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Centuries Collide TBN Version

Cody Crouch: Boss Babes | Centuries Collide

December 4, 2024 | S2:E13

Cody Crouch: Boss Babes | Centuries Collide
Host Cody Crouch takes us on an unforgettable ride through the moments that made the U.S.A. the country it is today.
#Slavery #AmericanHistory #WorldHistory #War #History #Politics #Military #inActive #CodyCrouch #Women #Documentary #Reputation

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Centuries Collide TBN Version | Cody Crouch: Boss Babes | Centuries Collide | December 4, 2024
  • I am cody crouch on my new show centuries collide american
  • 00:00:00.457 --> 00:00:04.861
  • History i am traveling across the united states uncovering
  • 00:00:04.861 --> 00:00:07.797
  • Incredible true history of what makes our nation so
  • 00:00:07.797 --> 00:00:11.935
  • Great.
  • 00:00:11.935 --> 00:00:13.503
  • We are re-creating some of american history's
  • 00:00:13.503 --> 00:00:15.371
  • Greatest moments exactly how they happened.
  • 00:00:15.371 --> 00:00:17.407
  • Didn't you think the rock would be bigger?
  • 00:00:17.407 --> 00:00:20.176
  • Welcome to the craziest strangest most whateverist
  • 00:00:20.176 --> 00:00:23.446
  • Crash course on american history.
  • 00:00:23.446 --> 00:00:25.415
  • Buckle up it's time for centuries collide.
  • 00:00:25.415 --> 00:00:28.852
  • Girls have been ruling the world long before beyoncé told
  • 00:00:28.852 --> 00:00:32.755
  • Us so.
  • 00:00:32.755 --> 00:00:33.957
  • Early american history is full of powerful tycoons who
  • 00:00:33.957 --> 00:00:36.659
  • Definitely would be supporting the title of girl boss if they
  • 00:00:36.659 --> 00:00:40.063
  • Were alive today.
  • 00:00:40.063 --> 00:00:41.831
  • Yes powerful tycoons that are wait for it, women.
  • 00:00:41.831 --> 00:00:45.635
  • From finance to cosmetics, these courageous capitalists
  • 00:00:45.635 --> 00:00:52.442
  • Who just happen to be female helped build america's economy
  • 00:00:52.442 --> 00:00:56.212
  • And many of them did it before women were even allowed to
  • 00:00:56.212 --> 00:01:00.416
  • Vote yes there was a time when women were not allowed to vote
  • 00:01:00.416 --> 00:01:04.821
  • Among other things.
  • 00:01:04.821 --> 00:01:06.289
  • Actually a lot of things.
  • 00:01:06.289 --> 00:01:08.224
  • It's crazy but never fear you know who's here boss babes.
  • 00:01:08.224 --> 00:01:11.528
  • Buckle up it's time for centuries collide.
  • 00:01:11.528 --> 00:01:16.065
  • [music]
  • 00:01:16.065 --> 00:01:29.412
  • So yes, women bear the children and yes they can
  • 00:01:29.412 --> 00:01:31.314
  • Bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan.
  • 00:01:31.314 --> 00:01:33.783
  • Back in the day boundaries on what women could and could not
  • 00:01:33.783 --> 00:01:38.321
  • Do based upon what society said they could and could not do, was
  • 00:01:38.321 --> 00:01:42.559
  • Quite confining to say the least.
  • 00:01:42.559 --> 00:01:45.762
  • Once upon a time in american history there were three
  • 00:01:45.762 --> 00:01:48.698
  • Remarkable women who went on to change the course of
  • 00:01:48.698 --> 00:01:52.001
  • History.
  • 00:01:52.001 --> 00:01:55.572
  • [music]
  • 00:01:55.572 --> 00:01:58.241
  • They vote for freedom dreams that lead others toward
  • 00:01:58.241 --> 00:02:01.444
  • Progress.
  • 00:02:01.444 --> 00:02:02.745
  • Their legacy lives on and now they work for me, my name is
  • 00:02:02.745 --> 00:02:08.384
  • Charlie.
  • 00:02:08.384 --> 00:02:10.987
  • Wait hold on.
  • 00:02:10.987 --> 00:02:12.689
  • No.
  • 00:02:12.689 --> 00:02:14.357
  • We don't work for anybody.
  • 00:02:13.656 --> 00:02:15.825
  • Sorry charlie.
  • 00:02:15.825 --> 00:02:16.759
  • Don't leave i'm the boss.
  • 00:02:16.759 --> 00:02:19.629
  • I am your boss.
  • 00:02:19.629 --> 00:02:20.830
  • While the 70s could be considered back in the day to
  • 00:02:20.830 --> 00:02:27.770
  • Some, we are going to start way back in the day in
  • 00:02:27.770 --> 00:02:30.773
  • Colonial america.
  • 00:02:30.773 --> 00:02:32.408
  • The typical woman in colonial america was expected to run a
  • 00:02:32.408 --> 00:02:35.778
  • Household, cooking, cleaning, domestic duties, and they were
  • 00:02:35.778 --> 00:02:39.816
  • Discouraged from basically everything else.
  • 00:02:39.816 --> 00:02:42.619
  • Like reading and writing.
  • 00:02:42.619 --> 00:02:45.188
  • Excuse me what?
  • 00:02:45.188 --> 00:02:46.289
  • What about accounting and lawyering?
  • 00:02:46.289 --> 00:02:49.158
  • Marine biology?
  • 00:02:49.158 --> 00:02:50.593
  • I want to be president someday.
  • 00:02:50.593 --> 00:02:52.128
  • Hold it babes.
  • 00:02:52.128 --> 00:02:53.363
  • To do.
  • 00:02:53.363 --> 00:02:56.366
  • And not to do.
  • 00:02:56.366 --> 00:02:58.201
  • Wait hold on.
  • 00:02:58.201 --> 00:02:59.335
  • Spinning, sewing, bearing children and bearing more
  • 00:02:59.335 --> 00:03:02.872
  • Children?
  • 00:03:02.872 --> 00:03:04.007
  • But no reading writing voting or bossing?
  • 00:03:04.007 --> 00:03:07.310
  • To do and not to do.
  • 00:03:07.310 --> 00:03:10.213
  • No i don't even think so.
  • 00:03:10.213 --> 00:03:14.150
  • Zip it babes.
  • 00:03:14.150 --> 00:03:15.151
  • Babes.
  • 00:03:15.151 --> 00:03:16.286
  • Now once the american revolution started to gain
  • 00:03:16.286 --> 00:03:21.324
  • Traction women added to their list of to-do's with the
  • 00:03:21.324 --> 00:03:24.060
  • Revolution of sorts of their own, they boycotted british
  • 00:03:24.060 --> 00:03:26.763
  • Textiles and began spinning their all american cotton
  • 00:03:26.763 --> 00:03:31.601
  • Linen and wool for themselves.
  • 00:03:31.601 --> 00:03:35.605
  • Welcome gentlemen to the 1774 colonial cotton spinoff, tell us
  • 00:03:35.605 --> 00:03:42.912
  • What you believe is the best chance of spending the most
  • 00:03:42.912 --> 00:03:47.884
  • The fastest.
  • 00:03:47.884 --> 00:03:49.052
  • It's hard to say, prudence spends a mean cotton, but
  • 00:03:49.052 --> 00:03:53.289
  • Constant's linen is hard to beat.
  • 00:03:53.289 --> 00:03:55.692
  • What about patience?
  • 00:03:55.692 --> 00:03:59.162
  • I don't know, i suppose we'll have to wait and see.
  • 00:03:59.162 --> 00:04:03.366
  • You know we can hear you right?
  • 00:04:03.366 --> 00:04:10.006
  • Women weaving their way to independence became known as a
  • 00:04:10.006 --> 00:04:13.276
  • Fashion trend called homespun.
  • 00:04:13.276 --> 00:04:16.279
  • This gave cloth making a certain subversive quality
  • 00:04:16.279 --> 00:04:20.850
  • Not usually associated with handcrafts and homespun
  • 00:04:20.850 --> 00:04:24.153
  • Outfits became a patriotic symbol of the struggle against
  • 00:04:24.153 --> 00:04:29.392
  • British rule.
  • 00:04:29.392 --> 00:04:30.493
  • They also began holding spinning competitions.
  • 00:04:30.493 --> 00:04:32.595
  • And what's more american than a good ole competition?
  • 00:04:32.595 --> 00:04:36.199
  • Easy breezy beautiful.
  • 00:04:36.199 --> 00:04:38.401
  • Homespun.
  • 00:04:38.401 --> 00:04:40.169
  • Take that king george.
  • 00:04:40.169 --> 00:04:41.337
  • And don't underestimate a good homespun gown.
  • 00:04:41.337 --> 00:04:44.874
  • Once the war for independence was declared, women supported
  • 00:04:44.874 --> 00:04:47.543
  • The war effort with all kinds of things working in military
  • 00:04:47.543 --> 00:04:50.980
  • Camps, fundraising, tending to wounded soldiers.
  • 00:04:50.980 --> 00:04:54.016
  • And even spying.
  • 00:04:54.016 --> 00:04:57.754
  • And while we can be fairly certain that the soldiers were
  • 00:04:57.754 --> 00:05:00.523
  • Thankful for all this help, history not so much.
  • 00:05:00.523 --> 00:05:04.360
  • You see there are tons of stories of women and their
  • 00:05:04.360 --> 00:05:07.330
  • Heroic efforts but no one seemed to write them down.
  • 00:05:07.330 --> 00:05:12.068
  • A woman named mary hayes fell into that category, here
  • 00:05:12.068 --> 00:05:16.439
  • During the battle of monument she delivered water to the
  • 00:05:16.439 --> 00:05:19.809
  • Soldiers with a pitcher.
  • 00:05:19.809 --> 00:05:21.277
  • Mary i need you.
  • 00:05:21.277 --> 00:05:25.181
  • Mary's artilleryman husband was wounded so what's a girl
  • 00:05:25.181 --> 00:05:27.750
  • To do?
  • 00:05:27.750 --> 00:05:28.885
  • Listen i need you to find a man to man the canon.
  • 00:05:28.885 --> 00:05:33.256
  • Oh i will man the canon.
  • 00:05:33.256 --> 00:05:35.892
  • But you are...
  • 00:05:35.892 --> 00:05:38.561
  • So mary manned the canon.
  • 00:05:38.561 --> 00:05:42.799
  • My name is molly.
  • 00:05:42.799 --> 00:05:45.268
  • We need your help margaret.
  • 00:05:45.268 --> 00:05:47.904
  • That's one version of the story anyways.
  • 00:05:47.904 --> 00:05:49.739
  • Mary hayes could be the legendary hero of the
  • 00:05:49.739 --> 00:05:54.444
  • Revolutionary war molly pitcher who history remembers
  • 00:05:54.444 --> 00:05:58.080
  • Fighting alongside the soldiers in her skirt and
  • 00:05:58.080 --> 00:06:02.785
  • Heels or molly pitcher could be a combination of all sorts
  • 00:06:02.785 --> 00:06:04.854
  • Of heroic women.
  • 00:06:04.854 --> 00:06:06.355
  • But the fact of the matter remains that we forgot to
  • 00:06:06.355 --> 00:06:09.358
  • Write the stories down.
  • 00:06:09.358 --> 00:06:11.694
  • Sorry ladies reduced to the legend once again.
  • 00:06:11.694 --> 00:06:13.796
  • Now there is a documented case of a woman disguising
  • 00:06:13.796 --> 00:06:18.367
  • Herself as a man to fight in the revolutionary war.
  • 00:06:18.367 --> 00:06:20.470
  • Deborah samson.
  • 00:06:20.470 --> 00:06:22.071
  • Robert shirtless i presume?
  • 00:06:22.071 --> 00:06:27.443
  • It's actually shirtlift but you can call me deb.
  • 00:06:27.443 --> 00:06:29.846
  • Well deb.
  • 00:06:29.846 --> 00:06:30.746
  • Which of course is not my real name.
  • 00:06:30.746 --> 00:06:33.616
  • Heard you took a musket ball to the leg let me help you.
  • 00:06:33.616 --> 00:06:37.119
  • You are not wrong i did.
  • 00:06:37.119 --> 00:06:38.421
  • Actually i need to borrow a needle and thread for a sewing
  • 00:06:38.421 --> 00:06:41.257
  • Project.
  • 00:06:41.257 --> 00:06:43.092
  • A sewing project?
  • 00:06:43.092 --> 00:06:43.860
  • For my wife.
  • 00:06:43.860 --> 00:06:45.928
  • Oh women.
  • 00:06:45.928 --> 00:06:47.129
  • Need some surgical and scalpels and some bandages oh
  • 00:06:47.129 --> 00:06:51.267
  • Yes all the bandages thank you, i'm done here.
  • 00:06:51.267 --> 00:06:54.804
  • Interesting sewing project.
  • 00:06:54.804 --> 00:06:56.272
  • Okay let's go cut a leg off.
  • 00:06:56.272 --> 00:07:00.109
  • Her real name is deborah samson.
  • 00:07:00.109 --> 00:07:03.513
  • But her secret identity was robert shirtlift.
  • 00:07:03.513 --> 00:07:06.616
  • She kept her real identity hidden for two years.
  • 00:07:06.616 --> 00:07:09.652
  • Even when she was severely wounded she performed her own
  • 00:07:09.652 --> 00:07:12.288
  • Surgery.
  • 00:07:12.288 --> 00:07:14.123
  • Like the boss.
  • 00:07:14.123 --> 00:07:15.458
  • When she was eventually found out she was accused of being a
  • 00:07:15.458 --> 00:07:18.427
  • Witch.
  • 00:07:18.427 --> 00:07:20.463
  • I'm kidding she got an honorable discharge.
  • 00:07:20.463 --> 00:07:24.100
  • Another woman who defied stereotypes of the day the
  • 00:07:24.100 --> 00:07:31.641
  • Poet phyllis wheatley.
  • 00:07:31.641 --> 00:07:34.076
  • Enslaved female phyllis wheatley lived in a time of
  • 00:07:34.076 --> 00:07:38.681
  • People actually believed that women's brains were inferior
  • 00:07:38.681 --> 00:07:42.251
  • To men's.
  • 00:07:42.251 --> 00:07:43.019
  • Especially enslaved women.
  • 00:07:43.019 --> 00:07:45.521
  • Excuse me francis.
  • 00:07:45.521 --> 00:07:48.291
  • It's phyllis.
  • 00:07:48.291 --> 00:07:50.092
  • Anyways francis, how can i actually be sure that you
  • 00:07:50.092 --> 00:07:53.496
  • Wrote this book?
  • 00:07:53.496 --> 00:07:54.997
  • Great question.
  • 00:07:54.997 --> 00:07:56.599
  • You see my picture here?
  • 00:07:56.599 --> 00:07:58.000
  • Do you see the resemblance?
  • 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:00.536
  • Would a signature of a white guy be enough for you?
  • 00:08:00.536 --> 00:08:05.041
  • Oh yes most definitely.
  • 00:08:05.041 --> 00:08:07.043
  • John.
  • 00:08:07.043 --> 00:08:09.078
  • John hancock.
  • 00:08:09.078 --> 00:08:10.179
  • At your service.
  • 00:08:10.179 --> 00:08:13.249
  • Happy?
  • 00:08:13.249 --> 00:08:15.418
  • At the time this was considered so unbelievable the
  • 00:08:15.418 --> 00:08:20.323
  • Book actually featured a portrait of phyllis wheately to
  • 00:08:20.323 --> 00:08:24.193
  • Demonstrate that the author was in fact a black woman.
  • 00:08:24.193 --> 00:08:26.829
  • Additionally the form was signed by none other than john
  • 00:08:26.829 --> 00:08:32.068
  • Hancock as an largest signature on the declaration
  • 00:08:32.068 --> 00:08:36.439
  • Of independence john hancock.
  • 00:08:36.439 --> 00:08:38.441
  • Well phyllis set out to prove them wrong.
  • 00:08:38.441 --> 00:08:43.412
  • With her pen she wrote a book called poems on various
  • 00:08:43.412 --> 00:08:46.716
  • Subjects religious and moral.
  • 00:08:46.716 --> 00:08:50.186
  • This was the first book ever written by a black woman in
  • 00:08:50.186 --> 00:08:54.023
  • America.
  • 00:08:54.023 --> 00:08:55.591
  • In 1776 america gained its independence and the phrase all
  • 00:08:55.591 --> 00:09:00.896
  • Men are created equal was as literal as it was well
  • 00:09:00.896 --> 00:09:04.934
  • Literal, they meant men.
  • 00:09:04.934 --> 00:09:07.770
  • White men.
  • 00:09:07.770 --> 00:09:10.106
  • When founding father john adams was working out what a
  • 00:09:10.106 --> 00:09:15.511
  • Numerical is going to look like his wife abigail wrote to
  • 00:09:15.511 --> 00:09:18.047
  • Him and said hey, you need to remember the ladies.
  • 00:09:18.047 --> 00:09:23.319
  • What she was referring to was called coverture or the once
  • 00:09:23.319 --> 00:09:26.856
  • To marry for all intents and purposes you're invisible law.
  • 00:09:26.856 --> 00:09:31.460
  • John adams response he wrote to lawmakers clearly worries
  • 00:09:31.460 --> 00:09:37.500
  • That if the american colonists have the right to rebel
  • 00:09:37.500 --> 00:09:41.570
  • Against their virtual representation in parliament
  • 00:09:41.570 --> 00:09:45.708
  • Then why should women be virtually represented by men?
  • 00:09:45.708 --> 00:09:48.077
  • John adams had a really good point but the issue was a
  • 00:09:48.077 --> 00:09:52.682
  • Little more thorny for and then at the time.
  • 00:09:52.682 --> 00:09:55.284
  • Women?
  • 00:09:55.284 --> 00:09:56.419
  • Why shouldn't they have the right?
  • 00:09:56.419 --> 00:10:02.191
  • Create a new modern government?
  • 00:10:02.191 --> 00:10:07.263
  • But keep the old not modern invisibility women?
  • 00:10:07.263 --> 00:10:11.534
  • Also check.
  • 00:10:11.534 --> 00:10:14.637
  • One year after independence, all the states decide that
  • 00:10:14.637 --> 00:10:17.239
  • Women are still a little too independent, in fact they pass
  • 00:10:17.239 --> 00:10:21.444
  • A law taking away women's right to vote.
  • 00:10:21.444 --> 00:10:24.547
  • But here's a small silver lining for the gals at the
  • 00:10:24.547 --> 00:10:28.350
  • United states constitution was ratified in 1789 the terms
  • 00:10:28.350 --> 00:10:31.921
  • People's persons and electors are used giving a teeny tiny
  • 00:10:31.921 --> 00:10:35.991
  • Space for those terms to be interpreted as men wait
  • 00:10:35.991 --> 00:10:39.361
  • For it, women.
  • 00:10:39.361 --> 00:10:42.598
  • So years past fledgling america thrived but things
  • 00:10:42.598 --> 00:10:47.803
  • Remained fairly status quo in the women's department.
  • 00:10:47.803 --> 00:10:51.974
  • Then in 1833 an actual ray of hope here in oberlin ohio
  • 00:10:51.974 --> 00:10:57.279
  • Oberlin college started accepting students and by
  • 00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:01.250
  • Students i mean white men and white women.
  • 00:11:01.250 --> 00:11:05.254
  • And then two years later in 1835 oberlin started
  • 00:11:05.254 --> 00:11:11.060
  • Accepting students.
  • 00:11:11.060 --> 00:11:12.828
  • Now we mean men and women both white and black.
  • 00:11:12.828 --> 00:11:16.332
  • For those wondering the oberlin college mascot is a
  • 00:11:16.332 --> 00:11:21.370
  • Yeoman, a yeoman is somebody who can own land and vote, see
  • 00:11:21.370 --> 00:11:25.608
  • What they did there?
  • 00:11:25.608 --> 00:11:28.010
  • And yes the mascot is an albino squirrel named you'll
  • 00:11:28.010 --> 00:11:32.047
  • Yeobie.
  • 00:11:32.047 --> 00:11:32.982
  • Nice.
  • 00:11:32.982 --> 00:11:34.216
  • It's the 1840s, the population is up 33% from the last
  • 00:11:34.216 --> 00:11:42.158
  • Census, the oregon trail is in full swing which means people
  • 00:11:42.158 --> 00:11:46.095
  • Are dying dysentery, and a growing number of women start
  • 00:11:46.095 --> 00:11:49.932
  • To more publicly question their unequal status in
  • 00:11:49.932 --> 00:11:54.270
  • Society.
  • 00:11:54.270 --> 00:11:55.471
  • So a few states join a few other states and pass the
  • 00:11:55.471 --> 00:11:59.475
  • Married women's property act which strikes another huge
  • 00:11:59.475 --> 00:12:03.279
  • Blow to coverture, for the first time a woman is not
  • 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:06.549
  • Automatically liable for her husband's debts whether it's
  • 00:12:06.549 --> 00:12:10.886
  • Drinking, gambling, motorcycles, star wars
  • 00:12:10.886 --> 00:12:15.191
  • Collection, tricked out man cave renovation, not her
  • 00:12:15.191 --> 00:12:19.061
  • Problem anymore.
  • 00:12:19.061 --> 00:12:20.029
  • She could enter contracts on her own.
  • 00:12:20.029 --> 00:12:24.099
  • Yeah.
  • 00:12:24.099 --> 00:12:27.369
  • She could collect rents and receive an inheritance in her
  • 00:12:27.369 --> 00:12:29.538
  • Own right.
  • 00:12:29.538 --> 00:12:30.806
  • Okay.
  • 00:12:30.806 --> 00:12:32.474
  • All right.
  • 00:12:32.474 --> 00:12:34.009
  • She could also file a lawsuit on her own behalf.
  • 00:12:34.009 --> 00:12:37.379
  • Okay.
  • 00:12:37.379 --> 00:12:39.248
  • All right.
  • 00:12:38.614 --> 00:12:42.818
  • Yes i love that.
  • 00:12:42.818 --> 00:12:43.919
  • And for economic purposes became an individual.
  • 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:45.654
  • Girl, yeah we're doing it!
  • 00:12:45.654 --> 00:12:50.492
  • But she still cannot vote.
  • 00:12:50.492 --> 00:12:59.802
  • Alright ladies, back to work.
  • 00:12:59.802 --> 00:13:05.541
  • Women had to work way harder than men to have a voice.
  • 00:13:05.541 --> 00:13:08.677
  • What happens to women in their bodies is as big of an issue
  • 00:13:08.677 --> 00:13:11.914
  • Today as it was back then.
  • 00:13:11.914 --> 00:13:14.116
  • And back then some men still do not think women were up to
  • 00:13:14.116 --> 00:13:17.486
  • The task spoiler alert, they were.
  • 00:13:17.486 --> 00:13:20.389
  • Fast forward to 1920.
  • 00:13:20.389 --> 00:13:24.827
  • Women may vote.
  • 00:13:24.827 --> 00:13:26.962
  • Were women thankful to vote?
  • 00:13:26.962 --> 00:13:28.964
  • Sure.
  • 00:13:28.964 --> 00:13:30.266
  • But let's be honest, american boss babes were boss with or
  • 00:13:30.266 --> 00:13:34.203
  • Without someone else's permission to participate in
  • 00:13:34.203 --> 00:13:37.473
  • The world.
  • 00:13:37.473 --> 00:13:38.974
  • Now i would like to introduce you to a few economic
  • 00:13:38.974 --> 00:13:41.644
  • Trailblazers who figured out how to make it in america
  • 00:13:41.644 --> 00:13:44.413
  • Before they could even vote in america.
  • 00:13:44.413 --> 00:13:46.482
  • Up first, mary ellen pleasant.
  • 00:13:46.482 --> 00:13:50.319
  • An american entrepreneur financier, real estate magnet
  • 00:13:50.319 --> 00:13:55.090
  • And rights activists conclusive proof that women
  • 00:13:55.090 --> 00:13:58.327
  • Can indeed multitask.
  • 00:13:58.327 --> 00:14:00.529
  • She invested a fortune worth billions today when it came
  • 00:14:00.529 --> 00:14:04.199
  • Time to answer the occupation question on the u.s.
  • 00:14:04.199 --> 00:14:08.170
  • Census this gutsy boss babe identified herself as boss
  • 00:14:08.170 --> 00:14:11.573
  • Babe.
  • 00:14:11.573 --> 00:14:13.609
  • Now that's boss.
  • 00:14:13.609 --> 00:14:16.645
  • Okay actually she wrote down capitalist but still, when
  • 00:14:16.645 --> 00:14:22.084
  • Most everything especially capitalism is not exactly a
  • 00:14:22.084 --> 00:14:27.556
  • Welcoming club for anybody who isn't a you know white guy,
  • 00:14:27.556 --> 00:14:31.093
  • Maryellen called it out.
  • 00:14:31.093 --> 00:14:32.962
  • Like a boss.
  • 00:14:32.962 --> 00:14:35.097
  • So what was the secret to mary ellen's crazy success?
  • 00:14:35.097 --> 00:14:39.902
  • Let's rewind a little bit.
  • 00:14:39.902 --> 00:14:41.503
  • Sometime in the 1840s a 30- something mary ellen lost her
  • 00:14:41.503 --> 00:14:45.541
  • First husband but he left her a sizable chunk of change.
  • 00:14:45.541 --> 00:14:49.945
  • She remarried and headed out here to the west in the gold
  • 00:14:49.945 --> 00:14:54.049
  • Rush but she was not a miner so how did she do it?
  • 00:14:54.049 --> 00:14:56.318
  • Well for starters she was a very well informed investor
  • 00:14:56.318 --> 00:15:01.457
  • Maryellen just knew where to put her money.
  • 00:15:01.457 --> 00:15:04.026
  • Which begs another question how does a 19th-century black
  • 00:15:04.026 --> 00:15:07.963
  • Woman get access to insider information?
  • 00:15:07.963 --> 00:15:12.201
  • Turns out maryellen was a master of disguise.
  • 00:15:12.201 --> 00:15:16.472
  • She portrayed herself as a housekeeper and cook.
  • 00:15:16.472 --> 00:15:22.277
  • Even after she was wealthy enough to have her own.
  • 00:15:22.277 --> 00:15:26.382
  • Hidden beneath her disguise, maryellen would go undercover
  • 00:15:26.382 --> 00:15:31.186
  • At fancy events around town.
  • 00:15:31.186 --> 00:15:33.489
  • And get strategic financial info from all the wealthy white
  • 00:15:33.489 --> 00:15:37.926
  • Guys.
  • 00:15:37.926 --> 00:15:39.094
  • So we keep it between us.
  • 00:15:39.094 --> 00:15:43.499
  • We monopolize that market.
  • 00:15:43.499 --> 00:15:44.700
  • And when the occasion called for, she would disguise
  • 00:15:44.700 --> 00:15:46.568
  • Herself as a wealthy white woman mrs. smith.
  • 00:15:46.568 --> 00:15:50.172
  • Secret by secret maryellen grew her financial empire
  • 00:15:50.172 --> 00:15:56.412
  • Eventually her portfolio included real estate and
  • 00:15:56.412 --> 00:15:58.514
  • Railroads, mines, restaurants and boarding houses.
  • 00:15:58.514 --> 00:16:02.051
  • It was only until after the emancipation proclamation 1863
  • 00:16:02.051 --> 00:16:05.654
  • That officially ended slavery did maryellen identify as a
  • 00:16:05.654 --> 00:16:10.726
  • Woman of color.
  • 00:16:10.726 --> 00:16:12.594
  • Her housekeeper days were over and she turned her attention
  • 00:16:12.594 --> 00:16:18.167
  • To what her massive fortune could do.
  • 00:16:18.167 --> 00:16:19.968
  • That's right she helped escaped slaves get to california and
  • 00:16:19.968 --> 00:16:24.239
  • Then she helped them get them on their feet and even been
  • 00:16:24.239 --> 00:16:28.477
  • Referred to as the black city hall for all of the legal
  • 00:16:28.477 --> 00:16:31.146
  • Services and connections she provided.
  • 00:16:31.146 --> 00:16:33.682
  • She was also active in the underground railroad before
  • 00:16:33.682 --> 00:16:37.586
  • She came here to california.
  • 00:16:37.586 --> 00:16:38.887
  • Oh, and when fake abolitionist john brown was arrested they
  • 00:16:38.887 --> 00:16:44.193
  • Found a handwritten note in his pocket.
  • 00:16:44.193 --> 00:16:46.061
  • What we got here?
  • 00:16:46.061 --> 00:16:47.362
  • The ax is laid at the foot of the tree when the first blow
  • 00:16:47.362 --> 00:16:50.766
  • Was struck there will be more money to help.
  • 00:16:50.766 --> 00:16:53.035
  • Signed mep.
  • 00:16:53.035 --> 00:16:55.337
  • What is this?
  • 00:16:55.337 --> 00:16:56.438
  • What is mep?
  • 00:16:56.438 --> 00:16:58.440
  • Come on let's get out here.
  • 00:16:58.440 --> 00:17:01.577
  • Most thought the note was a coded message from a
  • 00:17:01.577 --> 00:17:04.012
  • Supporter, wealthy yes, northerner yes used to be.
  • 00:17:04.012 --> 00:17:07.916
  • But the note was written and signed by none other than mep.
  • 00:17:07.916 --> 00:17:13.889
  • Maryellen pleasant.
  • 00:17:13.889 --> 00:17:15.491
  • She financed his work for the abolition but no one at the
  • 00:17:15.491 --> 00:17:19.862
  • Time would think that a black woman would have the means and
  • 00:17:19.862 --> 00:17:23.198
  • Maryellen was not about to give up that information.
  • 00:17:23.198 --> 00:17:26.902
  • At least until just before her death.
  • 00:17:26.902 --> 00:17:30.839
  • She requested that her tombstone describe her as a
  • 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:34.776
  • Friend of john brown.
  • 00:17:34.776 --> 00:17:37.212
  • After her death she became known as the mother of civil
  • 00:17:37.212 --> 00:17:40.883
  • Rights in california.
  • 00:17:40.883 --> 00:17:42.251
  • We barely scratch the surface of her incredible story but
  • 00:17:42.251 --> 00:17:45.154
  • You know we've got more boss babes to cover so let's go.
  • 00:17:45.154 --> 00:17:48.190
  • In the late 1800s the american dream was full steam ahead.
  • 00:17:48.190 --> 00:17:56.999
  • And boss babes refused to be left in the dust.
  • 00:17:56.999 --> 00:18:00.569
  • Grab a broom and get ready for not the bull of wall street
  • 00:18:00.569 --> 00:18:05.107
  • But a quaker named henrietta also known as the witch of
  • 00:18:05.107 --> 00:18:08.510
  • Wall street.
  • 00:18:08.510 --> 00:18:10.045
  • Hetty greene was called a lot of things by her
  • 00:18:10.045 --> 00:18:14.249
  • Contemporaries.
  • 00:18:14.249 --> 00:18:15.484
  • The richest woman in america, america's greatest miser,
  • 00:18:15.484 --> 00:18:18.754
  • Which seem to guide wardrobe choices and yes even a witch.
  • 00:18:18.754 --> 00:18:22.157
  • Just because i dress plainly and do not spend a fortune on
  • 00:18:22.157 --> 00:18:29.498
  • My gowns they say i'm cranky or insane.
  • 00:18:29.498 --> 00:18:32.734
  • [which laughter]
  • 00:18:32.734 --> 00:18:38.574
  • Actual quote.
  • 00:18:38.574 --> 00:18:40.042
  • Hetty greene was raised by her father and grandfather and were
  • 00:18:40.042 --> 00:18:43.579
  • Both successful whaling barretts.
  • 00:18:43.579 --> 00:18:45.681
  • Which i'm pretty sure is not a thing
  • 00:18:45.681 --> 00:18:50.118
  • Anymore but this child prodigy of all things finance had a
  • 00:18:50.118 --> 00:18:53.589
  • Bank account at eight years old.
  • 00:18:53.589 --> 00:18:55.757
  • She was the accountant of the family business at 13.
  • 00:18:55.757 --> 00:18:59.661
  • And she was just getting started.
  • 00:18:59.661 --> 00:19:02.564
  • In a male dominated industry she lived her own boss babe
  • 00:19:02.564 --> 00:19:05.968
  • Way.
  • 00:19:05.968 --> 00:19:07.236
  • She had quite a mouth.
  • 00:19:07.236 --> 00:19:09.805
  • Yeah i got a mouth because i got things to say.
  • 00:19:09.805 --> 00:19:11.506
  • Carried a gun.
  • 00:19:11.506 --> 00:19:13.242
  • So what?
  • 00:19:13.242 --> 00:19:14.676
  • I support the first and second amendments.
  • 00:19:14.676 --> 00:19:17.279
  • And even traveled alone.
  • 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:19.147
  • That settles it, she's a witch.
  • 00:19:19.147 --> 00:19:21.483
  • Say that again.
  • 00:19:21.483 --> 00:19:24.720
  • Punk.
  • 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:26.154
  • When she finally married she made a pretty unusual move for
  • 00:19:26.154 --> 00:19:30.459
  • Her time.
  • 00:19:30.459 --> 00:19:31.960
  • She made her husband sign a prenup.
  • 00:19:31.960 --> 00:19:34.863
  • Like a boss.
  • 00:19:34.863 --> 00:19:37.165
  • Hetty's husband was already wealthy, but his spending
  • 00:19:37.165 --> 00:19:41.937
  • Habits were a little risky and extravagant.
  • 00:19:41.937 --> 00:19:44.673
  • Hetty on the other hand heavily invested, never borrowed and
  • 00:19:44.673 --> 00:19:48.844
  • Always loaned money with interest.
  • 00:19:48.844 --> 00:19:51.113
  • Kind of miserly is the best policy strategy.
  • 00:19:51.113 --> 00:19:55.517
  • Think like ebenezer scrooge.
  • 00:19:55.517 --> 00:19:57.819
  • She even had her own motto, get in at the bottom and out
  • 00:19:57.819 --> 00:20:03.158
  • Of the top.
  • 00:20:03.158 --> 00:20:04.459
  • Which sounds suspiciously like warren buffett you know like
  • 00:20:04.459 --> 00:20:08.096
  • The fifth wealthiest man in the world?
  • 00:20:08.096 --> 00:20:10.232
  • Of course warren buffett has his own nickname.
  • 00:20:10.232 --> 00:20:13.235
  • The oracle of omaha.
  • 00:20:13.235 --> 00:20:15.203
  • Nice.
  • 00:20:15.203 --> 00:20:16.638
  • She ain't like that warren buffett because warren buffett
  • 00:20:16.638 --> 00:20:19.808
  • Ain't a witch.
  • 00:20:19.808 --> 00:20:20.676
  • I say we burn her at the stake.
  • 00:20:20.676 --> 00:20:22.010
  • Hetty was one of the wealthiest of her time but she was a
  • 00:20:22.010 --> 00:20:27.482
  • Woman so what's a man to do?
  • 00:20:27.482 --> 00:20:30.719
  • Exactly what every man has done so well throughout
  • 00:20:30.719 --> 00:20:33.789
  • History.
  • 00:20:33.789 --> 00:20:34.990
  • At the time of her death hetty was said to be worth $5
  • 00:20:34.990 --> 00:20:37.659
  • Billion in today's money.
  • 00:20:37.659 --> 00:20:40.696
  • And with that, here's a little parting nugget from the boss
  • 00:20:40.696 --> 00:20:43.031
  • Babe in black herself.
  • 00:20:43.031 --> 00:20:44.366
  • Hetty greene.
  • 00:20:44.366 --> 00:20:45.467
  • A good business woman is often sharper than a good
  • 00:20:45.467 --> 00:20:48.537
  • Businessman.
  • 00:20:48.537 --> 00:20:49.805
  • Up next and stark contrast stark fashion contrast that is
  • 00:20:49.805 --> 00:20:57.512
  • We go from a capitalist quaker to madame mogal.
  • 00:20:57.512 --> 00:21:01.350
  • Sarah breedlove.
  • 00:21:01.350 --> 00:21:03.919
  • A.k.a.
  • 00:21:03.919 --> 00:21:05.253
  • Mdm. cj walker was the first woman to join the exclusive and
  • 00:21:05.253 --> 00:21:07.622
  • Elusive self-made millionaire club.
  • 00:21:07.622 --> 00:21:10.826
  • I got my start by giving myself a start.
  • 00:21:10.826 --> 00:21:15.063
  • Mme. cj built a massive hair care and makeup empire.
  • 00:21:15.063 --> 00:21:17.766
  • But herself made story did not start with the mansion on the
  • 00:21:17.766 --> 00:21:20.702
  • Hill.
  • 00:21:20.702 --> 00:21:22.003
  • In her late teens she was a widow with a baby girl and no
  • 00:21:22.003 --> 00:21:30.245
  • Real role models.
  • 00:21:30.245 --> 00:21:32.247
  • So she had to become her own.
  • 00:21:32.247 --> 00:21:34.282
  • She took a big first step and moved here to st. louis where
  • 00:21:34.282 --> 00:21:38.220
  • Her four fathers worked as barbers and she landed the
  • 00:21:38.220 --> 00:21:41.156
  • Highly coveted upwardly mobile career of laundress.
  • 00:21:41.156 --> 00:21:46.061
  • Looks like you are bored woman.
  • 00:21:46.061 --> 00:21:51.266
  • I had to make my own living and my own opportunity.
  • 00:21:51.266 --> 00:21:56.471
  • It was here that sarah began suffering from a skin ailment.
  • 00:21:56.471 --> 00:22:02.644
  • And she started to lose her hair poor diet, illness and
  • 00:22:02.644 --> 00:22:07.783
  • Current hygiene practices only made things worse.
  • 00:22:07.783 --> 00:22:11.553
  • Add to that all of the harsh chemicals found in cleaning
  • 00:22:11.553 --> 00:22:15.257
  • And hair products of the day.
  • 00:22:15.257 --> 00:22:16.591
  • This future boss babe realize she was not the only one
  • 00:22:16.591 --> 00:22:19.161
  • Suffering other african-american women were
  • 00:22:19.161 --> 00:22:22.664
  • Suffering from the same exact hair and skin ailments.
  • 00:22:22.664 --> 00:22:25.434
  • She consulted with her barber brothers began experimenting
  • 00:22:25.434 --> 00:22:30.005
  • With her products and even joined an african-american
  • 00:22:30.005 --> 00:22:32.808
  • Hair care company that sold door to door.
  • 00:22:32.808 --> 00:22:35.877
  • What?
  • 00:22:35.877 --> 00:22:37.145
  • I said eureka baby.
  • 00:22:37.145 --> 00:22:42.651
  • New gain new name.
  • 00:22:42.651 --> 00:22:44.219
  • Sarah adopted the name of her husband at the time it became
  • 00:22:44.219 --> 00:22:48.089
  • Mme. cj walker of--
  • 00:22:48.089 --> 00:22:50.926
  • Mme. walker's wonderful hair growers.
  • 00:22:50.926 --> 00:22:53.428
  • And that ladies and ladies is capitalism.
  • 00:22:53.428 --> 00:22:57.866
  • So what did she do with all that money?
  • 00:22:57.866 --> 00:22:59.201
  • She built a house along with a long list of a bunch of other
  • 00:22:59.201 --> 00:23:03.572
  • Charities but you get to sum it up by saying that the first
  • 00:23:03.572 --> 00:23:07.576
  • Black woman millionaire in america gave up a fortune to
  • 00:23:07.576 --> 00:23:10.745
  • Help others achieve their own...
  • 00:23:10.745 --> 00:23:12.647
  • American dream.
  • 00:23:12.647 --> 00:23:14.583
  • And that's exactly what began to happen as the 20th century
  • 00:23:14.583 --> 00:23:17.486
  • Marched on.
  • 00:23:17.486 --> 00:23:20.455
  • Even more women caught the vision for creating their own
  • 00:23:20.455 --> 00:23:22.224
  • Opportunities names like elizabeth arden, coco chanel
  • 00:23:22.224 --> 00:23:26.328
  • Estée lauder, mary kay, lillian vernon.
  • 00:23:26.328 --> 00:23:31.433
  • All still major brands today.
  • 00:23:31.433 --> 00:23:33.502
  • We've seen the original disruptors and some early
  • 00:23:33.502 --> 00:23:37.439
  • Pioneers, but it would not be long until every sector of the
  • 00:23:37.439 --> 00:23:40.809
  • Economy and society was influenced by women.
  • 00:23:40.809 --> 00:23:43.144
  • Even the government.
  • 00:23:43.144 --> 00:23:45.780
  • Women began bossing it up no matter what the norms were.
  • 00:23:45.780 --> 00:23:50.619
  • They did not wait until they could vote so they sure were
  • 00:23:50.619 --> 00:23:54.189
  • Not going to wait for the equal pay act of 1963 or the
  • 00:23:54.189 --> 00:23:57.859
  • Civil rights act of 1964.
  • 00:23:57.859 --> 00:24:00.161
  • In 1969 shirley chisholm became the first
  • 00:24:00.161 --> 00:24:04.032
  • African-american in congress in her motto was unbought and
  • 00:24:04.032 --> 00:24:07.802
  • Unbossed...
  • 00:24:07.802 --> 00:24:08.970
  • Baby.
  • 00:24:08.970 --> 00:24:10.205
  • She served in the house of representatives for the next
  • 00:24:10.205 --> 00:24:12.440
  • 14 years.
  • 00:24:12.440 --> 00:24:13.675
  • And on that we give a shout out to all the women from
  • 00:24:13.675 --> 00:24:18.046
  • Early american history till today who stepped up and
  • 00:24:18.046 --> 00:24:20.982
  • Stepped out against all of the odds against them.
  • 00:24:20.982 --> 00:24:24.819
  • And as a representative of all males i would like to say
  • 00:24:24.819 --> 00:24:27.389
  • You've come a long way baby.
  • 00:24:27.389 --> 00:24:29.024
  • Except that was a cigarette ad that was highlighting the
  • 00:24:29.024 --> 00:24:32.527
  • Actual courage and hard work of women and it was written by
  • 00:24:32.527 --> 00:24:35.830
  • A man.
  • 00:24:35.830 --> 00:24:37.098
  • It's been a long journey for women and no doubt there's a
  • 00:24:37.098 --> 00:24:40.402
  • Lot further to go but thank you to the countless women who
  • 00:24:40.402 --> 00:24:43.905
  • Push through all obstacles to make this country and the
  • 00:24:43.905 --> 00:24:47.108
  • World a better place.
  • 00:24:47.108 --> 00:24:48.910
  • They stepped up and stepped out in ways that were
  • 00:24:48.910 --> 00:24:51.880
  • Off-limits.
  • 00:24:51.880 --> 00:24:52.948
  • And quite honestly boss babes are pretty boss.
  • 00:24:52.948 --> 00:24:56.952
  • We will see you next time.
  • 00:24:56.952 --> 00:24:56.952