1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Hello, everyone, it's Eves checking in here to let you 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: know that you're going to be hearing two different events 3 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: in history in this episode. They're both good, if I 4 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: do say so myself. On with the show. What's up everyone? 5 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to this Day in History class, where we bring 6 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:25,639 Speaker 1: you a new tidbit from history every day. The day 7 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: was a eighteen sixty five, Just weeks after the Civil 8 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:35,520 Speaker 1: War ended and President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, a steamboat 9 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 1: called the Sultana exploded while it traveled along the Mississippi 10 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: River near Memphis, Tennessee. The incident was largely overshadowed by 11 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: all the news related to the war, but around eighteen 12 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 1: hundred people die because of the explosion, making it the 13 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: deadliest maritime disaster and United States history. The two hundred 14 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: and sixty foot long Sultana the side Will steamboat built 15 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: in Cincinnati, Ohio, in eighteen sixty three. The boat's main 16 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 1: route was from St. Louis to New Orleans, and it 17 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: began its career on February third, eighteen sixty three, when 18 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:17,680 Speaker 1: it launched from Cincinnati. The Sultana was supposed to be 19 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,839 Speaker 1: used in the cotton trade, but it was often contracted 20 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: for cargo and troop transport during the Civil War. On 21 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 1: a eighteen sixty five, the Sultana left New Orleans found 22 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 1: for St. Louis. At this point, the ship was carrying 23 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: over a hundred passengers plus livestock. Two days later, the 24 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 1: Sultana docked in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to deal with issues one 25 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: of its boilers was having While there, the steamboat was 26 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: contracted to carry Union prisoners of war from Confederate prisons 27 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,559 Speaker 1: like those at Andersonville and Cahaba into the North. Union Army. 28 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: Captain George Williams, who was in charge of the operation, 29 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: worried the prisoners were going to be transferred to other boats, 30 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: so he ordered that all the POWs at the parole 31 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: camp in hospital in Vicksburg we put on the Sultana. 32 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 1: Captain Mason decided to do a quick repair on the boiler, 33 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: even though the mechanics that the boiler was not safe 34 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: and needed more extensive repairs, but Mason had to keep 35 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: the boat moving and fulfill the government contract. Even though 36 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:26,959 Speaker 1: the boat had a carrying capacity of only three hundred 37 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 1: and seventy six passengers and eight five crew members, more 38 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: than two thousand people were stuffed onto the boat. That's 39 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: because the government was paying per head for troops that 40 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: made the trip. Each enlisted man was worth five dollars, 41 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: and each officer was worth ten dollars. The more people 42 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: on board, the more money army officials and the captain, 43 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:52,959 Speaker 1: Jay cass Mason would get. As the Sultana went north 44 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: in the Mississippi, the boat's large load and the river's 45 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:00,799 Speaker 1: fast current caused by melted snow, made the boilers work overtime. 46 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 1: On ap the boat docked at Memphis to get more cold, 47 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 1: and between midnight and one am the next day, the 48 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: Sultana left the port. At two in the morning, when 49 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 1: the boat was only several miles north of Memphis, the 50 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: shadily repaired boiler blew up. Soon two of the other 51 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 1: three boilers also exploded. Soldiers from Kentucky and Tennessee were 52 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: some of the first to die because they were so 53 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 1: close to the boilers. The Sultana burst into flames, and 54 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: the destruction continued from there. The boat's twin smokestacks gave way, 55 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: killing people. As the fire spread, people jumped into the river. 56 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: A lot of the people who did jump could not 57 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: swim or were too weak to do so, and they 58 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: died in the water. Many died of hypothermia. Many people 59 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: who survived the fire died later from their burns. After 60 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: a survivor reached Memphis and alerted Centuries to the disaster, 61 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 1: rescue vessels were sent to the scene. The steamer at 62 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: Bostonia two got to the Sultana around three am, and 63 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: more vessels showed up after that. Some of the people 64 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: on the Sultana managed to survive, but the death toll 65 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: is estimated at about one thousand, eight hundred people. Military 66 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: commissions were formed to investigate the disaster, and it was 67 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: found that the faulty boilers and overcrowding were the main 68 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 1: causes of the explosion. Rumors popped up that the explosion 69 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 1: was sabotage due to a bomb. Are still called cold 70 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:38,039 Speaker 1: torpedo and iron casting filled with explosives and covered in 71 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 1: coal dust, but these stories are not verifiable. Captain Mason 72 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: died in the disaster, but Captain Frederick Speed was charged 73 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:50,039 Speaker 1: with putting too many troops on the boat at Vicksburg 74 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: and found guilty of neglect, though that verdict was later overturned. Ultimately, 75 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: no one was held responsible for the catastrophe. I'm Eaves, 76 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:04,799 Speaker 1: Jeff Coo, and hopefully you know a little more about 77 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: history today than you did yesterday. If you want to 78 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: learn more about the Sultana explosion, listen to the episode 79 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 1: of Stuff you Missed in History Class called the s 80 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: s Sultana. If there are any upcoming days in history 81 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 1: that you'd really like me to cover on the show, 82 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,599 Speaker 1: give us a shower on social media at t d 83 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 1: I h C podcast. We'll be back with more history tomorrow. 84 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, I'm Eaves and welcome to this Day History Class, 85 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 1: a podcast where we tear a page out of the 86 00:05:45,960 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 1: book of history every day. The day was April eight, 87 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 1: eight two. Writer Jesse Redman Fosette was born in Camden, 88 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: New Jersey. Fosette was the literary editor of the journal 89 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 1: The Crisis and an important figure in the Harlem Renaissance. 90 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 1: Jesse was a seventh child born to Redman and Annie Fosette. 91 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 1: Her mother died soon after she was born. Her father 92 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: then moved to Philadelphia and married Bella Huff, who had 93 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 1: three of her own children. Together, Redman and Bella had 94 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 1: three more children. Jesse graduated with honors from Philadelphia High 95 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 1: School for Girls Jesse got a scholarship to Cornell University, 96 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 1: where she majored in classical languages. She graduated from the 97 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 1: university in nineteen o five. Because she was black, the 98 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,599 Speaker 1: city of Philadelphia would not hire her to teach in 99 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:51,039 Speaker 1: the public school system, so she taught at Douglas High 100 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: School in Baltimore for a year. Then she moved to Washington, 101 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 1: d c. To teach French and Latin at a high 102 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: school for fourteen years. Fosette again to write for the 103 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,159 Speaker 1: inn Double A CPS magazine, The Crisis in nineteen twelve. 104 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: The Double A CP or the National Association for the 105 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 1: Advancement of Colored People, is a civil rights organization that 106 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: was formed in nineteen o nine. In nineteen ten, The 107 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: Crisis was founded with W. E. B. Du Bois as 108 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: the editor and co founder. Fo Set published several short stories, poems, articles, 109 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 1: and book reviews in The Crisis before she became literary 110 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: editor of the journal in nineteen nineteen. She moved to 111 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: New York to take the position, and until ninety six 112 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: she took over a lot of do Boys's work at 113 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: The Crisis. During her time there, she lectured and traveled 114 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: around the world. As literary editor she brought a lot 115 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: of writers who were just starting off in their careers 116 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: to the spotlight. Some of those people were Langston Hughes 117 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 1: and Spencer, Gene Tumor, Claude McKay, and County Cullen. These 118 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: writers became important figures in the Harlem Renaissance, and fo 119 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: set herself continued to write for Crisis. For instance, her 120 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: essay The Gift of Laughter focused on black actors and stereotyping, 121 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: and from nineteen twenty to nineteen twenty one she wrote 122 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: hundreds of signed and unsigned stories, poems, and articles for 123 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,119 Speaker 1: a monthly magazine for black children called The Brownies Book. 124 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: Folsette also published several novels, inspired by the lack of 125 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: fully formed depictions of black life in fiction at the time. 126 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: Her first was there As Confusion, published in nineteen twenty four. 127 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: Folsett's novels were known for their portrayals of middle class 128 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:35,839 Speaker 1: black life. Her second novel, plum Bun, was published in 129 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: nineteen eight. Folsette left The Crisis in nineteen twenty six 130 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: and began teaching French at a high school in the Bronx. 131 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 1: She married Herbert Harris in nineteen nine. The couple later 132 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 1: moved to New Jersey, where they lived until his death 133 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: in nineteen fifty eight. Folsette then moved back to Philadelphia 134 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: to live with her brother, where she lived until she 135 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,839 Speaker 1: died in nineteen sixty one. Over the course of her life, 136 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: opened new pathways for black literature and promoted more honest 137 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: and realistic depictions of black people. I'm Eves Jeff Cote 138 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: and hopefully you know a little more about history today 139 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: than you did yesterday. And if you have any comments 140 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: are suggestions, you can send them to us via social 141 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 1: media at t d I h C Podcast. You can 142 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:24,559 Speaker 1: also send us a note via email at this Day 143 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: at iHeart media dot com. Thanks again for listening and 144 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: we'll see you tomorrow. For more podcasts for my heart Radio, 145 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 146 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.