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She Spied on Jefferson Davis in the Heart of the Confederacy

12/31/2022

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​Hundreds of women spied during the Civil War, but as far as we know, only one gathered intelligence inside the house of Jefferson Davis, the Confederate president.

Mary Elizabeth Bowser, born enslaved to the prominent Van Lew family in Richmond, Virgina, worked with one of the Union Army's most intricate spy rings. It was operated by a shrewd Richmond society woman pretending to have lost her mind, so as to escape suspicion among the city's pro-slavery upper crust.  

Elizabeth “Crazy Bet” Van Lew started unofficially spying for the North while bringing food and medicine to Union prisoners housed in Richmond, passing notes and helping the men with plans to escape. 

As Elizabeth Van Lew expanded her espionage, she saw great possibilities for Mary Browser.
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Confederate White House, Richmond, Virginia. Photo courtesy Library of Congress
We know only the basic outlines of Mary Browser's life. There are no photographs of her, but... 

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Yes! Answers from the Oracle of Delphi

12/5/2022

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Now, for my long-promised story about my visit to the site of the Ancient Greek Oracle of Delphi. Before I left on my vacation to Greece, I told friends I would be visiting the oracle and jokingly asked what wisdom they would like me to seek for them.  
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For are we not much the same as people who lived 10,000 years ago? We have some dilemma, some question or uncertainty that we long to resolve. And wouldn't it be great, if there was someone we could ask who had the wisdom to give us a definitive answer?
 
​​​​​​Over the centuries many have turned to religious faith for certainty. And in fact, scholars believe Delphi probably originated as a sacred site to worship the Goddess of Earth, Gaia, the ancestral mother of all life back in, oh, about 1600 BCE!
 
It was profoundly moving to walk the paths of a place that has been sacred ground for 36 centuries. The wisdom I heard there is sobering and also, freeing. And as relevant today as in ancient times.

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They Sent Their Kids to Nazi Summer camp, right here in America

7/6/2022

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Who knew the innocence and fun of summer camp could be twisted into something dark, hateful and dangerous?  Read on for the astounding and little-known story of how Nazis planted the seeds of white supremacy in America.
  
In the 1920s and 30s, German-Americans disaffected by WWI and the Great Depression found support in a group called the Friends of New Germany.  Most all members were American citizens, but they pledged loyalty to Adolf Hitler. Members had to swear they were of pure Aryan blood with no Jewish ancestry. In 1936, a new group absorbed these people, the Amerikadeutscher Bund, commonly known as the Bund.
 
​These organizations worked to preserve German Culture. As you will see, they had a much more potent agenda.
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Nazi Youth at a German American Bund Camp in 1937, courtesy AP

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The All-But-Forgotten Bravery of Black Soldiers on D-Day

6/6/2022

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I had no understanding until recently of "barrage balloons" nor their importance in the success of the Normandy invasion.
 
And further, I had no idea of the crucial D-Day role played by black soldiers landing on Omaha Beach.
 
This bit of forgotten history was brought to my attention by long-time newsletter reader Norm Haskett. Norm is the creator of the incredible website The Daily Chronicles of WWII, possibly the most thorough collection of WWII information on the web.
 
Who better to fill in for me this week while I'm on vacation?

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    I'm fascinated to discover little-known history, stories of people and events that provide a new perspective on why and how things happened, new voices that haven't been heard, insight into how the past brought us here today, and how it might guide us to a better future.
    I also post here about my books and feature other authors and their books on compelling and important historical topics.
    Occasionally, I share what makes me happy, pictures of my garden, recipes I've made, events I've attended, people I've met. I'm always happy to hear from readers in the blog comments, by email or social media.

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I write about women whose courage has shaped our history. My work shines a light in shadowy forgotten corners, amplifies marginalized voices  and empowers us all to work constructively for what we believe in.  Sign up for my weekly newsletter and join the conversation.

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