Podcast Summary: "Night Flyer with Tiya Miles"
Podcast: Here's Where It Gets Interesting
Host: Sharon McMahon
Guest: Tiya Miles
Release Date: November 25, 2024

Introduction

In this emotionally charged episode of "Here's Where It Gets Interesting," host Sharon McMahon welcomes acclaimed historian and author, Tiya Miles, to discuss her latest work, "Night Flyer." The conversation delves deep into the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman, exploring both well-known and lesser-known facets of Tubman's journey toward freedom and her enduring impact on American history.

Tiya Miles and "Night Flyer"

Sharon opens the discussion by expressing her deep admiration for Tiya Miles, highlighting the emotional resonance of "Night Flyer". She shares her personal connection to the book, mentioning how she was moved to tears early on.

Sharon McMahon [02:36]:
"Any book that Tiya Miles writes is an immediate add to cart. And then your new book, Night Flyer, which is about Harriet Tubman. I think I was crying by page three."

Tiya reciprocates the appreciation, emphasizing the meticulous research and heartfelt storytelling that characterize her work.

Tiya Miles [02:19]:
"Thanks so much for having me, Sharon. It's a delight to be here."

Choosing Harriet Tubman: The 'Why' Behind the Story

Sharon probes Tiya into her motivations for choosing Harriet Tubman as the focal point of "Night Flyer." Tiya reveals a personal and strategic decision rooted in addressing contemporary societal challenges through historical reflection.

Tiya Miles [03:24]:
"I choose my topics because I want to try to help with our current problems and challenges and, you know, our fears and anxieties. And Harriet Tubman seemed to me to be just the right kind of figure who can help us along."

Harriet Tubman: Beyond the Icon

The conversation shifts to unpacking the complexity of Harriet Tubman’s character. Tiya sheds light on Tubman's multifaceted personality, highlighting her intellect, humor, and resilience alongside her well-documented bravery.

Sharon McMahon [05:15]:
"I find that figures like Harriet Tubman and many others bring me hope in a moment of extreme political stress... she did not grow weary in doing good."

Tiya elaborates on Tubman's early life, including the pivotal head injury that profoundly influenced her spiritual and psychological makeup.

Tiya Miles [06:33]:
"She suffered a head injury when she was young... she ended up having what we would view now as a cognitive disability."

Faith and Nature: Tubman's Allies

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on Tubman's profound faith and her unique relationship with nature, which Tiya describes as Tubman's "human and non-human allies." Tiya narrates Tubman's childhood experiences where nature provided solace and guidance during times of extreme distress.

Tiya Miles [14:15]:
"We know that Tubman accomplished remarkable feats... nature was often playing a role in these stories."

She recounts a poignant childhood episode where a young Tubman finds refuge with pigs in a pen, illustrating her innate connection with the natural world as a source of strength and hope.

Humanizing Harriet Tubman

Sharon and Tiya explore the lesser-known aspects of Tubman's life, including her sense of humor and intellectual depth. Tiya shares anecdotes from oral histories that reveal Tubman's ability to find light moments even amidst severe adversity.

Tiya Miles [26:18]:
"One of the most striking moments... Tubman would be over in her favorite chair... pop an eye open and just make a comment which would indicate, I've been listening the whole time."

Tubman's Strategic Acumen and Legacy

The conversation transitions to Tubman's strategic efforts beyond the Underground Railroad, including her role in the Civil War and her contributions to the Union's efforts. Tiya highlights Tubman's multifaceted role as a spy, businesswoman, and educator.

Tiya Miles [35:15]:
"She was a businesswoman on the ground in South Carolina who was baking and selling baked goods to earn her own money... teaching laundry services to formerly enslaved women."

Sharon emphasizes the extensive and lasting impact of Tubman's efforts, calculating that Tubman's direct and indirect influence extends to potentially six figures of descendants today.

Sharon McMahon [40:12]:
"If you think about the 70 or 80 people that she helped free... there are probably tens of thousands of people alive in the United States today whose ancestors were directly impacted by the actions of Harriet Tubman."

Interconnected Histories and Modern Implications

Tiya and Sharon discuss the intertwined nature of Black history with broader American and indigenous histories. They advocate for recognizing slavery and Tubman's legacy as integral to understanding America's collective past.

Tiya Miles [44:33]:
"Black and white lives were and are intertwined. Slavery could not have functioned without enslavers."

Sharon reiterates the importance of viewing Black history as American history, ensuring that figures like Tubman are acknowledged not just in isolated contexts but as foundational to the nation's story.

Harriet Tubman's Lessons for Today

As the episode draws to a close, Sharon asks Tiya to extrapolate lessons from Tubman's life that can guide contemporary society through its own challenges. Tiya underscores Tubman's unwavering faith, community collaboration, and steadfast belief in a better future as pivotal lessons.

Tiya Miles [47:44]:
"Her faith, which was the Christian faith, is one that should bring us together... Tubman's brand of Christianity was one that she shared with other enslaved people."

Sharon passionately connects Tubman's legacy to modern movements, advocating for unity and collective action inspired by Tubman's example.

Sharon McMahon [43:09]:
"Harriet Tubman would want to have inspired all kinds of people... black history is American history."

Conclusion

Sharon concludes the episode with heartfelt gratitude towards Tiya Miles, urging listeners to engage with "Night Flyer" and further explore Tiya's body of work to gain deeper insights into Harriet Tubman's enduring legacy.

Sharon McMahon [50:58]:
"I just really want to encourage everybody to read Night Flyer. And then when you're done with that, read all of the rest of Tiya Miles books and you will close each one feeling not just better educated, but feeling like a better human being for having done so."

Tiya reciprocates the gratitude, highlighting the rewarding nature of the collaboration and the shared mission to illuminate untold American stories.

Notable Quotes:

• Tiya Miles [03:24]:
  "I choose my topics because I want to try to help with our current problems and challenges and, you know, our fears and anxieties."

• Sharon McMahon [05:15]:
  "Figures like Harriet Tubman... bring me hope in a moment of extreme political stress."

• Tiya Miles [26:18]:
  "Tubman managed to be a person who could live through horrible things... still tease her relatives in the parlor."

• Sharon McMahon [40:12]:
  "There are probably tens of thousands of people alive in the United States today whose ancestors were directly impacted by the actions of Harriet Tubman."

• Tiya Miles [47:44]:
  "Her faith, which was the Christian faith, is one that should bring us together."

Final Thoughts

This episode of "Here's Where It Gets Interesting" offers a profound exploration of Harriet Tubman's life through Tiya Miles' insightful lens. By intertwining historical detail with personal reflection, Sharon and Tiya present a compelling narrative that not only honors Tubman's legacy but also draws pertinent lessons for today's societal challenges. Listeners are left with a renewed appreciation for Tubman's heroism and a deeper understanding of the complexities that shaped her remarkable journey.

Resources Mentioned:

• Books:

  • Night Flyer by Tiya Miles
  • Cumby by Etta Fields Black

• Historical Figures:

  • Harriet Tubman
  • Claudette Colvin
  • Sojourner Truth

Note: The summary intentionally omits commercial advertisements and non-content segments to focus solely on the enriching discourse between Sharon McMahon and Tiya Miles.