The latest History Twins podcast is about Madam CJ Walker, the first female self-made millionaire in America. Walker made her fortune by developing and marketing a line of cosmetics and hair care products for black women through the business she founded, Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company. Madam CJ Walker was born Sarah Breedlove in 1867 on a Louisiana cotton plantation, and the first of her family to be born free. While working as a washerwoman in St. Louis, MO, her hair fell out as a result of using lye soap, and she eventually created hair care products for black women.

Carla and Keyes also discuss the research and creative process that went into creating their two-person play, An Afternoon with Madam CJ Walker, in which Italian opera star Enrico Caruso meets Madam CJ Walker at her Irvington, NY mansion.

In their imagined story, Madam CJ Walker shares her life story with Enrico Caruso. In real life,

Caruso was a friend of Madam CJ Walker’s daughter, and named Walker’s Irvington, NY mansion “Villa Lewaro” using the first two letters of each word in the name of Walker's daughter, Lelia Walker Robinson.

The History Twins podcast teaches that history is more than just dates and dead people. It’s for people interested in history, and the creative process involved in bringing history to life through performance.

You can find The History Twins podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple and Amazon podcasts, as well as your favorite podcast catchers.

Links:

Madam CJ Walker -Official Website
MadamCJWalker.com - Official Website of Madam CJ Walker

Madam CJ Walker - Wikipedia
Madam CJ Walker - Wikipedia

Madam CJ Walker -History
Madam CJ Walker - History.com

Madam CJ Walker -Biography.com
Madam CJ Walker: Products, Daughter, and Hair Care - Biography.com

“Self Made” on Madam CJ Walker Biography on Netflix
Video Trailer for  “Self Made” - Madam CJ Walker Biography on Netflix

History Twins Video Podcast on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/tNsL3A3VUGk

HistoryTwins Audio Podcast on Anchor.fm
https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/1bHB0dzmGxb

Carla and Keyes Blog:
https://CarlaandKeyes.com

Join the Carla and Keyes Mailing List:
https://CarlaandKeyes.com/join

In the latest episode of The History Twins, Carla Lynne Hall and Jim Keyes discuss Christmas traditions in Colonial New York.The ingredients of modern Christmas are believed to have started in New Amsterdam, the Dutch colony founded in 1625, which later became New York.

While the Dutch observed the day of Christ’s birth, called Kerstydt, it was overshadowed by a more popular December holiday, Sinterklaas, a Dutch gift-giving tradition where children sat their shoes outside their home to be filled by a visiting St. Nicolas on December 6th. Winter weather led to the shoes being moved inside, which evolved to stockings being hung near the fireplace.

Non-Dutch families in Manhattan felt the pressure from their children to adopt this tradition, which was pushed forward a couple of weeks to align with the more generally observed festival of Christmas. Over time Christmas and Sinterklaas merged into one holiday.

Carla and Keyes also discuss the dark days of Christmas in the 1770’s. In Colonial New York, Christmas Eve was a time when servants and male children would knock on the doors of privileged classes and demand food and drink. If the revelers felt that they received less than the best quality, they might vandalize property.

In the 1819 publication The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, New York author Washington Irving promoted St. Nicholas as a beloved figure. Irving’s writing also described “ancient customs” of family and social gatherings, which included dancing, singing, decorations, and overall good cheer.

Christmas Wassailing as Social Protest
https://b-womeninamericanhistory18.blogspot.com/2018/12/christmas-wassailing-as-social-protest.html

New Amsterdam Christmas
https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2021/11/very-special-new-amsterdam-christmas_17.html

The History of Christmas
https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas

Christmas Music in Colonial Days
https://research.colonialwilliamsburg.org/Foundation/journal/Christmas04/music.cfm

History Twins Video Podcast on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/J2Yh-yMkHYE

HistoryTwins Audio Podcast on Anchor.fm
https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/6VYSxyeuWvb

Carla and Keyes Blog:
https://CarlaandKeyes.com

Join the Carla and Keyes Mailing List:
https://CarlaandKeyes.com/join

The History Twins podcast is currently covering “This Man’s A Spy!,” Carla and Keyes’ musical retelling of the treasonous plot between American General Benedict Arnold and British Major John Andre during the American Revolutionary War.

In today’s episode we discuss Rifle Jack Peterson, the Revolutionary war era patriot of African and Kitchewan descent whose quick thinking thwarted the secret meeting between Arnold and Andre.

Pe­ter­son was en­gaged in mak­ing cider at Bar­ret­t’s farm on Teller’s Point (Cro­ton Point) along with nine­teen-year-old Moses Sher­wood when they spied the English vessel Vulture sending a rowboat of men towards land. A skilled marksman and seasoned member of the 3rd Westchester militia, Peterson fired on the rowboat, forcing its occupants to return to the ship.

Unbeknownst to them, the rowboat of men had come to collect John Andre with the plans for West Point that had been given to him by Benedict Arnold.

Peterson and Sherwood then sped to Fort Lafayette to alert their commander about the vessel. Acting upon this information, troops set up a cannon at Tellers Point to attack the sloop in a fiery battle that lasted two hours. These actions contributed to the later capture of Major Andre, who would have been rescued by the British but was instead stranded on shore.

Carla and Keyes also discuss the research and creative process that went into the composition and arrangement of their song “The Ballad of Rifle Jack Peterson”.

The History Twins podcast teaches that history is more than just dates and dead people. It’s for people interested in history, and the creative process involved in bringing history to life through performance.

You can find The History Twins podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple and Amazon podcasts, as well as your favorite podcast catchers.

Links:

Rifle Jack Biography - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Peterson_(American_Patriot)

African_American_Heritage_Trail_of_Westchester_County
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_American_Heritage_Trail_of_Westchester_County

Revolutionary Westchester: John Jack Peterson
https://thehudsonindependent.com/revolutionary-westchester-john-jack-peterson/

Jack Peterson Memorial - Mobile Historic Tour on The Clio
https://www.theclio.com/tour/1410/8

Always Present, Never Seen
https://highlandscurrent.org/2022/06/03/always-present-never-seen-part-2/

History Twins Video Podcast on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/nnOraOasumc

HistoryTwins Audio Podcast on Anchor.fm
https://anchor.fm/the-history-twins/episodes/Arnolds-Lament-e1qo88n

Carla and Keyes Blog:

https://CarlaandKeyes.com

Join the Carla and Keyes Mailing List:
https://CarlaandKeyes.com/join