S11E12 Rise and Rise Again - The Life and Times of Mary Ann Shadd Cary

About this episode

This episode explores the life and impact of Mary Ann Shadd Cary, a pioneering Black woman in North America.

Born free in a slaveholding nation and unafraid to confront it, Mary Ann Shadd Cary carved out a life defined by intellect, defiance, and relentless public action. A teacher, lawyer, and the first Black woman in North America to publish a newspaper, she challenged both American slavery and Canadian complacency. Through the pages of The Provincial Freeman , she argued for self-reliance, integration, and equal rights at a time when such demands invited hostility. Her story moves across borders—from the United States to Canada and back again—tracing a 19th-century struggle for freedom that still echoes today.   Dr. Nneka D. Dennie is a Black feminist scholar with specializations in nineteenth- and twentieth-century African American history. Her research examines Black intellectual thought with an emphasis on nineteenth-century African American history. Dr. Dennie is an Assistant Professor of History, core faculty in the Africana Studies Program, and affiliate faculty in the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program at Washington and Lee University.   Check out Canyon Entertainment’s newest podcast hosted by David Borys, The Conflict and Culture Podcast, here ! Don’t…

People in this episode

Host: David Borys

Guest: Dr Nneka D Dennie

Topics covered

• Mary Ann Shadd Cary
• African American history
• Black feminism
• 19th-century struggle for freedom

Keywords

• intellect
• defiance
• public action
• The Provincial Freeman
• self-reliance
• equal rights

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Punching Above Our Weight: The Canadian Military at War Since 1867

Books & works: Punching Above Our Weight

Places: North America, the United States, Canada

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