WEBVTT - IDKMYDE: Stolen Lands

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<v Speaker 1>On today's episode. If I didn't know, maybe you didn't either.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's talk about stolen lands in your state. I'm talking

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<v Speaker 1>about entire black towns that were built from the ground up,

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<v Speaker 1>not just neighborhoods. I mean whole towns stolen. I'll explain,

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't know. I didn't know. I didn't know. I

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<v Speaker 1>didn't know. I didn't know. I didn't know. First stop

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<v Speaker 1>Orange Mound in Memphis, Tennessee. Now, whenever I hear Orange Mound,

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<v Speaker 1>I immediately think of eight Ball and MJG. But Orange

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<v Speaker 1>Mound was founded in eighteen eighty by a former slave

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<v Speaker 1>named Thomas McKinney. Like I said, Look, I'm tired of

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<v Speaker 1>working for y'all, so I'm buying this land, splitting it

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<v Speaker 1>up and selling it to black folks. And black folks

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<v Speaker 1>came through like bet. They turned Orange Mound into a

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<v Speaker 1>whole vibe. Businesses, schools, churches, They had everything. Fast forward,

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<v Speaker 1>and now Orange Mound is the home to legends like

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<v Speaker 1>Isaac Hayes Chef you damn right, and you're boored, Project

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<v Speaker 1>Pat Uh from three to six, And y'all know, Project

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<v Speaker 1>Pat put Memphis on the map. Orange Mound was the

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<v Speaker 1>original black Wall Street of Memphis got it. So now

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<v Speaker 1>let's head down to Florida Eatonville. Eatonville is historic, y'all

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<v Speaker 1>because it was the first incorporated all black town in America.

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<v Speaker 1>It was founded in eighteen eighty seven. And let me

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<v Speaker 1>tell you, they weren't waiting for permission. These folks got

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<v Speaker 1>together like, look, we're gonna govern ourselves and be done

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<v Speaker 1>with this foolishness. Are you familiar with the writer Zora

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<v Speaker 1>Neil Hurston, one of the greatest writers to ever do it.

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<v Speaker 1>She's from Eatonville, and if you read her books, she

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<v Speaker 1>pretty much wrote stories that brought Eatonville's culture to life.

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<v Speaker 1>Eatonville was basically Wakanda before Marvel even thought about it. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>if you slide over to Oklahoma, it's a spot called Bowley.

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<v Speaker 1>Bowley was founded in nineteen o three and it was

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<v Speaker 1>next level. They had black doctors, black lawyers. They even

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<v Speaker 1>had their own bank. And they ain't taking no jump.

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<v Speaker 1>They told white folks, don't even think about robbing this bank.

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<v Speaker 1>It's a story about some robbers pulling up and the

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<v Speaker 1>folks in Boli lit them up like it was the

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<v Speaker 1>fourth of July. There's maun Byu Mississippi that were founded

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<v Speaker 1>in eighteen eighty seven by Isaiah T. Montgomery. This was

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<v Speaker 1>another all black town built for us by us. They

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<v Speaker 1>had schools, hospitals, and businesses run entirely by black folks.

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<v Speaker 1>The town was so successful that even civil rights leaders

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<v Speaker 1>like Medgar Evers came through to soak up some of

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<v Speaker 1>the energy. As has been the theme this season, this

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<v Speaker 1>is another example of black folks not just surviving but thriving,

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<v Speaker 1>and the spirit of these towns lives on. Look at

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<v Speaker 1>hip hop. It's all about independence, ownership and telling your story.

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<v Speaker 1>That's why Kendrick Lamar's line we gonna be all right,

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<v Speaker 1>or Todd Tribbett because he said that in one of

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<v Speaker 1>his songs too. Nevertheless, that's the anthem. That's the same

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<v Speaker 1>energy that built Edenville, Orange Mound, Boldi and Mound by you.

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<v Speaker 1>Now here's where I leave that I didn't know maybe

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<v Speaker 1>you didn't either, Audience. With a little homework, I need

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<v Speaker 1>you to look up your oldest black town in your state.

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<v Speaker 1>Google it, and if you're from North Carolina, I already

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<v Speaker 1>got the answer for you. It's Lakeview, founded in eighteen

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<v Speaker 1>eighty seven. You're welcome, but don't get lazy, Still do

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<v Speaker 1>your research because I didn't know. Maybe you didn't neither.

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't know.