Show Notes
How much do you know about Araminta Ross?
Her face is slated to start appearing on the twenty dollar bill by 2030. She’s the first American woman in history to lead a military raid that emancipated over 700 people, and one of the most important abolitionists in history. You might know her by another name: Harriet Tubman. But when it comes to Harriet Tubman’s legacy, an important part of her lived experience is often overlooked: her disability. With July being disability pride month, we wanted to celebrate Harriet Tubman as an icon and learn more about her identity from someone who finds her “often rightly celebrated, but seldom understood.”
That someone is Tiya Miles, a National Book Award-winner and the Michael Garvey Professor of History at Harvard University. In her latest book, "Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of a Free People," Tiya writes about the somewhat unsung aspects of Harriet Tubman’s life—her intertwined relationship with God and nature—which guided her activism and connected her to a collective of other women of her time. Through “Nightflyer,” Tiya proves that even when it comes to the most heralded historical figures, there’s always more to say. And today, she joins us to tell us all about her new book, connect past and present, and offer lessons from Harriet’s life that can help us build a future of collective liberation.
More from Let The Record Show
Did you know that today’s justice system in the United States originated from a hiring dispute? This week, Matt and Shereen are taking us back to the early 1800s to explore the origins of judicial review — and all the gossip, intrigue, and spilled ink that brought us our modern U.S. courts.
On March 15, 2025, the Trump administration deported more than 100 people to a notoriously brutal prison in El Salvador — in defiance of a federal judge’s orders. They hadn’t been found guilty of being gang members. They never got their day in court. That blatant disregard for due process should concern us all.
Marbury v. Madison. Brown v. Board of Education. Obergefell v. Hodges.
‘Tis the season ... to stay ready. A busy Supreme Court term is already underway, with trans rights, redistricting, birthright citizenship, and more on the docket. And this week, Cecillia Wang is back to break it down with Kamau. Join us as we reflect on this year's civil liberties work, celebrate our wins, and prepare for the fight ahead.
This week, we’re showing thanks to everyone who's stepping up for our collective civil liberties, with a People Power potluck! And we’ve got a seat at the table for you. Our guest of honor is Maribel Hernández Rivera, the ACLU’s National Director of Immigrant Community Strategies. And we have three volunteers from the ACLU’s grassroots network People Power stopping by. Kathy joins us just around the 20-minute mark from Minnesota, Sophia around 40 minutes in from Colorado, and Terry at the hour mark from Tennessee. Listen in as they speak with Kamau about why and how they're advocating for immigrants’ rights, and what their hopes are for their communities—and yours—this giving season and beyond.