1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha. I'm welcome to Stuff 2 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: I've never told you protection of I Heart Radio. It 3 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: is time for another episode of Female First, which means 4 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:24,799 Speaker 1: we are once again joined by our good friend in 5 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: colleague Eves. Hello, Eves. Hey, Hey y'all. I oh, We're 6 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: so happy to have you. As always, we did have 7 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: some technical difficulties this morning, but I was supposed to 8 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: be a professional. But the fact that you caught it 9 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:46,480 Speaker 1: before we were in the middle of recording very yeah. 10 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: I knew that's where I don't know until after the fact. 11 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: That's what I was afraid of. I was like, oh, God, like, 12 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: if if this all, if this all falls apart in 13 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: the middle of the episode, I'm going to be so 14 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: sad because I feel like losing content, like losing anything 15 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: you recorded or anything you have saved. It is just 16 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: it's the wst feeling in the world. Yeah. Yeah, and 17 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: I've done that twice now. When I first started on 18 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: Stuff I Never told you as the producer, I was 19 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: so nervous because again I had like no training for 20 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: that job, and they taught me, but I was just like, 21 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: I'm a nervous soul anyway. And then They're like, okay, 22 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: record this podcast, and I forgot to press record and 23 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: I realized like ten minutes in, but it took me 24 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: like two minutes before I got the courage to stop them, 25 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: and I lied and I said something like, oh, it 26 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: was a technical malfunction, but I definitely just forgot. So 27 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:47,320 Speaker 1: we all have been there, is what I'm trying to say. Yes, 28 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: I've been there. Yeah. So I did want to ask 29 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: you all in relation to this episode and what we're 30 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: gonna be talking about today, were either of you ever 31 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: into magic? Do you have any tricks? All? Semanth I 32 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 1: had a couple of tricks, and both of them were 33 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: very amateur at best. And I'm not going to give 34 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: away my tricks. When we see to the face to face, 35 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: I might actually be able to do something I can't remember. 36 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 1: I think one of them was done by my brother. 37 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: Taught me one of them, and the other one just 38 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: happened because I had the equipment for it. But it's 39 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: very specific and I'm very good entertainer, so I was 40 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: able to, like, you know, pull it off as a child. 41 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: So I'm pretty sure half of it was adults just 42 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: be nice and pretending like they don't know what I'm doing, 43 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: but I felt like I was a success. I have 44 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: so many follow up questions to that very vague for it. 45 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 1: What does that mean? You can tell you can't tell 46 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: your tricks? If I tell you the equipment that I 47 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 1: have for then you know, come on so more. Great 48 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:09,639 Speaker 1: magician never never gives away. M h wow. Okay, well 49 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: I would definitely love to see a Symanthemcvey magic show 50 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 1: once Quarantine it's over. Yeah, yeah, I feel like we 51 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: should just we should put on a magic show. You 52 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: understand my magic. It would be a thirty second extravaganza. True, 53 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 1: you look away, You've just missed the whole thing. I like, 54 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: I'll doin it again. It was amazing. Yeah, I have none, 55 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: I have no, I've never Yeah, I was never into magic. Um. 56 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: I read about magic, but that was the farthest it 57 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: went growing up. The magic that I'm going to claim 58 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: is that my birthday is the same as Harry Houdini's, 59 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: which I must have some legacy in the date that 60 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: is Marsh twenty four of magic in whatever kind of 61 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: universal universal situation is happening on Mars. But yeah, other 62 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: than that, I just no. There there is no magic. 63 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: No magic talent here for me. Wait wait that Hudini 64 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: was like an escape artist, right, Yeah, so we're gonna 65 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 1: need you to learn an escape trick of some sort. Yeah. Well, 66 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: I will say I've just been watching a lot of 67 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: Arrested Development because of Jessica Walter's death, and I was like, oh, 68 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: I wanna I want to see this did not age? Well, 69 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: just just put that out there. But I do love 70 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,720 Speaker 1: Job's magic stuff all the time. I'm like, that's about right, 71 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 1: that's about how I would do it. Too awful. Well, 72 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 1: happy belated birthday Eves. Yeah. Yeah. My little brother was 73 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: really into magic and magic tricks, although I can't recall 74 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: any of them, so I must not have been very impressed. 75 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: I have one card trick I can do, but it 76 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:52,599 Speaker 1: kind of takes a minute, so I feel like people 77 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: get bored during it. It's not the best trick, but 78 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 1: I can do it. And then I have it's not 79 00:04:57,720 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: really a magic trick at all, but I can do 80 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: that thing where you make fire in your hand with 81 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: a lighter. Yeah, that's what I have. Anything with fire fantastic. 82 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,039 Speaker 1: People who have known me for a long time will 83 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 1: tell you that's probably the worst trip I'm very clumsy 84 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: and accident prom and I should not be messing with fire. 85 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,919 Speaker 1: But so you're like job where you set people on 86 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 1: fire and or just put a lot of fluid on people. Yeah, yeah, 87 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: I have accidentally set a trash can on fire once. Um. 88 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: So anyway, we're talking about someone who had much more 89 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: success than any of us today. Who did you ring 90 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: for as Eves Ellen e Armstrong today? And that's the 91 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: reason we're talking about magic because we're talking about a 92 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,919 Speaker 1: magician and she came from a family of magicians too. 93 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 1: So as always, like the first are a very weird thing, 94 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: and there I'm sure there are a lot of undocumented 95 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 1: like magical arts performers that are happening, but like the 96 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:55,720 Speaker 1: first that we're going for today is that she was 97 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: the first and only black woman of her time to 98 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 1: run an independent during magic show. So there are a 99 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: lot of caveats in there, but I think it's just 100 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 1: good to think about this quote unquote first as just 101 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 1: like she was one of the very few people at 102 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: the time who was a black woman who was performing magic, 103 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:15,720 Speaker 1: and she had her own show in which she toured 104 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: around the United States. Yeah, we were very excited. Uh 105 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: was magic show I'm sorry to disappoint in that regard. 106 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 1: Maybe I should learn something and bring it back to you. 107 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:31,039 Speaker 1: I'll teach you one of my tricks. Okay, I only 108 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: have to Alright, alright, I'll take that. But no, Yeah, 109 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: I've really magic really excites me too. Like I said earlier, 110 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 1: I'm like into fantasy and into reading about magic and 111 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: and things like that, and I think just I'm into 112 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: the occult and all of the things that have to 113 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: do with illusion and things like that are really cool 114 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: to me too. So I'm excited about Lennie Armstrong too. 115 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: And there have been some people who have you know, 116 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: talked about her in her biography, but there's not a 117 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:00,160 Speaker 1: whole heck of a lot out there about Elenie Armstrong 118 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 1: and the specifics in the details of her story. But 119 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:08,359 Speaker 1: there have been a bunch of newspaper stories about them 120 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: performing in different locations around the United States, mainly on 121 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 1: the East Coast. And yeah, we'll get into that a 122 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 1: little bit, and a little bit about the just not 123 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: too much, but a little bit about the magician, the 124 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: background of black magicians in the United States, and of 125 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: her family's magic. Yeah, I mean family of magicians. I 126 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: thought already like I'm in and this needs to be 127 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: a book series. So shall we get to her history? Yeah, 128 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: let's do it. So family of magicians, including her father. 129 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: Her father was a pretty noted magician, and there were 130 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: magicians early on the eighteen hundreds, in the early nineteen hundreds. 131 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: Of course, there is a very rich history of the 132 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: performing arts and vaudeville and those kind of circuits in 133 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: the United States back in those days, and black performers 134 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: were often a part of that. There were traveling circuses 135 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: in the US that included performances by magicians, and there 136 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: were other names back in the day of some early 137 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 1: black magicians, such as people like Richard Potter, who was 138 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: considered the first black American magician and may have even 139 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: been the first American born magician of any race according 140 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: to documentation for the United States History. But yeah, there 141 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: are magic and traveling shows were a part of of 142 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 1: U S history at that time. And Ellen herself she 143 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: was born in nineteen fourteen, but she came from this 144 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: family of black American magicians. Her father was John Hartford 145 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 1: Armstrong and he was born in South Carolina around eighteen 146 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: eighty six. He was probably a mixed race this is 147 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: kind of I guess I should tell a little bit 148 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: about my like interest in Ellen E. Armstrong in the 149 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: first place, because I was trying to have a list 150 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 1: of people who I keep running to do for for 151 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: the female first series, and was like thinking of doing 152 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: another person, and then I was like, hmm, I don't know. 153 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: I kind of wanted a bit more information on her. 154 00:08:58,040 --> 00:08:59,439 Speaker 1: And I was waiting for a book to come in 155 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: and I was looking around my house and I was like, 156 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: wait a second, I have a poster. I have a 157 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: broadside of Ellen E. Armstrong on the wall in my 158 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 1: living room, and I was like, wait, why don't I 159 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: just do Ellennie Armstrong? Like I know there's not a 160 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 1: ton of documentation out there on her, but obviously I 161 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: knew that we would love a magician, like we haven't 162 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: done a magician before. Yes, I haven't done a magician before. 163 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 1: And magic is really fun, Like it's really lighthearted, you know, 164 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 1: like it's I think it's a really cool practice. And 165 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 1: also it was just, you know, wanted to dig back 166 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 1: into her history and learn a little bit more about her, 167 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: and the other part of that it's a really cool broadside, 168 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: you know. I think posters from back in the day. 169 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:42,560 Speaker 1: And we'll talk about some of those posters and what 170 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:44,679 Speaker 1: they said on them a little bit later on in 171 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: the episode. Are really cool. So I was drawn to 172 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 1: her when I found the broad Side, So I was 173 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:51,719 Speaker 1: just like, Okay, I had to get this, and I've 174 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 1: had it for several years now. But the other connection 175 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: there was that her family lived in South Carolina, and 176 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 1: I'm from South Carolina, Columbia specifically, so Spartanburg and Columbia 177 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 1: are thinks come up in her history. So yeah, that's 178 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: that's like where I came from. Why I felt this 179 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,200 Speaker 1: connection to ELLENI Armstrong in the beginning. But yeah, moving 180 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: on with her story, her father learned magic and towards 181 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: the American South Um. He dubbed himself the King of 182 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 1: Colored Conjurors, which is we all love a good alliteration. 183 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 1: More alliteration is going to come in here later. But 184 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: he and his brother also performed magic. They build themselves 185 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 1: as the Armstrong Brothers, and they performed at black churches 186 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 1: in schools in North and South Carolina. And John would 187 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: include black history and his magic acts too, so things 188 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,200 Speaker 1: like including the story of Frederick Douglas in one of 189 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: his acts, So blackness and black history were things that 190 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:47,679 Speaker 1: came up in their actual acts. You know, of course 191 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: they lived their lives as black people, but that was 192 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: also something that came up in their acts that they 193 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: tied into them. And his wife, his first wife, Mabel White, 194 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:59,199 Speaker 1: joined the act as an assistant. She died years later, 195 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 1: but he remarried to Lily Armstrong, and she was a 196 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 1: musician and she would help with the Armstrong's shows, So 197 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 1: she joined the family and performing magic. So all the 198 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: hands of the family were coming in and assisting on 199 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: the shows, and the shows were doing really well. Of course, 200 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: there weren't a bunch of black American magicians at the time, 201 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: but there's a description of the Armstrong family in one 202 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:29,439 Speaker 1: of the papers in a collection at the South Caroliniana 203 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,440 Speaker 1: Library at the University of South Carolina. It says that 204 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 1: they were one of a handful of black magicians of 205 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 1: this era and likely were the only ones to have 206 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: an international reputation um and it said that they performed 207 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: along the Atlantic seaboard from Philadelphia to Key West, in Cuba, 208 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: and in Europe from eighty nine to at least in 209 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: nineteen thirties. So of course some of that time is 210 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 1: before Ellenie Armstrong herself was born, but she was born 211 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:58,440 Speaker 1: into this family that was already doing touring of magic acts. 212 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 1: So some of the acts that they performed were things 213 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 1: like mind reading, sleight of hand, changing water to wine 214 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: it said, card tricks, and changing an egg into a chick. 215 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: So those are some of the things. And when you're 216 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 1: taking chick, you're talking about a chicken, right, yes, just 217 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: so I know, I'm just thinking, I feel like the 218 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 1: modern Dame. This reminded me. I saw this magic show 219 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: and I was an Indian and I'm pretty sure something 220 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: was lost in translation, but I didn't get what was 221 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: going on. And I was called out to be a 222 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:39,520 Speaker 1: volunteer and I just had to pour water out over 223 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:41,959 Speaker 1: and over again, and he would say Watcher of India. 224 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: And it was supposed to be a trick, but I 225 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: don't get it sticking around like that. There's still water 226 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: in here. I'm not pouring out all the water. The 227 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 1: context was just lost there. It was lost on me. Wow, 228 00:12:56,720 --> 00:13:00,679 Speaker 1: if anybody knows what that trick is semetric, please let 229 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: us know. Curious. It haunts me. That's funny. Yeah. Some 230 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:28,439 Speaker 1: of the places where they performed were churches, high schools, colleges, 231 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: and so these were family events and they performed for 232 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 1: white audiences, were mixed audiences, and auditoriums and theaters and 233 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 1: opera houses in other places like that. And there are 234 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 1: other newspaper articles and letters talking about arm Staring performances, 235 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: which you can find online at the collection at the USC. 236 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 1: They're digitized. I'll read from some of those just so 237 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 1: you can get a sense of like what people were writing, 238 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: because they're there are a bunch of them, and a 239 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: bunch of letters of recommendation that people were sending to 240 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 1: recommend them and saying they were these great magic performers, 241 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: very glowing reviews of the things that they did. So 242 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: here's the one from the Florida Centinel. It's called the 243 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: Armstrongs in town. It said Professor J. Hartford Armstrong, Hertford, 244 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:17,200 Speaker 1: the Gray, and Mrs Armstrong prestigiators, which was a word 245 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 1: that I did not know, but it's an old word 246 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 1: for contraar and my readers arrived in the city last 247 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: Wednesday from a splendid trip from Cuba and up the 248 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: East coast where they held big engagements and mightily please 249 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: the people. So that's one of the glowing reviews, and 250 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: they're a bunch of them, like that they are pretty 251 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: much the same. And here's another one about performance in Tampa, Florida. 252 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: During the past two weeks, all of Tampa has been 253 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: unusually entertained in the different churches, halls, and school houses. 254 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: The exercises have been of a high moral nature, and 255 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 1: the throngs of people have pronounced them the best ever 256 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: seen in their lines. And to know that Afro Americans 257 00:14:55,920 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 1: possess such excellent talent can draw such large audi there 258 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 1: isn't entertain them until midnight is another proof that the race, 259 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 1: the race is successfully competing with other races in the 260 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:12,480 Speaker 1: most intelligent pursuits in this world. This is attributed to 261 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 1: the Armstrong Brothers. Yeah, you know, magician names, but obviously 262 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 1: there's a lot to unpack there. But I do really 263 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 1: love magician names. And there's a lot of excellent words 264 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: used in these glowing reviews of like splendidly and mightily 265 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: and high moral like interesting, yeah, family funds like that's 266 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: what I've seen as some of the magical tricks. And 267 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: then of course the ones after dark, like they're very 268 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: specific on who they're targeting. Oh yeah, that is true, Yes, 269 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: they are. The audiences are very clear and the lines 270 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: there are delineated pretty strongly. Yeah, I just thought I 271 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: thought that one was pretty pretty funny, just like how 272 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: they brought the whole race and do it and saying wow, 273 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: like these look at these model negroes. Essentially, I mean 274 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: it was unusual to see, you know, black people performing 275 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: magic at the time, and they were a very notable family. Yeah, 276 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 1: even today though, I think I don't know much about magic, 277 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: but there's definitely a few people who just pop in 278 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 1: your head, whether it's like the Chris Angel or you know, 279 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: Sick Graded Roy, David Blade. Yeah, like then they're you 280 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 1: rarely see people's color. You definitely don't see women, so 281 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: it's kind of like, wow, they were making big head 282 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: wait even for today's standard. Yeah. Yeah, that's interesting too, 283 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: just the names you floated there, Like, I don't know 284 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 1: much about magic and magicians either, but that like, apart 285 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: from Stagfried and Roy, I feel like those dudes are 286 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 1: real intense, Like it's almost become like a metal like Copperfield. 287 00:16:52,920 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 1: Is that a better one. David's name, Penny Teller, Steve Old, 288 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:06,919 Speaker 1: I don't know, we don't know. Don't talking about comfort Field, right, 289 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:09,440 Speaker 1: you know who you're talking about family. Well, the point 290 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,679 Speaker 1: is they're like a very a handful of like household 291 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:16,119 Speaker 1: name magicians. But obviously they're also This is not to 292 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: say that there aren't like a ton more people who 293 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:21,120 Speaker 1: are working in magic who are very successful. Yes, they're 294 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:25,479 Speaker 1: also many more black people and people of color who 295 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: are also working in magic. So not to to say 296 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 1: that just because we don't know their names specifically, that 297 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 1: they don't exist that I think you know, or that 298 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 1: they're not. Oftentimes that is purposeful and it is systemic 299 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 1: that there are specific names that we don't know. So 300 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 1: but yeah, it wasn't like there were black people left 301 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:47,399 Speaker 1: and right back in the day who were entire families 302 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 1: who were performing entering magic acts. I think is what 303 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 1: it really boils down to. But yeah, the occult and 304 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 1: spirituality and things like that were often something that was 305 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: taboo back in the day. So yeah, from another article 306 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 1: talking about them coming back to Newport News, the Armstrongs 307 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: will tickle your shoe strings and make your big toe laugh. 308 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: They will not pay doctor's bills if you faint from laughter. 309 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:17,160 Speaker 1: Was that a saying? Was that an old time you saying, 310 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:20,560 Speaker 1: I don't know, I don't really know what tickle your 311 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 1: shoe strings. I mean, there's so many things I don't 312 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: understand about that. Yeah, yeah, but I guess they were funny. 313 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: I don't know if fainting from laughter was a thing 314 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 1: that really happened back in the day, because they said 315 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:35,159 Speaker 1: that on some of their copy in the documentation, and 316 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:37,840 Speaker 1: I just I get like, I don't know if that 317 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: was a thing or if that was I don't know, 318 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,880 Speaker 1: women fainting in media was a big thing back then 319 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 1: for no reason. So I don't know if it has 320 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:47,920 Speaker 1: anything to do with that. But I thought that was 321 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: interesting too. Yeah. So there's also another one. Um. I 322 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 1: got a couple more here. Here's a quote. Professor Armstrong's 323 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 1: work is highly creditable and does not cater to ignorance 324 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 1: nor superstition. His feet are all the results of phenomena, 325 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: which are the results of science. We commend the artists, 326 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: especially because of his endeavor to remove superstition from our 327 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 1: people and to have them understand that everything which we 328 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:18,159 Speaker 1: cannot comprehend at a glance does not originate from the 329 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:23,879 Speaker 1: prince of evil. Professor Armstrong, after many years of work 330 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:28,360 Speaker 1: and experiment has evolved some instructive data on the existence 331 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 1: and identity of the Fifth dimension. Isn't isn't that great 332 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 1: out there fighting Satan? Right, It's right. So many like 333 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: little little phrases in there that I really like in 334 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 1: this quote Prince of Evil, and I think that the 335 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: our people thing was was really interesting to me that 336 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:56,680 Speaker 1: turn of phrase to remove supercition from our people, which 337 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:00,399 Speaker 1: I'm guessing they mean black people by that. And also 338 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 1: how they wrapped, how they just tried, They just tried 339 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:05,640 Speaker 1: so hard to make it seem like it was something 340 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:07,800 Speaker 1: that was so straightforward, so straight down the middle. It 341 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: had nothing to do with anything occult. It wasn't anything 342 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 1: that was weird, nothing that was woo woo, nothing about it. 343 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:14,919 Speaker 1: It was all good. But then you end with the 344 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:19,919 Speaker 1: fifth dimension. It was like all science and data and 345 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 1: also the fifth dimension. Okay, yeah, but yeah, there's there's 346 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 1: a lot to unpack there. And then the last one 347 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: is just a letter of recommendation from Bethel a m. E. 348 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: Church in Dalton, Georgia in April of nineteen fourteen, and 349 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: they said this is to certify that the Armstrong Brothers 350 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:38,440 Speaker 1: gave one of their high class entertainments at our church, 351 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 1: Bethel Aamy last Monday night to a crowded house. To 352 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: say that they pleased the audience to the highest degree 353 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 1: of satisfaction is put putting it moudly. The people of Dalton, Georgia, 354 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 1: representing all classes, were loud in their praises of this 355 00:20:53,760 --> 00:21:01,760 Speaker 1: very high class entertainment Georgia. That is ridiculously progressive of them. Yeah, 356 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: as that still one of the areas that I'm always 357 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:09,199 Speaker 1: timmant to go to myself. Yeah yeah, wow, yeah, granted 358 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 1: it was that at a m E church, but yes, yeah, yeah. 359 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 1: So that's that's just a sampling of some of the 360 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:21,359 Speaker 1: um the letters and the articles that were written about 361 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: them and their performances, and there are a bunch more 362 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 1: that you can go through and read. Yeah. So in 363 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 1: that collection you can also find portraits of the families, 364 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 1: so you can see pictures of them and you can 365 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: find it's like pictures of them in front of their home, 366 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 1: separate portraits of the different family members. But I think 367 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 1: it's funny that they mentioned representing all classes in that 368 00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 1: last quote. Their shows would appeal to middle and working 369 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:53,120 Speaker 1: class black people. Well, you know what you can call 370 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,679 Speaker 1: like what you would consider middle class, but who didn't 371 00:21:55,680 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: care to go to minstrel our vaudeville shows, and we're 372 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 1: attracted to that kind of educational spin of the Armstrong shows. 373 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:11,239 Speaker 1: Some Black American entertainers would, and I think that's like 374 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: the whole classing is a whole other conversation and thinking 375 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,840 Speaker 1: about who were the types of people who attended their shows. 376 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: But some black American entertainers would pretend not to be black, 377 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: and instead I pretend they were fore and born to 378 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:25,320 Speaker 1: make it in the United States. But yes, Ellen herself, 379 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: that was kind of a long background on her family, 380 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: but I think it's you know, necessary to just kind 381 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: of know where Ellen came from. So she grew up 382 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:36,679 Speaker 1: in that magic and entertainment realm, and at an early 383 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 1: age she assisted her father with the magic shows. She 384 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: even had her own part of the show doing my reading. 385 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:47,119 Speaker 1: And by the time that she was a teenager, she 386 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: was doing what was called talk talk, in which she 387 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:54,400 Speaker 1: drew cartoons on a talkboard and when wouldn't vite audience 388 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:58,639 Speaker 1: members up to draw as well. And her father died 389 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:01,400 Speaker 1: in nineteen thirty nine and it was at that point 390 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:03,639 Speaker 1: that she took over his magic show and kept it 391 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,879 Speaker 1: going and she continued to focus on black churches in 392 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:10,440 Speaker 1: schools on the East coast of the United States, and 393 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 1: she was probably the only black female magician touring in 394 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: the US at the time solo. And in the early 395 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 1: years of her doing the show on her own, she 396 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:23,719 Speaker 1: was called the Mistress of Modern Magic, which you can 397 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:26,880 Speaker 1: see on some of her posters, and the posters would 398 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:31,880 Speaker 1: also describe her acts and coming back to that alliteration thing. 399 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 1: For some reason, on her posters they seemed to really 400 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:38,200 Speaker 1: love alliteration, starting with the letter M for I don't 401 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: know why that letter, but for instance, the broad so 402 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 1: that I have it, says in her Modern Marvelous Matchless 403 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: Mary making March through Mystery Land. I love that, you 404 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 1: know m is letter if I'm remembering correct figuring it out, 405 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 1: connecting the dots and have nothing to do with it. 406 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 1: But I had to count it out. Wait a second, 407 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: you know any I feel like you just opened a 408 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 1: cannon worms, because that's one of those things that conspiracy 409 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: theorists are gonna go back and say, wait a second. 410 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: He was trying to figure out he was the fifth 411 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 1: dimension and the thirteenth letter, and that's going to connect 412 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: these dots and there's something. There has to be something 413 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:22,920 Speaker 1: deeper going on. It's gonna be a Reddit tread. Yes, 414 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 1: I've been down that Reddit dread. That's not good. Don't 415 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: go down it. This is why they went from Reddit. Yeah, 416 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: so some of her acts are so called novelties. As 417 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:57,320 Speaker 1: the posters called them was silken sorcery. I'm not exactly 418 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: sure what what some of these tricks are, but these 419 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:04,680 Speaker 1: are the names for them, Silken Sorcery, the Miser's Dream, 420 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: the Mysterious Jars of Egypt, and the Puzzling Parasol. Really 421 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 1: good names they are. And the poster also said that 422 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 1: she had original chemical, mechanical and electrical magical experiments, and 423 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 1: as we talked about earlier, kind of like the educational 424 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:26,359 Speaker 1: spin that it had on it. Some of the other 425 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 1: words that were used to describe the acts were clean, scientific, educational, 426 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 1: and amusing. So the imagery and the portrayal of what 427 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:42,920 Speaker 1: her entertainment acts were were was very like. It seemed 428 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: like a very buttoned up thing. And so we're all 429 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 1: the letters of recommendations in the articles the way they 430 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:52,159 Speaker 1: described here in such a like very neat way. It 431 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 1: seems like it was very controlled like the words that 432 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 1: people were using to describe them to make sure that 433 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: they were able to perform in more venues and that 434 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: they would have peeled to audiences and that they would 435 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 1: actually get the money you know, that they needed to 436 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:07,959 Speaker 1: get from these performances because it was a living. You know, 437 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:10,919 Speaker 1: they were being paid for this, so it was important 438 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:13,000 Speaker 1: for them and for her to be able to continue 439 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 1: to do that. Right. I find it interesting that they 440 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:16,920 Speaker 1: keep calling this, I guess, and it is a letter 441 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 1: of recommendation, essentially having to be like, see this other 442 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:22,560 Speaker 1: plus really liked us and they approved. Yeah you should too. 443 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: And I find that very like a fascinating way of 444 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:29,040 Speaker 1: traveling and entertaining. Yeah. Well, I feel like there's an 445 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: air of like kind of being safe. Like it's educational, 446 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: Like it's not like the occult. It's a very educational, 447 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:40,520 Speaker 1: child friendly show. It's gonna be good. We we don't 448 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 1: do anything to entertain the evil of darkness. Yeah, no 449 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:47,680 Speaker 1: prince of evil to be found in any of these performances. 450 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:55,439 Speaker 1: So the Times in Democrat newspaper out of Orangeburg, South Carolina, 451 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:59,280 Speaker 1: had a section titled News of Interest to color People, 452 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:03,200 Speaker 1: which was funny to me. Is as if only only 453 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:05,520 Speaker 1: people of color could be interested in things that were 454 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:09,159 Speaker 1: happening about people. This is in February nineteen fifty, and 455 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:12,359 Speaker 1: he said, Ellen E. Armstrong will present a magical act 456 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,960 Speaker 1: at seven thirty Friday at East Middle School. The act 457 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:18,640 Speaker 1: is the same as that formerly performed by their original 458 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: Jay Hartford Armstrong. At mission will be thirty five cents 459 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:25,199 Speaker 1: for adults, twenty five for students, in fifteen cents for tots, 460 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 1: which is what they called children in several instances in 461 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 1: some of these tots. And I think thirty five cents 462 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:33,200 Speaker 1: in nineteen fifty that would be about a little less 463 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:36,480 Speaker 1: than four dollars in today's money. So yeah. She later 464 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:39,120 Speaker 1: she focused on her chalk talk act and would use 465 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 1: a pad in crayons instead and will let other people 466 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:44,320 Speaker 1: come up and draw. Still, and she was still she 467 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,160 Speaker 1: was emphasizing her cartooning skills. So you'll see her called 468 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:51,359 Speaker 1: an extraordinary or cartoonists extraordinary or something like that, and 469 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:54,280 Speaker 1: the posters. So not only was she a magical artist, 470 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:57,479 Speaker 1: she was also great at drawing and dick cartoons. And 471 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:00,359 Speaker 1: she retired in nineteen seventy and spent her later years 472 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:04,280 Speaker 1: in spartan Burg, South Carolina and she died in nineteen 473 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:07,439 Speaker 1: seventy nine, but I'm not sure of the circumstances of 474 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:11,920 Speaker 1: her death. But yeah, Fortunately, like I said, you can 475 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 1: find some of those digitized writings about her online and 476 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:18,760 Speaker 1: we still have access to pictures of the family and 477 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 1: know a little bit about what their magical acts were. 478 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:23,920 Speaker 1: Although I wish that there was video. I wish that 479 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 1: there was some of those acts. That's what I really want. 480 00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:30,120 Speaker 1: I would love to know more about what the actual 481 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:35,120 Speaker 1: acts were. Like, Yeah, so based on some of the names, 482 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: I know that they were pretty cool. But yeah, the 483 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:42,200 Speaker 1: puzzling parasol, that's what I want to know, right Well, 484 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 1: I was you don't want to know that Egypt one 485 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: that seemed cool too. Yeah, that one's related to my 486 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 1: water of India things. That's that joke was on me. 487 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:57,239 Speaker 1: That's the backstory that we didn't know that the jar 488 00:28:57,360 --> 00:29:01,880 Speaker 1: you reported from was a mysterious jar of Egypt because 489 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 1: the water was Indian water. Oh, I like this, was 490 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,719 Speaker 1: there any cartoons that like, did they have any records 491 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 1: or pictures of the cartoons that she had drawn at 492 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 1: any point in time? I haven't seen any. I haven't 493 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 1: seen it was interested. I would imagine if I think 494 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 1: some of those people took them home, so I took 495 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 1: them with them, some of the drawings that were done 496 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 1: as part of her acts. So I wonder if there 497 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:29,400 Speaker 1: are any out there that people still have from going 498 00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: to one of the shows. But I'm not sure I 499 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:33,960 Speaker 1: would that. I would love that assessed up her beginning 500 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: of her career with her father. I would love to 501 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:38,840 Speaker 1: see because people obviously liked it that it carried on. 502 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 1: I love to see how it works. Yeah, that would 503 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,680 Speaker 1: be cool. Like the progression of it too, that would 504 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: be really cool. Yeah. Well, this this has been a delight, 505 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: so many fun names and words going on in this one. 506 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:59,880 Speaker 1: Is there anything else you have before we wrap up 507 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:04,240 Speaker 1: on this one? No, I think that is it. Man. 508 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 1: I do wish I could just see in her show. 509 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:08,800 Speaker 1: I'm wondering what it was like. The description makes it 510 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,000 Speaker 1: so intriguing on how they're trying to be that fine 511 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:15,160 Speaker 1: line of no, we're not into devil worshiping, but we 512 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,680 Speaker 1: do know magic and the element, like just like what 513 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 1: is this? And then the fact that the entire thing 514 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 1: is if laughing hearts stay at home like a light 515 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 1: that's part of their poster and like, wait, huh, Like 516 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:31,160 Speaker 1: she's not, just like she's obviously a very much an entertainer. 517 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 1: Her family was an entertainer. But I don't wonder, No, 518 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 1: I wish I was one of those shows. Okay, I'm 519 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 1: gonna well, we'll get this sminty magic here together, and 520 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 1: it's gonna be a train wreck. Not just entertaining, no, 521 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: but well not for us, but other people might laugh 522 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:56,520 Speaker 1: out terrible it is. That's how I get fired because 523 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 1: I started to fire at the office. Essentially, she just 524 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:01,720 Speaker 1: said herself on by and we see the zoom video 525 00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 1: and I'm like, well, that was a mistake. Never again, 526 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 1: I've made a huge mistake. Going back to job and 527 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:15,240 Speaker 1: his magic show. Well, I'm excited. I'm excited for the possibilities. 528 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: And thank you so much for bringing this story to 529 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:21,600 Speaker 1: her attention, Eaves. It was a very very fun one. Yes, 530 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 1: thanks for having me. That was that was fun. It was. 531 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:28,640 Speaker 1: Where can the good listeners find you? You can find 532 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 1: me on Twitter at us Jeff Coe, on Instagram at 533 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:36,600 Speaker 1: not Apologizing, and also on the show This Day in 534 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 1: History Class, which is a daily show about history talks 535 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 1: about other people that did cool things in history, just 536 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 1: like Ellenie Armstrong and events that happen in history, and 537 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:50,400 Speaker 1: also on the podcast Unpopular, which is about people in 538 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 1: history as well, but a little bit different in terms 539 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:57,959 Speaker 1: of talking about their biographies and what they did in 540 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 1: order to disrupt systems and where they were often persecuted, 541 00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 1: and it goes through those stories. And this also here. 542 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 1: I think this issode. Okay, Yeah, I feel like we 543 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:14,840 Speaker 1: went through this Samantha the last time because I feel 544 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:16,800 Speaker 1: like in my record keeping, I feel like I might 545 00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: have skipped an episode. So I'm like record keeping, I 546 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: make it sound like it's very serious and important, like 547 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:29,920 Speaker 1: I don't know a micro fush and like fire safe 548 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:33,520 Speaker 1: lock container somewhere, But no, it's just my notes app. 549 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:38,560 Speaker 1: But I feel like I skipped something in there, so 550 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 1: I don't know. I'm gonna have to go back in 551 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:43,640 Speaker 1: go through. Yeah, we'll have to fact check that it's 552 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:47,840 Speaker 1: very important, very important. Yeah, there's no way we can 553 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:54,640 Speaker 1: ever know Slash it's recorded. I think, I I believe 554 00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 1: we can get to the bottom of this, But I 555 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:59,800 Speaker 1: actually am if listeners know this. But I actually have 556 00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 1: a really weird thing with numbers, so I do want 557 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:06,560 Speaker 1: to know so I can keep tracks specific important numbered 558 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:09,760 Speaker 1: episode so by the next episode will know Okay, we 559 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: have to also know when to eat the cheesecake, so yeah, 560 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:18,200 Speaker 1: good cake and all of those things. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 561 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:20,280 Speaker 1: we're coming up on that. We might have already missed. 562 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 1: We might already be too late, because if you're talking 563 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,000 Speaker 1: about episode doing that, we'll figure that. We'll good do 564 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:33,600 Speaker 1: sminth tea housekeeping and figure that out in the meantime. Listeners, 565 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:35,960 Speaker 1: If you would like to contact us, you can our emails, 566 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: Stuff Media, Mom and Stuff at iHeart media dot com. 567 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:40,360 Speaker 1: You can find us on Twitter at mom Stuff Podcasts, 568 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:42,640 Speaker 1: or on Instagram and stuff We've Never Told You. Thanks. 569 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:45,600 Speaker 1: It's always to our super producer Christina. Thank you Christina, 570 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:47,720 Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening. Stuff I Never Told 571 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:49,800 Speaker 1: You production of I Heart Radio from more podcasts from 572 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:52,600 Speaker 1: I Hear Radio. Visit the iHeart Radio at Baffle Podcasts, 573 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:54,160 Speaker 1: or if you listen to your favorite shows