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May 14, 2025 79 mins

A musical prodigy from Kansas becomes a renowned race woman in Chicago, a tabloid sensation in Harlem, and an internationally renowned musical force. These are the many lives and loves of one of the most famous women of the era: Nora Holt.

Snag your tickets to the live show!

To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.com

To access bonus content and support this independent production visit  https://ourancestorsweremessy.supercast.com

To stay in touch email ouranestorsweremessy@gmail.com or follow the show @ourancestorsweremessy on Instagram

THE A-TEAM
The show is hosted by Nichole Hill (https://www.nicholelhill.com/). This week's guests are Natalie Tulloch and Christabel Nsiah-Buadi
Executive Producer A.A. Hernandez
Sound design by Pat Mesiti-Miller (https://www.patmesiti-miller.com/) with additional music from Mellat Makeda
Story Producer Martina Abrahams Ilunga (@m_tina)
Research Producer Chioke I'Anson (https://www.chiokeianson.com/)
Story Editing by Shonte Hill
Show art by Aseloka Smith (@naturallyherown)  

SOURCES

  1. Nora Holt: The Most Famous Woman You've Never Heard Of by Imani Perry
  2. Nora Holt by Matthew Guerrieri
  3. Nora Holt: New Negro Composer and Jazz Age Goddess by Cheryl A. Wall
  4. "Strange What Cosmopolites Music Makes of Us": Classical Music, the Black press, and Nora Douglas Holt's Black Feminist Audiotopia by Lucy Caplan


 

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