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Long before the Freedom Riders and around the same time as Rosa Parks, Sarah Keys Evans, a young Black Army private, refused to surrender her seat on an interstate bus. Her courage led to a landmark legal victory that helped dismantle segregation in interstate travel, yet her story has remained largely absent from history books.

In this episode, Kenyatta sits down with author Amy Nathan to discuss her book, Riding Into History: The Surprising Story of Sarah Keys Evans and the Fight to Desegregate Bus Travel. Amy shares how she first discovered Sarah's story, the nearly two decades she spent interviewing her, and why telling overlooked stories matters now more than ever.

Together, they explore the long history of transportation segregation, the Black women who challenged it decades before it became national news, and the difference between becoming an activist by choice and standing up because your conscience leaves you no alternative.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that history is shaped not only by famous names, but by ordinary people whose quiet courage changes the course of a nation.

In this episode:

• How Amy Nathan discovered Sarah Keys Evans while researching women in the military
• Why Sarah's story remained largely unknown despite her landmark legal victory
• The decades-long research and relationship behind Riding Into History
• The overlooked history of Black women challenging segregation in transportation
• Why dignity, respect, and citizenship were at the heart of the fight against Jim Crow
• The connection between Sarah Keys' case, the Freedom Riders, and federal enforcement of desegregation
• What today's readers can learn about moral courage and standing up for what's right

Featured Book

Riding Into History: The Surprising Story of Sarah Keys Evans and the Fight to Desegregate Bus Travel by Amy Nathan

Conversations with Kenyatta features Kenyatta D. Berry. Music for episodes 1-76 is "Good Vibe" by Ketsa, Music for episodes 77+ is “Rheme – Afrobeat x African Instrumental x Reggae Beat,” via Pixabay.

Learn more about Kenyatta and her work at KenyattaBerry.com.

You can also connect with her on social media:
Instagram: @Kenyatta.Berry
Facebook: facebook.com/KenyattaDB

Thanks for listening, we’ll see you next time on Conversations with Kenyatta.

We are dedicated to exploring and discussing various aspects of genealogy, history, culture, and social issues. We aim to shed light on untold stories and perspectives that enrich our understanding of the world.

Disclaimer: All guest opinions expressed in Conversations with Kenyatta are their own and do not reflect the views of Kenyatta D. Berry.

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What if one of the biggest assumptions we make about slavery during the Civil War is incomplete?

In this episode of Conversations with Kenyatta, Kenyatta sits down with historian Robert Colby to discuss his groundbreaking research on slave trading during the Civil War and his book, An Unholy Traffic. Together, they unpack how the domestic slave trade continued even during wartime, what that reveals about Confederate motivations, and how enslaved people navigated impossible choices in pursuit of freedom.

Robert shares how growing up near Civil War battlefields sparked his love of history and why the contradictions of slavery in American democracy led him to study the Civil War era and the institution of slavery. He also explains how archival discoveries, especially Confederate letters, led him to uncover evidence that enslaved people continued to be bought and sold throughout the war, despite assumptions that the practice had effectively ended when fighting began.

Kenyatta and Robert explore:

• Why slave trading continued during the Civil War and what that reveals about Confederate goals
• How enslaved people faced the constant threat of forced sale while pursuing freedom
• The role Confederate letters and military records play in understanding enslaved lives and motivations of enslavers
• Why genealogists should consider Confederate letters, military records, and the records of the Freedmen's Bureau in their research
• How cities like New Orleans, Charleston, Richmond, and Atlanta became key locations in wartime slave trading networks
• Why the uncertainty at the end of the war and the transition from slavery to freedom deserves more study

This conversation challenges listeners to rethink slavery during wartime, Reconstruction, and even how we approach genealogy research. Whether you’re a family historian, Civil War enthusiast, or someone interested in the lived realities of enslavement, this episode offers new perspectives and important questions to consider.

Conversations with Kenyatta features Kenyatta D. Berry. Music for episodes 1-76 is "Good Vibe" by Ketsa, Music for episodes 77+ is “Rheme – Afrobeat x African Instrumental x Reggae Beat,” via Pixabay.

Learn more about Kenyatta and her work at KenyattaBerry.com.

You can also connect with her on social media:
Instagram: @Kenyatta.Berry
Facebook: facebook.com/KenyattaDB

Thanks for listening, we’ll see you next time on Conversations with Kenyatta.

We are dedicated to exploring and discussing various aspects of genealogy, history, culture, and social issues. We aim to shed light on untold stories and perspectives that enrich our understanding of the world.

Disclaimer: All guest opinions expressed in Conversations with Kenyatta are their own and do not reflect the views of Kenyatta D. Berry.

.

Send us Fan Mail

What happens when forgotten histories, erased communities, and family stories collide?

In this episode, Kenyatta sits down with journalist and author Caleb Gayle for a fascinating conversation about historical erasure, Black migration, Indigenous identity, genealogy, and the stories that shape how we understand America.

Together, they explore Caleb’s acclaimed books Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition in the Fight for a Black State and We Refuse to Forget: A True Story of Black Creeks, American Identity, and Power, unpacking the overlooked history of Black towns in Oklahoma, Edward McCabe’s bold dream of creating a Black state, the legacy of Greenwood and the Tulsa Race Massacre, and the complicated intersections of Black and Indigenous histories.

Along the way, Kenyatta and Caleb discuss oral history, genealogy, archival research, and what it really takes to uncover the stories history tried to leave behind.

Whether you’re a family historian, genealogy enthusiast, writer, or simply curious about the untold stories that shape America, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Caleb’s journey into journalism and how curiosity shaped his career
• The story behind Black Moses and Edward McCabe’s vision for a Black state in Oklahoma
• Why Oklahoma reveals so much about American history and identity
• The hidden histories of Black towns and the legacy of Greenwood’s Black Wall Street
• The Tulsa Race Massacre and historical erasure in America
• Black Creek history, tribal citizenship, and the racialization of identity
• Why oral history matters alongside traditional genealogy and written records
• Caleb’s “write-around” approach to storytelling and historical research
• How to uncover overlooked stories in local newspapers, archives, and family history
• Advice for aspiring writers, storytellers, and family historians

Books Mentioned

• Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition in the Fight for a Black State by Caleb Gayle
• We Refuse to Forget: A True Story of Black Creeks, American Identity, and Power by Caleb Gayle

Conversations with Kenyatta features Kenyatta D. Berry. Music for episodes 1-76 is "Good Vibe" by Ketsa, Music for episodes 77+ is “Rheme – Afrobeat x African Instrumental x Reggae Beat,” via Pixabay.

Learn more about Kenyatta and her work at KenyattaBerry.com.

You can also connect with her on social media:
Instagram: @Kenyatta.Berry
Facebook: facebook.com/KenyattaDB

Thanks for listening, we’ll see you next time on Conversations with Kenyatta.

We are dedicated to exploring and discussing various aspects of genealogy, history, culture, and social issues. We aim to shed light on untold stories and perspectives that enrich our understanding of the world.

Disclaimer: All guest opinions expressed in Conversations with Kenyatta are their own and do not reflect the views of Kenyatta D. Berry.

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