Episodes

Johnson Products brand financed Soul Train when others wouldn’t. This is the story of the Afro Sheen sponsorship, the dollars behind it, and how they built an institutionAudio Onemichistory.comFollow me on Instagram: @onemic_historyFollow me on Substack: https://onemicblackhistorypodcast.substack.com/Follow me on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@onemic_historyPlease support our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=25697914Buy me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Countryboi2m

In the Jim Crow South, Black newspapers like the Chicago Defender were banned, seized, and silenced. But the porters found a way. Tucked in suitcases, hidden in stacks of linens, they smuggled news, hope, and opportunity across the South for just 2 cents. onemichistory.com Follow me on Instagram: @onemic_historyFollow me on Substack: https://onemicblackhistorypodcast.substack.com/Follow me on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@onemic_historyPlease support our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/us...

Under Jim Crow, Pepsi did what others wouldn’t, hired a Black sales team and put Black folks in its ads. Sales soared but then came the internal backlash. How did a nickel soda become quiet powerhouse and who tried to kill it? This is why Pepsi became ‘the Black soda.Audio Onemichistory.comFollow me on Instagram: @onemic_historyFollow me on Substack: https://onemicblackhistorypodcast.substack.com/Follow me on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@onemic_historyPlease support our Patreon: https://www...

This book sold the same stove, suit, or pair of boots to anyone at the same printed price. When Rural Free Delivery brought it to the mailbox, the Sears, Roebuck catalog landed on Black families’ porches it turned shopping from a ritual of humiliation into something closer to dignity. Here’s how the Sears mail‑order catalog quietly beat Jim Crow Audio Onemichistory.com Follow me on Instagram: @onemic_history Follow me on Substack: https://onemicblackhistorypodcast.substack.com/ Follow me on Thre...

In 1866, Congress decided to form the first all-Black Army regiments in peacetime: the 9th and 10th Cavalry, and the 24th and 25th Infantry. For many Black men, especially those just freed from slavery or who’d worn Union blue during the war, the military offered something rare: steady work, a chance for education, and maybe a little dignity in the era of Jim Crow. Audio Onemichistory.com Follow me on Instagram: @onemic_history Follow me on Substack: https://onemicblackhistorypodcast.substack.c...

Imagine calling an ambulance because someone you love is dying. You need urgent medical help—but instead of paramedics, The police shows up at your door. No medical training, no emergency equipment just the police vehicle. Hard to imagine, but this was real life for Black communities throughout America just 60 years ago. This is the true story of everyday people from Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District ended up inventing emergency medical care as we know it. Audio Onemichistory.com Follow me on...

For over a century, Black bodies were used—examined, experimented on, and exploited in the name of science. From plantation doctors perfecting procedures on enslaved women without anesthesia, to the government letting Black men die slow deaths in Tuskegee, to the stolen cells of a unsuspecting Black women changing medical history. This isn’t ancient history. It’s a pattern. And it shaped the way Black communities view medicine, hospitals, and doctors. So join us today for the dark history of t...

Imagine an American city street around 1900, the sidewalks spill over as children play tag in the roadway, vendors call out to neighbors, and people wander wherever they please. The street is alive—a true communal space, owned by everyone. No crosswalks, no traffic lights—just freedom and connection. But this all changed almost overnight. What replaced those vibrant streets? Automobiles, Laws, and, most shockingly, a tool to control and discriminate against Black communities. Join Us as we unc...

Sinners isn’t just a vampire story, it’s a mirror. Set in Jim Crow Mississippi, it sinks its teeth into the real horrors Black folks faced: chain gangs, racial passing, and survival by any means. And it doesn’t stop there, Mississippi’s Chinese communities had their own battles, caught between exclusion and uneasy alliances. Join us for Part 2 of my breakdown of Ryan Coogler’s Sinners Audio Onemichistory.com Follow me on Instagram: @onemic_history Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/one...

In 1932 Mississippi, twin brothers Smoke and Stack return home seeking redemption, only to awaken chilling horrors from their past. Step into a shadowy world filled with juke joints, cotton plantations, and dark Southern secrets. But how much of...

In the world of breakfast staples, few names echo through American kitchens like Aunt Jemima. Yet, beneath the familiar face lies a story deeply intertwined with America's racial past. From minstrel shows to modern grocery aisles, Aunt Jemima's image...

Late on an evening in December 1969, Fred Hampton, a charismatic young leader, finishes a class on politics and law before sharing a quiet meal with his pregnant fiancée, Deborah Johnson. But beneath the calm surface, unseen forces are stirring. In...

This video showcases the history behind soul food, from fried chicken to chitterlings. Join us as we explore the rich heritage and timeless love the Black community has for soul food. Audio Onemichistory.com Follow me on Instagram: @onemic_history...

Uncover the astonishing story of Robert Smalls, a man born into slavery who made a bold escape during the Civil War by commandeering a Confederate ship. How did he pull off this daring feat right under the noses of his enslavers? Join us for the...

Discover the life of Marion Stokes, a woman who dedicated her life to capturing over 750,000 hours of news footage from 1977 to 2012. The Marion Stokes Project https://archive.org/details/marionstokesvideo Audio Onemichistory.com Follow me on...