick rendering them very durable and standing the test of time. Great Gift for Gardener. These bamboo plant tags will add charm to your garden while letting you know exactly what the plants are or their grow situation. Personalize the plant tags with a short message/wording whatever you like is the perfect finishing touch to your potted garden. A good choice of gift for your friends, colleagues, lovers and family members who love gardening. You can get the HOMENOTE Plant Labels and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for under $13.       Something Sweet  Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart On this day in 1930, the Quad-City Times shared a sweet little update from the garden department of the Davenport Woman's club. "[The group] added a special holiday gesture to its December program this morning at the Davenport Municipal Art Gallery, when the seed and bulb committee composed of E. A. Johnson and Mrs. R. E. Albrecht, presented each member with a dainty Christmas package in bright-hued Christmas wrappings, containing seeds for next spring's sowing. Fifty seed packages and ten sacks of dahlia bulbs went to the women who attended." But that's not all. Their education program was spot on: "Mrs. Charles Irwin spoke on the Arnold Arboretum at Cambridge, Mass., and its former keeper, the late E. H. Wilson, who passed away in October, and who was known as "Chinese" Wilson from his travels and long residence in China. Mrs. P. T. Burrows suggested that the department send to the new keeper and ask for seeds from rare plants to be used in Davenport gardens and public park as experimental plantings on this Mississippi Valley region." "[Then,] Mrs. Mathilde P. Koehler spoke on "Famous Gardens." Mrs. Koehler [who] has traveled extensively told of the wonderful gardens one finds in different parts of the United States... She also paid a tribute to the late John Temple, a well-known florist of Davenport and told of the lilac tree which he had planted in her garden, this being one of [only] a few in [this] city." "[Finally,] Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Cassling gave songs to the accompaniment of Miss Lois McDermott at the piano. [And] decorations were of prettily trimmed Christmas trees." Now that's a meeting!       Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

"The gambler who lost touch with the dangers" Although Letitia Landon – or “L.E.L.’s” – name is scarcely known outside specialist circles today, in the 1820s she was one of the brightest stars of the London literary scene. In the fast-evolving publishing world of literary monthlies and quarterlies, L.E.L. burst onto the scene as a true celebrity. She thrived due to the quality of her verse and the mystery of her persona. For several years the question tantalised. Just who was this writer that hid behind the laconic acronym? It turned out, when L.E.L.’s identity was revealed in 1824, that she was – in her mother’s words – “a girl addicted to writing poetry.” In this episode of Travels Through Time, the literary historian and journalist Dr Lucasta Miller tells us about L.E.L.’s life and then takes us back to 1838 to witness her sad and contested end. It’s a story that ranges from the churches of London to the old slaving posts of west Africa, fusing together contrasting histories in the most unexpected of ways. As with the literary career that had gone before it, the manner of L.E.L’s death was left open to interpretation. Scene One: 7 June 1838, L.E.L.’s wedding to George Maclean in London Scene Two: Late August 1838, Cape Coast Castle, west Africa Scene Three: The morning of 15 October 1838, L.E.L.’s death, Cape Coast Castle L.E.L. The Lost Life and Scandalous Death of Letitia Elizabeth Landon, the Celebrated “Female Byron”  https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/107/1070406/l-e-l/9780224079396.html Presenter: Peter Moore Guest: Dr Lucasta Miller Producer: Maria Nolan

I spoke with artist and writer Isaiah Lopaz about 'Homegoing', the heart wrenching novel by Yaa Gyasi. The book traces the family lineage of two half-sisters. Effia becomes - against her will - the wife of the British governor of the Cape Coast Castle in Ghana. It’s a castle where enslaved people are being held before they are sold to western countries. Her half-sister Esi is being held captive in the castle before being sent to the United States. We read the stories of different generations, switching between the descendants of Effia and Esi.
 'Homegoing' is a devastating story, painfully dissecting the horrors of slavery: what it has done to those who were taken, and to those who were not. Songs: Broke For Free: Night Owl – Creative Commons License: bit.ly/1feTB9g BODYSURFER: Call Your Grandma – Creative Commons License: bit.ly/2D4Dbqe

Sargrenti is the name by which Major General Sir Garnet Wolseley, KCMG (1833 – 1913) is still known in the West African state of Ghana. Kofi Gyan, the 15-year old boy who spits in Sargrenti's eye, is the nephew of the chief of Elmina, a town on the Atlantic coast of Ghana. On Christmas Day, 1871, Kofi’s godfather gives him a diary as a Christmas present and charges him with the task of keeping a personal record of the momentous events through which they are living. This novel is a transcription of Kofi's diary. Elmina town has a long-standing relationship with the Castelo de São Jorge da Mina, known today as Elmina Castle, built by the Portuguese in 1482 and captured from them by the Dutch in 1637. In April, 1872, the Dutch hand over the unprofitable castle to the British. The people of Elmina have not been consulted and resist the change. On June 13, 1873 British forces punish them by bombarding the town and destroying it. (It has never been rebuilt. The flat open ground where it once stood serves as a constant reminder of the savage power of Imperial Britain.) After the destruction of Elmina, Kofi moves to his mother’s family home in nearby Cape Coast, seat of the British colonial government, where Sargrenti is preparing to march inland and attack the independent Asante state. There Melton Prior, war artist of the London weekly news magazine, The Illustrated London News, offers Kofi a job as his assistant. This gives the lad an opportunity to observe at close quarters not only Prior but also the other war correspondents, Henry Morton Stanley and G. A. Henty. Kofi witnesses and experiences the trauma of a brutal war, a run-up to the formal colonialism which would be realized ten years later at the 1885 Berlin conference, where European powers drew lines on the map of Africa, dividing the territory up amongst themselves. On February 6, 1874, Sargrenti's troops loot the palace of the Asante king, Kofi Karikari, and then blow up the stone building and set the city of Kumase on fire, razing it to the ground. Kofi’s story culminates in his angry response to the British auction of their loot in Cape Coast Castle. The loot includes the solid gold mask shown on the front cover of the novel. That mask continues to reside in the Wallace Collection in London. The invasion of Asante met with the enthusiastic approval of the British public, which elevated Wolseley to the status of a national hero. All the war correspondents and several military officers hastened to cash in on public sentiment by publishing books telling the story of their victory. In all of these, without exception, the coastal Fante feature as feckless and cowardly and the Asante as ruthless savages. The Boy who Spat in Sargrenti's Eye tells the story of these momentous events for the first time from an African point of view. It is told with irony and with occasional flashes of humor. The novel is illustrated with scans of seventy engravings first published in The Illustrated London News. This book won a Burt Award for African Literature which included the donation by the Ghana Book Trust of 3000 copies to school libraries in Ghana. In 2016, at the annual conference of the African Literature Association held in Atlanta, GA, it received the ALA’s Creative Book of the Year Award. Prof. Kwesi Kwaa Prah writes:“The Boy who Spat in Sargrenti's War takes history out of the recesses of memory and obscurity, and expresses it in vivid and dazzling light.” The Boy who Spat in Sargrenti's Eye is a story for adults of all ages, both young adults and those no longer so young. Link to the book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2GS7m7s

Cape Coast Castle is one of the places that facilitated the slave trade in West Africa. The March 19 visit was part of the CEIBS EMBA overseas module to West Africa. Also on the agenda: a welcome dinner at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra on March 18, lectures on March 20 followed by a company visit to Niche Cocoa.

Motorbiking Ghana and Togo, Africa. The stories and the people met along the way. Part three, (the sad one): Visiting Cape Coast Castle (Ghana) to learn about the cruel history of slavery. This is a sad and out-of-the-ordinary departure from my usual stuff, but a really important look at the cruel exportation of people that shaped todays world.Right-click to download the latest show.If you cannot see the audio controls, listen/download the audio file hereTo subscribe with iTunes, click hereBiking on a boat across Volta river and two pictures of Cape Coast Castle

Today we will feature guests who illuminate African Culture at its highest: Pee Wee Ellis who is in town this weekend, Friday-Saturday, June 9-10 for STILL BLACK, STILL PROUD - An African Tribute to James Brown Feat. Pee Wee Ellis, Vusi Mahlasela & Meklit Hadero at Yoshi's in Oakland. Visit yoshis.org Eurydice Ross, Tanya Marie Amos and Michelle Ned speak about Grown Women Dance Collective's "Fallen Heroes, Rising Stars: A Juneteenth Celebration through Dance," June 18th, 2011, 8:00 p.m. at Diablo Valley College Theater in Pleasant Hill. Call (925) 680-4400. Brother Osei Terry Chandler joins us to talk about "Libations for the Ancestors" this weekend, June 11, 2011. This event collectively honors the millions of enslaved Africans who perished during the Middle Passage, the Transatlantic "slave trade" route from Africa to the Americas. This commemoration held annual on the second Saturday in June. The SC memorial is in its fourteenth year, at Fort Moultrie, Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, 9 AM-1 PM. For information call: (843) 556-2041. The commemoration is held in conjunction with programs in Brooklyn, NY (Coney Island); Portobello, Panama; San Francisco, CA; Oakland, CA; Cape Coast Castle, Ghana and others. We all gather to honor the millions who perished in the horrific voyage, the Middle Passage.  We feel and understand that if we don't remember and honor them, who will! What is unique about this ritual is its sychronicity. We all pour at the same time. On the West Coast it is at 9 AM sharp. We close with a conversation with programmers and directors for the Queer Women of Color Film Festival, June 10-12 at Brava Theater in San Francisco. Visit http://www.qwocmap.org/festival.html It is a free event. Music: Rupa and the April Fishes's "Este Mundo."