The Breakfast Club - IDKMYDE: Stolen Lands

Episode Date: February 23, 2025

On todays episode of IDKMYDE, school’s in session as we break down the OG Black towns that flipped the script on segregation—where Black excellence wasn’t just a dream, it was the blueprint.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What would you do if mysterious drones appeared over your hometown? I started asking questions. What do you remember happening on that night of December 16th? It actually rotated around our house, looking as if it was peering in each window of our home. I'm Gabe Lenners from Imagine, I Heart Podcasts and Lenners Entertainment. Listen to Obscurum, Invasion of the Drones, wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

I'm Mark Seale. And I'm Nathan King. This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli. The five families did not want us to shoot that picture. This podcast is based on my co-host Mark Seale's best-selling book of the same title. Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Cobola,

Robert Evans, James Kahn, Talia Shire, and many others. Yes, that was a real horse's head. Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Canoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Calling all Yellowstone fans. Let's go to work. Let's go to work. Join Bobby Bones on the official Yellowstone podcast for exclusive cast interviews, behind

the scenes insights, and a deep dive into the themes that have made Yellowstone a cultural phenomenon. Our family legacy is this ranch. An architect of my life. Listen to the official Yellowstone podcast now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, We all have a moment that splits us wide open. On my new podcast, Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris, I'll sit down with trailblazers from sports, music, fashion, entertainment, and politics to explore their toughest moments and the incredible comebacks that followed.

Listen to Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris, an iHeart Women's Sports production on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. On today's episode of I Didn't Know, Maybe You Didn't Either, let's talk about stolen lands in your state. I'm talking about entire black towns that were built from the ground up, not just neighborhoods. I mean whole towns stolen. I'll explain.

First stop, Orange Mound in Memphis, Tennessee. Now whenever I hear Orange Mound, I immediately think of 8 Ballin MJG. But Orange Mound was founded in 1880 by a former slave named Thomas McKinney. My guy said look I'm tired of working for y'all so I'm buying this land splitting it up and selling it to black folks and black folk came through like bet. They turned Orange Mound into a whole vibe businesses schools churches they had everything fast forward and now Orange Mound is the home to legends like Isaac Hayes, Chef, you damn right, and your boy Project Pet from 3-6. And y'all

know Project Pet put Memphis on the map. Orange Mound was the original black Wall Street of Memphis. Got it? So now let's head down to Florida. Eatonville. Eatonville is historic y'all. Because it was the first incorporated all black town in America. It was founded in 1887. And let me tell you, they weren't waiting for permission. These folks got together like, look, we're going to govern ourselves and be done with this foolishness. Are you familiar with the writer? Zora Neale Hurston? One of the greatest writers to ever do it. She's from Eatonville and if you read her books she pretty much wrote stories that brought Eatonville's culture to life. Eatonville was basically Wakanda before Marvel even thought about it. Now if you

slide over to Oklahoma it's a spot called Bowley. Bowley was founded in 1903 and it was next level. They had black doctors, black lawyers, they even had their own bank and they didn't take no junk. They told white folk don't even think about robbing this bank. It's a story about some robbers pulling up and the folks in Bowley lit them up like it was the 4th of July. There's Mound Bayou, Mississippi.

That was founded in 1887 by Isaiah T. Montgomery. This was another all blackblack town built for us, by us. It has schools, hospitals, and businesses run entirely by black folks. The town was so successful that even civil rights leaders like Medgar Evers came through to soak up some of the energy. As has been the theme this season, this is another example of black folks not just surviving but thriving and the spirit of these towns lives on. Look at hip-hop it's all about independence, ownership and telling your story. That's why Kendrick Lamar's line, we gon' be all right or tie tribit because he said that in one of his songs too. Nevertheless, that's the anthem. That's the same energy that built Eatonville, Orange Mound,

Bowley, and Mound by you. Now here's where I leave the I didn't know, maybe you didn't either audience, with a little homework. I need you to look up your oldest black town in your state, Google it. And if you're from North Carolina, I already got the answer for you. It's Lakeview founded in

1887 you're welcome, but don't get lazy still do your research because I didn't know Maybe you didn't either What would you do if mysterious drones appeared over your hometown I Started asking questions. What do you remember happening on that night of December 16th? It actually rotated around our house, looking as if it was peering in each window of our home. I'm Gabe Linners.

From Imagine, iHeart Podcasts, and Linners Entertainment, listen to Obscura, Invasion of the Drones, wherever you get your favorite podcasts. I'm Mark Seale. And I'm Nathan King. This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli. The five families did not want us to shoot that picture. This podcast is based on my co-host Mark Seale's bestselling book of the same title.

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Kobla, Robert Evans, James Kahn, Talia Shire, and many others. Yes, that was a real horse's head. Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Canole on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Calling all Yellowstone fans. Let's go to work. Join Bobby Bones on the official Yellowstone fans. Let's go to work. Let's go. Join Bobby Bones on the official Yellowstone podcast

for exclusive cast interviews, behind-the-scenes insights, and a deep dive into the themes that have made Yellowstone a cultural phenomenon. Our family legacy is this ranch. And I protect it with my life. Listen to the official Yellowstone podcast now on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Tomer Cohen, LinkedIn's Chief Product Officer. If you're just as curious as I am about the way things are built, then tune into my podcast, Building One. I speak with some of the best product builders out there. I've always been inspired by frustration. It came back to my own personal pinpoint. So we had to go out to farmers and convince them. Following that curiosity is a superpower.

You have to be obsessed with the human condition. Listen to Building One on the iHeart Radio app, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.