Jan 15, 2024

During World War 2, opportunities for female reporters were scare, to say the least, as was respect for them. One intrepid reporter named Virginia Irwin, however, would not let that stop her. She decided to go after her ultimate story, which took her behind Russian lines, and put her in danger.  She broke a few rules...

Dec 25, 2023

The Louisiana Purchase created havoc for some property owners, certainly for women and person’s of color. People were suddenly forced to prove rightful ownership of property, when before that, property ownership was parsed out in informal verbal agreements, etc. One free woman of color, found a way to live out her...

Nov 13, 2023

Before the passage of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act, food safety in commerce was a roll of the dice, and change was slow to come even after that. By 1912, though, a St. Louis woman named Miriam Coste Senseney had had enough of having to deal with stores that carried inferior products, and she took matters into her...

Aug 21, 2023

In the St. Louis region, the name Soulard is instantly recognized as a neighborhood where, among other things, Mardi Gras is held. Names of neighborhoods usually come from somewhere, though In this case, the neighborhood is named after a person who was a great surveyor and map maker, who helped organize the city, and...

Aug 7, 2023

When a young Black woman came to town  in the 1920’s came to town to make a blues record, she accomplished that and more. Having had a successful recording career in her youth, she decided to form a record label that would keep older blues musicians recording. Just press play to hear the whole story. —— —

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