HISPANIC, LATINO, OR LATINX? By Vanessa Maria Quirk The words “Hispanic,” “Latino,” and “LatinX” are all words used to describe people with ties to nations in South and Central America (they describe ethnicity, but not race). The term “Hispanic” is the oldest and most popular; it was adopted in the…

EL SERENO’S OLD FARMDALE SCHOOL By Vanessa Maria Quirk Under 10% of places in the National Register of Historic Places represent people of color — which is why it’s a big deal that the El Sereno Historical Society has successfully gotten this building, the Old Farmdale School, listed. The Urban…

In this two-part series, we explore the remarkable life of the woman who build Black Los Angeles. — Part I: Long Road to Freedom If you are from Los Angeles, you may have heard of one of the city’s pioneers: Bridget “Biddy” Mason (1818–1891). Biddy was born in Hancock County, Georgia and was soon purchased by Robert Smith and his wife Rebecca. While enslaved in the Smith household, Biddy met another woman named…

Our season premiere tells the story of a little-known, near-destroyed section of the Cemetery where African Americans are buried. — Founded in 1838, Green-Wood Cemetery, in Brooklyn, New York, is one of the earliest (and most famous) rural cemeteries in America. Its grandiose, park-like setting is scattered with notable burial sites and architectural masterpieces — which is why Green-Wood has been designed a National Historic Landmark. …

Nestled South of Interstate-74 and West of the Millcreek, South Cumminsville is a tight-knit residential neighborhood full of people working to make their neighborhood more equitable. — In this episode, the final of our Lost Voices of Cincinnati series, we explore the history of South Cumminsville, a neighborhood that, like many Black neighborhoods in Cincinnati, has been divided and diminished by top-down urban planning decisions and years of disinvestment. But it’s also a place with a…

We continue our Lost Voices of Cincinnati series with an episode exploring the fraught history of Avondale. — About this episode: The neighborhood of Avondale is still recovering from many events that took place in the mid-century, including violent race riots, white flight, and widespread housing discrimination. In this episode, we talk with experts who explain these historical events (and in the process define terms like blockbusting and redlining) and their…

In this episode, the first of our Lost Voices of Cincinnati series, we’re exploring the history of Evanston, the home of King Records. — If you missed our prelude, then make sure to check out that episode first! Evanston, Cincinnati may be best known as the home of King Records, which was pivotal to the creation of Rock n’ Roll music. However, it’s also home to another important anchor, St. …

Our first season of Urban Roots starts with an episode that will take you back, way back, to Cincinnati’s beginnings. — If you know anything about Cincinnati’s Black history, you have probably heard of neighborhoods like the West End and Over-the-Rhine. But what do you know about the African American communities in Evanston, Avondale, or South Cumminsville? Have you ever heard about John Hatfield — a major player in Cincinnati’s Underground…