California is known for its beautiful sunny beaches, the hustle and bustle of Hollywood, the tech innovations of Silicon Valley, and the notoriously high cost of living that permeates every aspect of daily life for residents. Despite boasting a proud history of joining the Union as a Free State, there are multiple instances of California actually protecting the institution of slavery. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on Bridget “Biddy” Mason, a slave who not only fought and won her freedom, but who also became one of the first prominent landowners in Los Angeles in the 1850s and 1860s.

Summer 2024 is rapidly coming to an end. Many people enjoyed time with their kids while school was out and some even planned fun family vacations to make new memories. The weather was actually pretty crazy with high heat waves and dangerous thunderstorms popping up all over the place. Before we flip the page to the slight chill of the fall, pumpkin spiced lattes, and ample hours of football to indulge in, let’s shine a Historical Spotlight on the long, hot summer of 1967.

With new, experimental drugs like COVID-19 vaccines and Ozempic making waves amongst consumers, it’s hard to decipher any potential long term side effects from medications or treatments when they haven’t had extensive lab testing. Throughout history, Black Americans have been subjected to being test subjects for potentially dangerous treatments that have negatively impacted their health. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on one of the most egregious and racist medical studies, the Tuskegee Syphilis Study.