1 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Anny and Samantha and welcome to stuff. 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:19,239 Speaker 1: I never told your protiction of I Heart Radio. It 3 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,799 Speaker 1: is time for another edition of Female First, which means 4 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: we were once again joined by our good friend and 5 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: colleague Eaves. Hello Eaves, Hello there. I'm excited to be 6 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 1: back again. Happy day before Turkey Day. Thank you. Yes, 7 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,919 Speaker 1: I am here for the quality time I will get 8 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: to spend with myself this holiday, but I won't I 9 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: don't think I'll be eating that much. I don't know 10 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 1: about y'all. I'm not prepared. Yeah, So I just realized 11 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 1: honestly that I don't really have the groceries to make 12 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: any kind of feast because I'm not going anywhere either. 13 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: It's just gonna be myself and my partner. So I 14 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: was kind of like, Okay, can sloop happy Happy holidays? Yeah, 15 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: I'm down to my I'm down to my last like 16 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: frozen pizzas. It's dire. Straight, you've been eating fronds and 17 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 1: pizzas too. I don't eating frozen pizzas for the last week. 18 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:17,840 Speaker 1: They're like on collie flower crust and they have like 19 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:23,039 Speaker 1: vegan meal. How's that? Um there? I mean, it's still 20 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: not a hot standard I mean they make them sound 21 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: like it's fancy, but it's still frozen pizza. But I 22 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: mean it works and it's easy, and I feel like 23 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: these times are hard. You know, it was so delicious 24 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: and sometimes especially in a pinch, I like that better 25 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: than I do like some of the chain pizzas, So 26 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: I'm okay with it. Yeah, it's funny because, um, a 27 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 1: couple a couple of weeks ago, I was at the 28 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: store and I like, go, I go at eight am 29 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: on a Wednesday or Thursday, because apparently that's when there's 30 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: the least people. So there's usually like ten people in 31 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: the whole thing. And uh, I'm used to having my 32 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: solitude getting in and that really quickly. And I was 33 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: restocking at my frozen food, and this woman asked me, uh, 34 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: are those any good? And I had like this box 35 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: of I had like an armful of frozen food. I 36 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 1: dropped in all of like screamed, she's scared. I wasn't 37 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: expecting anybody to talk to me, and I was like, 38 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:28,679 Speaker 1: you know, they're fine, Like I don't know, up the 39 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: are you? Are you one of those people who needs 40 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: a basket or a cart but doesn't get one? Because 41 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: this is this is what I do. I go in 42 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: the store and I'm like, I got two three things 43 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: I'm going to get, and then like I end up remember, 44 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: oh no, I need bacon soda too, and then I'm 45 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 1: out of a basket, and I'm trying to be like, 46 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: you know, but like you know, a world classed weightlifter 47 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 1: and might carry everything in my hands with the store. 48 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 1: I do that less now because I do shop for 49 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: like two weeks at a time. But I'm definitely somebody 50 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:04,920 Speaker 1: who would be like, I just need a basket, and 51 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 1: I clearly I needed more than a basket, and I'm 52 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 1: like holding it all in and I like walked to 53 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 1: the store too, So there's always that hanging over me. 54 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 1: I'm definitely one of those as well. I've learned my 55 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,080 Speaker 1: lesson that people. Last time, I literally had to just 56 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 1: put everything on the ground, go back to get a cart, 57 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: and then come back because it was such a like endeavor. 58 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: So because of that, since that, I've learned that lesson 59 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: and get the small cart because you know, just in case. Yeah, 60 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: my my older brother, uh, it was a bit of 61 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 1: a prankster and when he was in middle school, he 62 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: would um when we were at the store. He would 63 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: put items in other people's carts, just like random items, 64 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: and so I'm really paranoid about just like not keeping 65 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: an eye on my cart or Oh that's a good 66 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: trick though it's kind of like hard. It's very harmless. 67 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: And yeah, you get to the checkout, You're like, where, 68 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: I don't remember getting this bag of cheetah was sure? Yeah, okay. 69 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: I think that's what a lot of kids due to 70 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: their parents, like, they'll never notice these tin candy bars 71 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: that I put inside. I do like that trick too. Yeah, 72 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: you're like, I think you're so sly. Well this I 73 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 1: was turned into grocery talk. I like it. It does 74 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: consume a lot of my life now. I actually have 75 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: a journal of how long foods lasts. Good. Yeah, cabbage, 76 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 1: I've said it before us, Hey it again, it lasts forever. Yeah, 77 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: I'm not Yeah, good tip. Yeah yeah, I'm a pro 78 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: pro tip with the groceries these days. But we're not 79 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: just talking about crush. Who did you bring for us today? 80 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: You'ves today? We're gonna be talking about Cass Williams. So 81 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:52,479 Speaker 1: I know we talked about a little bit about her 82 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:56,720 Speaker 1: pronunciation before this, but I've heard different things on her pronunciations, 83 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: so cass Williams and Cathie Williams because it's also been 84 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,160 Speaker 1: spelled as Kathy Williams, So there's a little bit of 85 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: confusion around the actual spelling of her name, but I'm 86 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 1: just gonna go with cass A Williams for the rest 87 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: of this episode because a bunch of people have pronounced 88 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 1: it that way. So yeah, and she was the only 89 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: known black woman buffalo soldier, um, and a buffalo soldier 90 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: was just the name that Native Americans gave to black troops, um, 91 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 1: and she was. So she was the first black woman 92 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 1: with documented service in the U. S. Army, where everyone 93 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 1: assumed that she was a side mill at birth. UM. 94 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: So I'm just gonna say upfront that we don't know 95 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: cass Ay Williams's gender identity, Like, and I know y'all 96 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: know because y'all talk about so many people in the 97 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: past who have whose stories we know, but who we 98 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 1: don't have a lot of information about in terms of 99 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 1: what they said about their own lives. And that's the 100 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: case in Kathy Williams's story. There's a lot that's kind 101 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:54,919 Speaker 1: of up in the air, and there has been stuff 102 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: written about her and there has been interviews and stuff 103 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: like that, but it's it's not that extensive. Um, we 104 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: only know that she was aside female at birth and 105 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:05,599 Speaker 1: that she referred to herself as a woman in interviews, 106 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 1: but we don't know the ins and outs of her 107 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 1: gender identity, as is the case with people in the past, 108 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,720 Speaker 1: and um, yeah, that's the case in in her story 109 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 1: as well. Yeah. And actually we have briefly talked about 110 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: Kathy Williams before on a previous episode, and it was 111 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 1: an episode we did on a history of women dressing 112 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: as men to get into various fields they weren't allowed in, 113 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 1: And that's something we said in that one because you 114 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 1: can't it gets really tricky and murky because you can't 115 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 1: say for sure without having um the the history or 116 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: evidence of them, the person in question, what they what 117 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 1: they identified as. And even in that case, sometimes the 118 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 1: terminology just wasn't there or it's just tricky. So, yes, 119 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: that's a good disclaimer to put right at the top, right, 120 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 1: And I think that also, and I think we can 121 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 1: get into this a little bit later after we know 122 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: more about her story, but it also wraps into the 123 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,919 Speaker 1: conversation about first. So we're calling her the first woman 124 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: with documented service in the U. S. Army, And there's 125 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: the typical caveat of first, it's like, Okay, there's a 126 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: whole history behind first. There are other people who did this. 127 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: And a thing about this is as you already know 128 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 1: because you've done an episode about this, but that there 129 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 1: have been so many other people in the past, in 130 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: the Civil War and World War two and all kinds 131 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: of wars, and in militia's or of eighteen twelve that 132 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: also could have had various gender identities. There were trans 133 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: people who we know have served in the military, and 134 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: also people who cross dress who served in the military 135 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: and militia's and some of those people were likely um, 136 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 1: black women, you know, some of those people were um, 137 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: black queer people. So um, yeah, it's it's there's a 138 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,679 Speaker 1: long history of it. And for various reasons, those stories 139 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 1: wouldn't be known or documented or talked about because of privacy, 140 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: because of harm that could be done when those stories 141 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: are out, because of personal choices for whatever those choices 142 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: may be. Um, that person may have been determining their 143 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: own gender identity. I mean, it could be so many 144 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: different things. So yeah, it's the cavy. This is a big, big, 145 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: big astress on this this first, but um, we're gonna 146 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: roll with it because I think it's worth. I think 147 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: it's worth talking about Kathy Williams today. Yeah. Yeah, let's 148 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: you're you're ready to get into it. Yeah, let's do it. 149 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: So Kathy Williams was born to an enslaved mother and 150 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: a free father in Independence, Missouri. So, as I mentioned earlier, 151 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:37,199 Speaker 1: there's not a ton that's known about her life before 152 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: she enlisted in the U. S. Army, As is the 153 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 1: case with so many people, so many black people, specifically 154 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 1: in the United States. Her birth year is often cited 155 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: as eighteen forty four. It's also been cited as eighteen 156 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: forty two, um, but written record keeping was very neither 157 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 1: here nor there, like it's very all over the place 158 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 1: back in the day, um, and was often inaccurate as well. 159 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,439 Speaker 1: But that's around it's most often side as eighteen forty four. 160 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:07,839 Speaker 1: Many of the other basic facts of her early life 161 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:11,080 Speaker 1: are unknown as well and not known to have been recorded, 162 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: like the correct spelling of her name, So there is 163 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: just a bunch of murkiness in terms of her story, 164 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: and that in that way as well. But it has 165 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: been reported that she was enslaved by William Johnson, who 166 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: was a wealthy white farmer in Jefferson City. So I 167 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: think this is where, UM it's a good time to 168 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:36,559 Speaker 1: get into some of the historical context of her life. UM. 169 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: So we know that that. Well, let me not make 170 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 1: any assumptions, but UM, the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 171 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: eighteen sixty three by President Abraham Lincoln. That was during 172 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: the Civil War, and that emancipated some enslaved people, not 173 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: all enslaved people in the States. UM, and emancipated people 174 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: who UM in states that has succeeded from the United States, UM, 175 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: with many many caveats. And the Civil War lasted from 176 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:11,199 Speaker 1: sixty five. So there were Union forces that occupied Jefferson 177 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:15,839 Speaker 1: City in eighteen sixty one. Kathay Williams was freed. I'm 178 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 1: saying that with big air quotes by Union forces because 179 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,320 Speaker 1: the definition of freedom is so markie UM as well, 180 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 1: but by Union forces and taken as so called contraband 181 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: and contraband at the time, enslaved people are often referred 182 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 1: to as property. And so when enslaved people escaped, UM 183 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: from their enslavers and made it to the Union side. UM. 184 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:45,200 Speaker 1: Those people. Some of those people who ran away were 185 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: turned back, but some of them were who ran away 186 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 1: were taken captured by Union forces and were deemed this 187 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: quote unquote contraband, and they were forced to work as cooks, 188 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: as nurses, and as laborers and fortifications and various other jobs. 189 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: And of course they were exploited in that labor as well, 190 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:11,439 Speaker 1: So they were quote unquote free, but then they were 191 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 1: in turn forced to do labor and they were exploited 192 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:20,319 Speaker 1: for it. So Cassay Williams in this in this way 193 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: worked as a servant and as a cook and worked 194 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: laundering clothes, and she began traveling with the army across 195 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: the country and she was able to experience what life 196 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: was like for soldiers during her travels. We have a 197 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: lot more to discuss, listeners, but first we have equip 198 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 1: break for a word from our sponsor. We're back, thank 199 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 1: you sponsored. So just to add here to that, before 200 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 1: eight six three, many black men were allowed to unofficially 201 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: enlist um in the Union Army, though they were officially 202 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 1: prohibited from enlisting in the U. S. Army. So after 203 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 1: a lot of people's work who were in support of this, 204 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: including abolitionists who advocated for it, black people who were 205 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 1: forming their own infantry units, and the passing of this 206 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 1: thing called the Second Confiscation and Militia Act in eighteen 207 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: sixty two, in addition to the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation, 208 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 1: so a consortium of things, UM, the Union Army began 209 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:43,319 Speaker 1: actively pursuing the recruitment of black soldiers. There were black 210 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:47,560 Speaker 1: people who served ambolitias and in the military UM and 211 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: there's a history of women serving as nurses and that 212 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: sort of thing, but at this point it was when 213 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: black people were encouraged to enlist. So you might have 214 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 1: her at the term buffalo soldier in other contexts, but 215 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: they were black soldiers who served largely in the West 216 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,680 Speaker 1: just after the Civil War, because in eighteen sixty six, 217 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: the Army Reorganization Act authorized the creation of black regiments 218 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 1: with black enlisted men and white officers. So there's still 219 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 1: the element of hierarchy and uh supremacy, but there were 220 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 1: several black cavalry and infantry regiments that were established at 221 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 1: that point and serving in the army. Even though we 222 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:38,000 Speaker 1: mented the quote unquote contraband who were exploited for their labor. 223 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 1: It was work, and if you think about it in 224 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: context of what their lives and conditions were like while 225 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: they were an under enslavement. Um, there was money, there 226 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 1: was food, there was shelter, and serving in the army 227 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 1: had a lot of draw for enslaved people who were 228 00:13:55,520 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: newly freed, but at the same time, women were still 229 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 1: specifically forbidden from serving in the military. They contributed to 230 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 1: the war effort in other ways as nurses and cooks. 231 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: But more than four people who were assigned female at 232 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:16,080 Speaker 1: birth fought in the Union and Confederate armies during the 233 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: Civil War. So just to reiterate here that we can 234 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: only speculate at their gender identity because where it's not 235 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: known are explicitly stated. Um. So they would do things 236 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 1: like buying their breasts, cut their hair, and take different 237 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: names to be able to participate in the army. So 238 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: there's a long history of people who cross dressed in 239 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: a long history of people trans people in the military 240 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: and the militias in the U S generally, But um 241 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: Cathay Williams enlisted in St. Louis in November of eighteen 242 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 1: sixty six under the name William Cathy or William Cathay. Yeah, 243 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: I love it. I love its true. I don't think 244 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: I guess I could have gone with Reese. I couldn't 245 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: be Reese. Any good doesn't work. No, I like it. 246 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: I like it all right. I like looking off into 247 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: the distance as you say, like, what could she an? 248 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 1: I actually really like that. I tried really really hard 249 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: to get Reese to stick, uh, and it didn't. And 250 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: then I tried really really hard to get my middle name, 251 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 1: Hollis to stick, and then it backfired because kids are mean. Um, 252 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 1: So you know, maybe a pen name in the future, 253 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: I'll just switch. I'm here for it. This is a 254 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: fun conversation. Uh. Yeah. So her enlistment papers have her 255 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 1: at twenty two years old at the time. They said 256 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: that she had black eyes, black hair, and black complexion, 257 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 1: and was five nine inches tall, which was something that 258 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: worked in her favor at the time because the way 259 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: they described physical exams it seems like they weren't that 260 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 1: extensive UM and that being tall was a plus on 261 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 1: the short list of things that got people to be 262 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 1: able to be UM enlisted. So she might have joined 263 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 1: the army because it allowed her to have a better 264 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: life than what she would have had otherwise, and that 265 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: it would have also allowed her to live independently, which 266 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 1: is something that she stated that she wanted in her 267 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: life to be able to do her own thing, make 268 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: her own money, and support herself. She enlisted voluntarily for 269 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: a three year term, but she only starved for a 270 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: little more than two years in the thirty eight U. S. 271 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: Infantry Company A, which was a black unit. She went 272 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: with her regiment to Fort Riley, to Fort Harker, to 273 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 1: Fort Union and Fort Cummings in New Mexico. Um and 274 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 1: life was tough like it was for other people. The 275 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: environment was rough, um, there was racism, and then they 276 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:07,159 Speaker 1: faced illnesses like cholera, so things coming from many directions. 277 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,679 Speaker 1: But while she was serving, she actually caught smallpox and 278 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 1: other illnesses and was frequently hospitalized. And while she was 279 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: in Fort Bayern in New Mexico, she was diagnosed with neuralgia, 280 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: which is pain caused by irritated or damaged nerve. Yeah, 281 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 1: so this is the thing that is prominent in her story, 282 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 1: just like her frequently being in the hospital and talking 283 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:39,199 Speaker 1: about the illnesses that she had and what her condition was. 284 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 1: And in October of eighteen sixty eight, she was discharged 285 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 1: from the army. Um. There was a story about Kes 286 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:52,680 Speaker 1: Williams that was published in the St. Louis Daily Times 287 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:56,439 Speaker 1: in January of nineteen seventy six. Um she said that 288 00:17:56,560 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 1: she quote got tired and it to get off, meaning 289 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 1: that you get out of the army. So she quote 290 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: plate sick um and so she reported pains in her 291 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 1: side and rheumatism and her knees. And she also said 292 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: that the post surgeon quote found out I was a woman, 293 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 1: and I got my discharge. The men all wanted to 294 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: get rid of me after they found out I was 295 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: a woman. Some of them acted real bad to me. 296 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: So it's not really clear what she meant by real bad. Yeah, 297 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 1: that's so disheartening, you know. Yeah, when someone finds out 298 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,439 Speaker 1: your your gender or how you identifying and then they 299 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 1: just all turn on you. Presumably you would have had 300 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: some friends or something in this their soldiers, and usually 301 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 1: there's a bonds that form. But yeah, doesn't sound like 302 00:18:54,480 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 1: too many people stuck by Cathay's side. Yeah, it's a 303 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 1: lot that's left to the imagination there, So not really 304 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 1: clear what real bad means. How many people knew how that, 305 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 1: how how that happened? You know, what the actual instance 306 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: of finding quote unquote finding out you know, mint to 307 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: mint and what that looks like. So but yeah, just 308 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,360 Speaker 1: the men saying the men all wanted to get rid 309 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:28,639 Speaker 1: of me, could have could have been ostensibly could have 310 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 1: been something that could have been very violent, you know. Um, 311 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 1: so I'm not really sure about that. But her discharge 312 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: papers used masculine pronounce to refer to her. There is 313 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: no evidence that she ever saw direct combat during her 314 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: years in the thirty eight And then after she was discharged, 315 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 1: she became a cook at Fort Union and later moved 316 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 1: to Pointblo, Colorado. So yeah, that's her story kind of 317 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:01,440 Speaker 1: heads back in that direction after her time spent in 318 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:05,920 Speaker 1: the military, and there are stories of her helping out 319 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 1: her fellow soldiers and stuff like that, but has been 320 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: said that a lot of it could be inflated in 321 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:15,200 Speaker 1: order to make her into this kind of heroic figure. Yeah, 322 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 1: but she married a man. There's there's a story of 323 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 1: her marrying a man and he robbed her and she 324 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: had him arrested. Um, we're Samantha and I are nothing. Yes, 325 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: have him arrested. Yes, it was like I got the 326 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: real time reaction to the story. Her head. No, the 327 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: whole together were yes. Um. Yeah, So her toes were 328 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 1: amputated at a point and she walked with a crutch. Um. 329 00:20:57,119 --> 00:21:00,640 Speaker 1: And she applied for a disability pension based her military 330 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 1: service around after she was hospitalized. Her request for pension 331 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:09,879 Speaker 1: was not approved um, unlike other women who have previously 332 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: or who had otherwise served in the military who who 333 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 1: did get pension. But the pension bureau says she didn't 334 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 1: have a disability and that her discharge certificate said that 335 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: her condition predated her time in the military, so she 336 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: was ineligible. But at this point, the details of the 337 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: rest of her life are fuzzy and pretty much unknown. 338 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 1: Her exact date of death is unknown, um, but it 339 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:40,359 Speaker 1: was believed that she died shortly after her pension was 340 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 1: denied or sometime between. Dred. She is upsetting because that 341 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: is I mean, I don't know how accurate this is, 342 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 1: but it gives me the impression she could have perhaps 343 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:57,680 Speaker 1: lived longer if that hadn't been denied. Yeah. I think 344 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,200 Speaker 1: that that's definitely kind of how this story with the 345 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 1: story leads us to believe, because there's so much missing 346 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 1: in between. Um. But yeah, and knowing what we do, 347 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 1: I guess about I mean, I guess we still don't 348 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 1: even really know that much about how much her illness 349 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: has affected her, but um, yeah, it's I really do 350 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 1: wish that that a lot of that stuff was was 351 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: known um about her life, because it's unclear what happened then, 352 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,439 Speaker 1: and we're also not sure exactly how she looked, Like 353 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 1: there are some guesses how she looked, but not sure 354 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:37,480 Speaker 1: exactly how she looked um. And people have also going 355 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:42,679 Speaker 1: back to the point about, you know, her reports and 356 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: tales of her heroic acts. I think people have called 357 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:50,199 Speaker 1: into question the significance of her legacy in general and 358 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: like inflating her like they're inflating her status to this 359 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: larger than life heroic figure and saying that other black 360 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 1: women likely did the same same thing at the time 361 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 1: and just didn't have their words documented, which probably is 362 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:09,439 Speaker 1: the case. Um saying that stories of her heroic acts 363 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: with fellow soldiers have been really played up. But there's 364 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:18,479 Speaker 1: also the viewpoint that she didn't have to be a 365 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:21,720 Speaker 1: hero or you know, flip the world upside down to 366 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:27,640 Speaker 1: be talked about today like we're talking about her today. Yeah, yeah, 367 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,200 Speaker 1: I would say that. I mean, we don't we don't 368 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 1: hear a lot of these stories in any case. UM, 369 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: And as as we often say, when you bring us 370 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 1: these women eves, it's always kind of like, well, ha, 371 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: I hadn't I heard of this person earlier? UM. Yeah, 372 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 1: And it's good to paint like a broader picture of 373 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 1: just people who were doing these things. UM. It could 374 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 1: be nice to have if if, in fact, which definitely 375 00:23:57,520 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 1: is the case, that more people were doing this, more 376 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 1: women were doing this, UM, and trans people and all 377 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 1: all of that, it would be nice to have like 378 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:11,359 Speaker 1: that broader picture. But we're just missing so much history 379 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: and so much information, right. I think one of the 380 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 1: big things to these stories is it's not it's not 381 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 1: just a story, and it's not something that was to 382 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 1: them significant necessarily, Like there's probably more women and more 383 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: trans and more quit women that were doing these things 384 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 1: just because there was no other option, kind of like 385 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 1: how we UM talk about sometimes with kids in military today, 386 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:35,959 Speaker 1: which is not at all the same situation, but they 387 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,000 Speaker 1: don't know a better option. And for that time, we 388 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 1: don't know exactly where she was or where people were 389 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:46,680 Speaker 1: in their lives that they had to. And I can't imagine, 390 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:52,119 Speaker 1: especially during the Civil War, when your role is defined 391 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 1: in such a minute way anyway, and you've been dismissed 392 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:58,879 Speaker 1: as an actual person, as actually human for so long 393 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 1: that you're having to trying to put yourself somehow. So 394 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: the significance that she could endure so much during this 395 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: time alone is historical. Yeah, yeah, I think. So. We 396 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: do have a little bit more for you listeners, but 397 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 1: first we have one more cup break for a word 398 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: from our sponsors, and we're back to thank you sponsors. 399 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 1: People's stories are complex, and I think that, uh, of 400 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 1: course we should think about how we remember people, like 401 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:43,960 Speaker 1: of course, like I feel like that's what we talked 402 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 1: about in first, because um, there there are so many 403 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 1: social implications of what a first is like there's there's 404 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: already enough around that, so I think, um, I do 405 00:25:55,640 --> 00:26:00,119 Speaker 1: try to be careful around treat exalting a person, are 406 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:02,440 Speaker 1: putting a person on the pedestal just because they are first, 407 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: because there are a lot of first that people and 408 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:06,719 Speaker 1: not Like I think it's obvious to everyone who's been 409 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:10,280 Speaker 1: listening to this series so far that like, most of 410 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 1: the people have done good things we would consider quote 411 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:20,520 Speaker 1: unquote good are morally good or um technically really cool 412 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:30,119 Speaker 1: and official term officially cool and definitely keeping it in 413 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 1: that room because there are a lot of first that 414 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:35,679 Speaker 1: we don't and wouldn't speak about that are you know, 415 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 1: different contextually. Um. But also trying not to even though 416 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,960 Speaker 1: these people are doing quote officially cool things, that that 417 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 1: doesn't mean that that their entire lives were ones that 418 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:51,400 Speaker 1: we should model hours after or want to model hours after, 419 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:56,880 Speaker 1: or that we should even treat them as heroes because 420 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 1: of things like stories that weren't documented, you know, because 421 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:05,360 Speaker 1: of things like people are whole people that like their 422 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 1: career wasn't the entirety of their biography. Um. So yeah, 423 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 1: we we should definitely And and also a thing that 424 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 1: I will say is that, I mean we we leave 425 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:18,919 Speaker 1: it up to ourselves and to people once they have 426 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:20,879 Speaker 1: the stories, to take with it and do what they 427 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 1: want to. There's only so many hours in a day 428 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:26,879 Speaker 1: and years in a life to be able to study 429 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: people's biography. So it is like, if you're inspired by 430 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:33,760 Speaker 1: this story and then cool, maybe you want to learn 431 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:35,359 Speaker 1: a bit a little bit more about it or about 432 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:39,000 Speaker 1: the context of it, or about similar people. And if 433 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:44,199 Speaker 1: it's not your cup of tea, then don't don't roll 434 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:50,040 Speaker 1: with it, but the cup get another cup. Um, maybe 435 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:52,800 Speaker 1: some coffees did if you were at the cost if 436 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: you want the caffeine, I'm tea person. But yeah, so yeah, 437 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:00,359 Speaker 1: And I think there are a lot of ways in 438 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 1: which it's just really interesting about who we choose to 439 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,359 Speaker 1: talk about and who we choosed to remember and sort 440 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 1: of focus on. And I feel many ways about about 441 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:16,639 Speaker 1: the situation, specifically around Kathy Williams, because I'm not a 442 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:20,200 Speaker 1: historian of her life or historian period, but I think 443 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:24,159 Speaker 1: I have the grace, Like I think that I have 444 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:27,399 Speaker 1: the grace to be able to say that I have 445 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 1: a right to feel at a way about it, just personally. 446 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:33,000 Speaker 1: And it just kind of reeks of only wanting to 447 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:37,119 Speaker 1: give black women and black people the bare minimum, kind 448 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 1: of just like the idea that so many black stories 449 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:41,720 Speaker 1: are unworthy of telling and they have to hit this 450 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 1: certain point to be able to be worthy of telling. 451 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 1: And it's just like so many stories like williams Is 452 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 1: have gone untold, um and there's not really a need 453 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:55,480 Speaker 1: to embellish or make it more than it was. But 454 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 1: I'm cool with that, Like I'm cool with an okay story. 455 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:01,480 Speaker 1: I might be a little bit more bluesy when it 456 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:03,360 Speaker 1: comes to actual film. I am not cool with an 457 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 1: okay story if I'm wan television story. But I was 458 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:11,120 Speaker 1: gonna say, you don't like the based on story versions 459 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 1: based on the true story? Um yeah, but it's you 460 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 1: don't need to embellish it. But we can still uplift 461 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 1: her story. It doesn't have to be we don't have 462 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 1: to put on a pillastal necessarily. And I'm here for 463 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 1: telling stories. I'm here for telling the stories of black 464 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 1: people that may have been mediocre at what they did. 465 00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 1: You know, like being a first and being mediocre aren't 466 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:41,520 Speaker 1: necessarily mutually exclusive. I mean that's true. To work out 467 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 1: the you know, you have to work out the details 468 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 1: and get it right for the next person. Yeah. Yeah, 469 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 1: And I think it's wrapped into kind of this expectation 470 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:53,240 Speaker 1: for black folks to be superhuman, and when they fall 471 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 1: short of that, we might as well not even you know, 472 00:29:55,280 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 1: you might as well just throw them in the trash 473 00:29:56,640 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: can of history. Um yeah. So like all that said 474 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 1: to going back to the first thing, it's like we 475 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:05,880 Speaker 1: can take first with the grain of salt. We can 476 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,720 Speaker 1: we can just treat them as an entry point. Um. 477 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 1: And in contemporary terms, like Cathy Williams's time during that time, 478 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 1: she may not have been that remarkable like they're very 479 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 1: well could have been, and probably where other black women 480 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:23,160 Speaker 1: who did the same thing. And even if we knew 481 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:25,920 Speaker 1: a little bit more or a lot more about Cathay 482 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 1: Williams's story then compared those to other black women UM 483 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: or black queer people who served in the military at 484 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 1: the time, maybe hers wasn't as didn't have as many 485 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 1: twists and turns. Who knows, UM, And she may not 486 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 1: have even been the first, you know, but the the 487 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 1: first document is what we have, UM, So you can 488 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:50,080 Speaker 1: decide for yourself whose story is we're delving into for 489 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 1: you personally, and that can be what it is, you know, 490 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: that could be what it is. I think a lot 491 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:00,720 Speaker 1: of these stories that we say and that you bring 492 00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 1: to us, it's not necessarily what we're talking about as 493 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:06,959 Speaker 1: the individual, but kind of the connotation of society at 494 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 1: that time and even at this time, of who they're 495 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:11,800 Speaker 1: willing to talk about, who they're willing to acknowledge, and 496 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:14,760 Speaker 1: how they're willing to acknowledge it. That's also the bigger 497 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 1: not a bigger, but that's also a significant impact to 498 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:20,160 Speaker 1: these stories. It's not so much that not always trying 499 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:22,240 Speaker 1: to find out big stories. It's just that they're unwilling 500 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 1: to tell the story. So trying to get that story 501 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: to begin with, you have to garner that interest, which 502 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 1: is absurd in itself, because yeah, it doesn't have to 503 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 1: be uh, you know, I blew up a whole tank 504 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 1: or you know, a village and rescued all these people 505 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 1: and blah blah blah. You know that type of story 506 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:40,360 Speaker 1: to be significant. You watched that story I got. I'm 507 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 1: gonna start this one, um, but you know, those big 508 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:46,600 Speaker 1: significance to be heard or to be seen and the 509 00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 1: problem of what was happening at that point in time 510 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:54,120 Speaker 1: and again her life kind of turning into dissipating essentially 511 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 1: and not going exactly what happened with whom and her 512 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: being not being the first, but she's just being the 513 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 1: first to be noticed. And it is again like an 514 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 1: impact of like what society is trying to say, is 515 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 1: it significant? Isn't m h um and and we that's 516 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 1: something we still talk about today when as you were saying, 517 00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 1: Eves that to me, like say a movie with all 518 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 1: women casts are all black cast, are all black women cast? 519 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:26,680 Speaker 1: Comes out and there's so much pressure on it to 520 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 1: perform well and be this amazing thing or else they'll 521 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:33,560 Speaker 1: never make another one again, whereas there's just movie after 522 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:38,240 Speaker 1: movie after movie that's just mediocre white dudes, and there's 523 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:41,520 Speaker 1: not that same level of it of expectation. And I 524 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:44,000 Speaker 1: would love to live in a world where you know, 525 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 1: there's tons of mediocre movies of all kinds. Yeah, well, 526 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:59,680 Speaker 1: I mean horror movie mind Dalvin. Yeah, yeah, so I 527 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:03,120 Speaker 1: have definitely with you on on all these points, Eves 528 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:06,680 Speaker 1: that I'm glad that you brought this story story to 529 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 1: us today. Yeah. It also reminds me if anyone is 530 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:15,960 Speaker 1: a nerd like me and likes writing prompts, I have 531 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:19,520 Speaker 1: one for you because when I took the g I e. 532 00:33:20,200 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 1: Thes ago Um, there was a writing essay promp where 533 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:29,080 Speaker 1: it was can heroes ever exist in a world where 534 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:32,600 Speaker 1: you know almost everything about them? And I still think 535 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 1: about that to this day. I still think about it. Well, 536 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,760 Speaker 1: that's because cancel culture quote unquote cancel culture and calling 537 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 1: in and calling out and all of that. I feel 538 00:33:42,280 --> 00:33:45,920 Speaker 1: like it's wrapped up in that, and it's easy to 539 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:49,240 Speaker 1: slap that into the conversation as well. Yeah, I mean 540 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:53,640 Speaker 1: that's true because this was definitely a decade ago, I think, 541 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 1: so I would have even more new thoughts. Maybe I'll 542 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 1: take my own essay prompt, well where did you land? Like? 543 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:03,360 Speaker 1: I don't know if you can articulate that simply right 544 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:05,880 Speaker 1: now or you need that, you need the pen in 545 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 1: the paper to get that out. But I can't. I 546 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:15,440 Speaker 1: can't be as prolific and beautifully written as that was. 547 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:19,319 Speaker 1: But I believe what I arrived at was there. There 548 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:23,120 Speaker 1: can be no heroes in the terms that I think 549 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:24,839 Speaker 1: a lot of people think of them, but if we 550 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:32,880 Speaker 1: change how we define hero that they can definitely still exist. Um. Basically, 551 00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:39,320 Speaker 1: it's harder because UH people are if you know everything 552 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:41,040 Speaker 1: about them, they're going to let you down in some ways. 553 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:46,319 Speaker 1: That's just x um. But that doesn't mean that they 554 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:51,080 Speaker 1: can't be a champion for UH causes you believe in 555 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:55,000 Speaker 1: and helping out others and uplifting others and what their 556 00:34:55,040 --> 00:35:00,239 Speaker 1: actions can help others. And that's in my opinion heroic. Yeah, 557 00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 1: I feel that, but this is probably a whole whole 558 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 1: other conversation. But I do think it's still relevant to 559 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:08,200 Speaker 1: get they Williams. Since we were getting into the hero 560 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 1: talk but it's easy to react viscerally and emotionally to 561 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:15,799 Speaker 1: that one thing in a person's life that may turn 562 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:18,400 Speaker 1: you all from all of the other acts you considered, 563 00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:24,880 Speaker 1: even if it's not logical, if it's not, if it doesn't, 564 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:28,440 Speaker 1: if you still know deep inside that you respect that 565 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 1: person for the other contributions that they have made to 566 00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:34,440 Speaker 1: the world, into society's and maybe to your own community, 567 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:37,160 Speaker 1: and maybe to you specifically, that if you learn something 568 00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:40,440 Speaker 1: about someone that just kind of taints their whole history, 569 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:43,120 Speaker 1: are all the things that they've done, it's hard to 570 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:44,960 Speaker 1: brush that aside because it just lives in the pit 571 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,920 Speaker 1: of you. And sometimes you can't, and sometimes you shouldn't. 572 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 1: You shouldn't is a weird word, but sometimes you should. 573 00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:54,000 Speaker 1: Definitely you should not dismiss a thing. You should have 574 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:56,839 Speaker 1: to using a lot of ships. I feel like I 575 00:35:56,880 --> 00:35:59,759 Speaker 1: would think you have to sit with that, into you 576 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 1: with that. Yeah, so they're complicated, you know, issues to 577 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:07,880 Speaker 1: end on this. That's the opposite realm where they just 578 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:10,440 Speaker 1: turn a blind eye to everything because you want them 579 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:14,800 Speaker 1: to be the ultimate heroes. Therefore, not only to excuse them, 580 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:18,439 Speaker 1: you will not allow for others to see anything beyond that. Either, 581 00:36:18,680 --> 00:36:21,080 Speaker 1: and that is the opposite of that, and you this 582 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 1: hero worship, this god worship of people who are very, 583 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:30,000 Speaker 1: very fallible. Yeah, oh yeah, this is very simple of me. 584 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:32,640 Speaker 1: But this just remaded me of like my favorite musicians 585 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:36,319 Speaker 1: who can do no wrong. In my eyes, I don't 586 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:39,160 Speaker 1: really like that album, but I don't care. You know, 587 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:41,680 Speaker 1: the album like had a lot of songs that I 588 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:45,400 Speaker 1: sk it, but you know, I don't see it, you 589 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:51,640 Speaker 1: don't see it. I don't know. I love this really. 590 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:56,920 Speaker 1: Kathay Williams has brought up a lot of yeah, well 591 00:36:57,160 --> 00:37:00,640 Speaker 1: theoretical ideas. Yeah, I would love I'm gonna I'm gonna 592 00:37:00,680 --> 00:37:03,720 Speaker 1: think more on this hero essay now that I'm older, 593 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:05,839 Speaker 1: and I would love if for listeners, you know, if 594 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:10,839 Speaker 1: you're looking for an essay prompt sending, Oh I had 595 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 1: a little bit more, I'm sorry. Oh it's probably not much. 596 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:18,440 Speaker 1: It's not much. We're okay much, But I just want 597 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 1: to add this just contextually, just for the story. I mean, 598 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:24,920 Speaker 1: there's a lot that we can study and think about 599 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:28,520 Speaker 1: today in terms of gender in the military. Um, there 600 00:37:28,520 --> 00:37:32,719 Speaker 1: are topical, very relevant issues today. UM that I think 601 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:37,520 Speaker 1: that Cathay Williams's story can lead to um, and also 602 00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:40,920 Speaker 1: think about in terms of contemporary times when Cathy Williams 603 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:44,240 Speaker 1: was alive, the fact that she and other quote unquote 604 00:37:44,280 --> 00:37:47,719 Speaker 1: contraband we're freed and then exploited to labor by the 605 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:50,440 Speaker 1: supposed or who we would think of as the good 606 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:53,280 Speaker 1: white people, like the good the people who we considered 607 00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:57,000 Speaker 1: to be morally upstanding. And what's that means um for 608 00:37:57,080 --> 00:38:00,120 Speaker 1: you and generally what it means to have served for 609 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:03,880 Speaker 1: the US um as a black person, whether it was 610 00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:07,359 Speaker 1: out of principle or the need to survive, so whether 611 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:08,759 Speaker 1: it was a moral thing for you or whether it 612 00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:13,279 Speaker 1: was existential thing for you. So it's very complicated. And 613 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:16,319 Speaker 1: also want to say that it wasn't until nineteen when 614 00:38:16,320 --> 00:38:19,520 Speaker 1: the Women's arm Service Integration Act allowed women to serve 615 00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:22,960 Speaker 1: as permanent regular members of the Armed forces in all 616 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:27,440 Speaker 1: branches of the military. So in the end, Cathay Williams 617 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:32,240 Speaker 1: has gotten recognition regardless of the complications around her legacy. 618 00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:35,239 Speaker 1: In terms of twenty six she was honored with the 619 00:38:35,320 --> 00:38:39,080 Speaker 1: bronze bust in Kansas outside of the Richard Allen Cultural 620 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:44,440 Speaker 1: Center and they declared Friday, July sixteen Cathy Williams Day. 621 00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:48,319 Speaker 1: So that's something um to to mention in terms of 622 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:50,759 Speaker 1: how we think about her legacy and and how she 623 00:38:50,840 --> 00:38:58,239 Speaker 1: was recognized. But yeah, that's all I got that absolutely. UM, 624 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:01,000 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you for very this story to us 625 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:07,319 Speaker 1: and having an early Wednesday morning chat. Uh. Where can 626 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:10,640 Speaker 1: the good listeners find you? You can find me online 627 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:13,399 Speaker 1: on Twitter I'm at Eves Jeff Code. On Instagram I'm 628 00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:15,879 Speaker 1: at not Apologizing. You can also listen to me on 629 00:39:15,920 --> 00:39:18,840 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class, which is a daily show 630 00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:22,759 Speaker 1: about history that talks about not Cathay Williams specifically, but 631 00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:27,360 Speaker 1: other people in history who have interesting stories and um, 632 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:30,439 Speaker 1: other events that happen in history. And also Unpopular, which 633 00:39:30,480 --> 00:39:34,279 Speaker 1: is a show about people who were often persecuted for 634 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:37,000 Speaker 1: standing up for the things that they believed in. And 635 00:39:37,120 --> 00:39:42,120 Speaker 1: you can learn about other cool biographies and histories there. 636 00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:48,399 Speaker 1: Technically cool, technically cool. I'm going to use that in 637 00:39:48,440 --> 00:39:54,399 Speaker 1: my every day now, so thanks for that as well. UM, 638 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:58,200 Speaker 1: And you can email us listeners send your essays about 639 00:39:58,239 --> 00:40:02,200 Speaker 1: heroes are away. Um. Our email is Stuff Media mom 640 00:40:02,239 --> 00:40:04,520 Speaker 1: Stuff at i heeart media dot com. You can find 641 00:40:04,560 --> 00:40:06,400 Speaker 1: us on Instagram at Stuff I've Never Told You are 642 00:40:06,440 --> 00:40:08,719 Speaker 1: on Twitter at mom Stuff Podcast. Thanks as always to 643 00:40:08,719 --> 00:40:12,040 Speaker 1: our super producer Andrew Howard, thank you and thanks to 644 00:40:12,080 --> 00:40:14,160 Speaker 1: you for listening stuff I never told you his production 645 00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:16,359 Speaker 1: of I Heart Radio. For more podcast from My Heart Radio, 646 00:40:16,480 --> 00:40:19,080 Speaker 1: visit I Heard Radio app, Apple podcast or revery. Listen 647 00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:20,000 Speaker 1: to favorite ships,