Stuff You Missed in History Class: Behind the Scenes Minis: Accidental Mary Week
Release Date: January 10, 2025
Hosts: Holly Fry & Tracy V. Wilson
Production: iHeartPodcasts

Introduction

In the "Behind the Scenes Minis: Accidental Mary Week" episode of Stuff You Missed in History Class, hosts Holly Fry and Tracy V. Wilson delve deep into the multifaceted legacy of Mary Elizabeth Lee. This episode explores the complexities of Lee's contributions to society juxtaposed with her problematic beliefs and actions, offering listeners a nuanced understanding of a historical figure often glossed over in mainstream narratives.

The Complex Legacy of Mary Elizabeth Lee

The episode opens with Holly introducing the topic of Mary Elizabeth Lee, highlighting her as a "mixed bag" (Holly Fry [01:52]). The hosts aim to unravel the paradoxes within Lee's life, acknowledging her significant impact while critically examining her flaws.

The Issue of Charity Racism

A central theme of the discussion is what Holly refers to as "charity racism" ([02:15]). This concept addresses the tendency to overlook or excuse racist behavior in individuals who contribute positively through charitable work. Holly expresses frustration over how some people dismiss Lee's racist actions because of her philanthropic efforts:

Holly Fry [02:15]: "There are definitely people who are willing to ignore when someone does really racist stuff if they're like... but they do so much good charity work. I kind of feel like that's happening here."

Tracy concurs, emphasizing the internal conflict of admiring Lee's achievements while condemning her racist ideologies:

Tracy V. Wilson [03:30]: "Like, how do these two people inhabit the same body?"

Researching Historical Biographies

The hosts discuss the challenges they faced while researching Mary Elizabeth Lee, particularly the discrepancies in available biographies. Tracy shares her struggle with widely repeated inaccuracies regarding Lee's family background:

Tracy V. Wilson [14:35]: "I started looking into this really early on... it was very easy to find quickly that there was this 1870 census that listed a child who was 1 and a child who was 3 in 1870. And that would mean both of them were born after the abolition of slavery."

This revelation led them to question the validity of commonly accepted facts, prompting a deeper investigation into primary sources versus secondary accounts.

Challenges in Modern Scholarship

The episode highlights the scarcity of comprehensive and accurate scholarly work on Lee. Tracy points out the high cost and limited accessibility of the most thorough biography available:

Tracy V. Wilson [08:33]: "The problem is that that biography, which is the people's Joan of Arc, Mary Elizabeth Lee's gendered politics and populist party politics in Gilded Age America is as expensive as a textbook. It's a really expensive book. It didn't. It was published by international academic publishers."

This financial barrier limits the ability of researchers and enthusiasts to fully grasp Lee's life and legacy, perpetuating a narrow understanding of her contributions and flaws.

Reflections on Historical Struggles and Legacy

Holly and Tracy reflect on the broader implications of Lee's story, connecting it to ongoing issues of wealth inequality and the manipulation by powerful entities to the detriment of the marginalized:

Holly Fry [12:17]: "It's always sucked and it always will suck, but I. It's always sucked. There's always been terrible wealth inequality and people fighting to just get by..."

Tracy adds a perspective on the portrayal of Black activists, cautioning against the romanticization that can obscure the systemic challenges they faced:

Tracy V. Wilson [20:46]: "There is a pattern that I have seen in working on this show for a really long time, in adding elements to the stories of black people, especially black women, that make them seem almost romanticized or superhuman."

Conclusions

The episode culminates in a balanced view of Mary Elizabeth Lee, recognizing her as a driven and exceptional individual whose legacy is marred by significant moral failings. Holly and Tracy advocate for a more honest and comprehensive portrayal of historical figures, urging listeners to appreciate their contributions while critically assessing their shortcomings.

Holly Fry [25:09]: "She was a very good orator, but I think in the long form of a book, she felt maybe a little whelmed."

In closing, the hosts emphasize the importance of rigorous research and the willingness to confront uncomfortable truths in history, ensuring that the full spectrum of an individual's impact is acknowledged.

Notable Quotes:

• Holly Fry [02:15]: "I kind of feel like that's happening here. Listen, have I gotten in a fight on the socials with a friend of one of my relatives."

• Tracy V. Wilson [03:30]: "Like, how do these two people inhabit the same body?"

• Tracy V. Wilson [14:35]: "It just seems to be a widely repeated bit of inaccuracy which happens."

• Tracy V. Wilson [20:46]: "There is a pattern that I have seen in working on this show for a really long time, in adding elements to the stories of black people, especially black women, that make them seem almost romanticized or superhuman."

• Holly Fry [25:09]: "She was a very good orator, but I think in the long form of a book, she felt maybe a little whelmed."

This episode serves as a thought-provoking exploration of how historical narratives are constructed and the importance of critically engaging with the past to understand the present better.