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NEW POST EVERY FRIDAY @ 10 AM EST 🔔

Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: The LaLaurie Mansion

Some people choose to ignore morality just to get ahead. Instead of doing the right thing and allowing their work to speak for itself, they manipulate, lie, cheat, steal, and take advantage of people and situations for their own personal gain. Greed and jealousy, two emotions that have influenced human behavior since the beginning of time, whisper lies that certain people are better than others simply because of their skin tone, family lineage, and other attributes that don’t consider merit or ability. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on the LaLaurie Mansion Torture Chamber in New Orleans, a sad example of just how far some people are willing to go to maintain their unjust status in society.

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Historical Spotlights, Entertainment Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights, Entertainment Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Beyoncé

Every creative aspires to make a name for themselves. Whether your talent is painting, dancing, singing, or even performing spoken word, it takes time and dedication to rise to the top and become a household name. Oftentimes you have humble beginnings that teaches you resilience and motivates you to maintain your relevance over time. In pop culture, there have been many people who have attempted to make it big, but only a few have actually achieved fame and glory. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Beyoncé, one of the most legendary and iconic entertainers of the 21st century.

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Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Lockheed Martin

It seems that in this day and age, discrimination makes the world go around. From unjust slavery to immoral segregation, Black Americans have fought hard to gain an equal foothold in society. No other group of people have been systemically undermined, sabotaged, or kicked down despite all of their major contributions, inventions, and cultural influence on the world. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Lockheed Martin and how its discrimination has led to multiple lawsuits over time.

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Historical Spotlights, Sports Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights, Sports Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Jamal Crawford

March is always an exciting time for basketball. The NCAA tournament has fans excited to fill out brackets and see what team will cut the nets. Similarly, the NBA is heating up and teams are making moves to either secure their playoff bid or move up in the rankings for a more favorable seeding. Players make names for themselves and leave lasting legacies on the game they love. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Jamal Crawford, one of the best ball handlers in basketball.

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Historical Spotlights, Sports Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights, Sports Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Allen Iverson

Like all things, basketball has morphed and evolved over time as players have entered the league and left their mark. Legends like Michael Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, and many others live on well past their playing days and spark debates online about who is rightfully the GOAT. While some players are loved for their on-the-court excellence, others have fought through negative press and stigma like Dennis Rodman, Latrell Sprewell, and Gilbert Arenas just to play the sport they love. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Allen Iverson and the influential impact he left on the league.

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Historical Spotlights, Sports Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights, Sports Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Debi Thomas

With the 2026 Winter Olympics coming to an end, many athletes have trained their entire lives to compete against the world. Not only is it a great opportunity to display excellence, but there’s also patriotic pride in seeing your country rack up gold, silver, and bronze medals. Similar to other sports, barriers had to be broken for Black Americans to showcase their skills on the ice. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Debi Thomas, one of the very first Black figure skaters to achieve national and international success.

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Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Denise Gray

What used to be a far-fetched wish, has slowly become an accessible modern American dream as hybrid and fully electric vehicles have grown in popularity. Luxury manufacturers like Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid compete for market share with more affordable brands like Toyota, Honda, and Ford. Improved technology helped increase the number of EVs on the road from 1 million in 2016 to over 10 million in 2020. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Denise Gray, an innovative Black American woman who helped revolutionize the car industry.

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Historical Spotlights, Sports Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights, Sports Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Venus Williams

Tennis was my favorite sport to play in high school. In the 7th grade, I got the grand idea to learn how to play after watching the Australian Open and immediately fell in love. The sport has had a stereotype of being dominated by white Europeans and many Black women have been shut out due to staunch racism and elitism. Black players are labeled as argumentative and they often receive negative press from the media. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Venus Williams and how she stamped her legacy as one of the greatest tennis players ever.

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Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Solomon Fairfax

The Grim Reaper is a made-up personification of death that has been widely accepted in Western society. It’s represented as a shadow figure with a hooded face and carries a thin sickle blade. The figure has haunted children for centuries and even grown adults are afraid for the day when he escorts you to the afterlife. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Solomon Fairfax, the American slave who earned the nickname Grim Reaper while fighting for his freedom.

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Historical Spotlights, Sports Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights, Sports Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Randy Moss

Playing in a Super Bowl is considered one of the highest accomplishments for a football player and many athletes train their entire lives for a chance to win the Lombardi Trophy. It’s estimated that only 3.1% of players actually achieve such a rare feat. Roster changes, injuries, coaching mishaps, and other factors can dictate if a player ever secures a ring but some of the elites propel their teams forward and refuse to retire without leaving their mark on the game. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Randy Moss, one of the greatest wide receivers to ever grace the field.

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Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Statue of Liberty

Many of us learned about the Statue of Liberty from Schoolhouse Rock!’s iconic “The Great American Melting Pot” episode released in 1977. A whole generation grew up singing about Lovely Lady Liberty and created core memories that have withstood the test of time. Seen as a symbol of freedom, the statue has a hidden history that has been minimized over time. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on one of America’s most notable landmarks, the Statue of Liberty.

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Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Burdines Department Store

Starting a business is one sure-fire way of securing economic stability. During Jim Crow, Black Americans were forced to get creative with how they sustained themselves especially since most lucrative jobs were reserved for white workers. They also had to work twice as hard to get half as far since, culturally, they didn’t have the luxury of passing along generational wealth. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on the Burdines Store, a successful Black American owned department store in Miami.

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Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Marian Croak

Skype used to have a firm hold on the virtual conferencing market until the 2020 pandemic forced companies like Google, Zoom, and Microsoft to create competing products. When everyone had to shelter in place, businesses were forced to embrace new methods of communication with customers and employees. Families that were spread out used some creative ingenuity to maintain close relationships, but none of that would have been possible without some key technological advancements decades prior. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Marian Croak, the Black American woman who originally developed the voice over IP technology that drives video conferencing.

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Historical Spotlights, Entertainment Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights, Entertainment Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Jill Scott

Music truly makes my world go around. I never get tired of listening to my favorite songs or building the perfect playlists for every occasion. Most of my listening statistics include R&B, hip-hop, rap, and soul and has evolved over time as I’ve gotten older. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Jill Scott, one of my all-time favorite artists who has stamped herself as a legend in Black culture.

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Historical Spotlights, Food & Cooking Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights, Food & Cooking Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Ice cream is a dessert loved by many, especially since it comes in numerous different flavors, shapes, and forms to satisfy anyone who craves the creamy concoction. From Drumsticks to pints to Dreamsicles and everything in between, all ages can find something they enjoy. While it’s now a popular treat, there was once a time when Black people weren’t allowed to eat it. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on butter pecan ice cream and why it’s a delicacy loved by Black Americans across the country.

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Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Kwanzaa

Unity is important in advancing a group’s interests politically, economically, and socially. Many times we’ve seen uprisings and movements fail because everyone involved weren’t operating on the same accord. Detractors can originate from amongst the group or they can be manufactured to infiltrate and undermine the group’s efforts. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Kwanzaa and dive into why it’s problematic for Black Americans who built the United States.

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Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Bruce’s Beach

Black Americans have always struggled to gain a foothold economically, socially, and politically in America. From the evil act of slavery to discrimination, generations have had to fight tooth and nail just to have some semblance of peace. Even when smart business owners abided by segregation laws, their organizations were often undermined and sabotaged simply because of their success. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Bruce’s Beach, a successful Black beach resort in California that was unjustly taken by eminent domain.

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Sports, Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith Sports, Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Ernie Davis

With the College Football Playoffs right around the corner, there’s little time left to determine which teams will make the bracket. Almost all college athletes dream of the fame and notoriety that comes with being an elite player, but some also hope to win a national championship to solidify their name in history and secure the Heisman, which is annually awarded to the most outstanding athlete. It’s an honor even being selected as a finalist because it shows that a player’s hard work on the field and during practice has led to national attention. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on the very first Black American player to win the prestigious award, Ernie Davis.

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Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: Creole Mutiny of 1841

I’ve always heard that if you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for anything. It’s applicable in today’s society as well as historically, since oppressive regimes have been overcome by brave people standing up for themselves. Having the gall to put your livelihood, family, or even your life on the line is an intimidating, but vital part of fighting for change in society. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on the Creole Mutiny of 1841.

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Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith Historical Spotlights Jessica Marie Smith

Historical Spotlight: New Orleans Black Workers’ Strike

Change often comes with revolt. From the beginning of history, change is usually brought on not only by tyrannical regimes, but also by unfair and inequitable social situations. From slave revolts to George Floyd protests, Black Americans are no strangers to putting their lives on the line to fight for better treatment and conditions. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on the New Orleans Black workers’ strike, which became one of the very first integrated strikes in American history.

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