How a schoolbook became a battleground over literacy, freedom, and citizenship
This preview, based only on the episode notes, follows the Webster Blue Back Speller from the early United States into Black intellectual life. Roman Mars and historian Imani Perry use the lives of Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois to explore how one object shaped debates about education and freedom.
*This is a preview based on the published show notes, not a recap of the audio.* This episode appears to take a deceptively ordinary object—the Webster Blue Back Speller—and trace its outsized role in American history. According to the notes, Roman and historian Imani Perry follow the book from the nation’s early years to its place within Black intellectual life, suggesting a story that is as much about ideas as it is about material culture. What makes the setup especially compelling is the way the episode seems to connect a single educational tool to much larger questions. Through Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois, the notes point to a conversation about literacy, self-determination, and the meaning of citizenship and freedom in America. If you like history told through objects, this sounds like an episode that uses one familiar item to open up a wider debate rather than simply recount its origin. This may be a strong pick for listeners interested in the history of education, Black intellectual history, or the long afterlife of everyday artifacts. It also looks well suited to anyone drawn to episodes that compare competing visions of what learning is for—and who gets to define it. The episode is part of *A History of the United States in 100 Objects*, a collaboration between *99% Invisible* and BBC Studios.
About this episode
<p>In this episode, Roman and historian Imani Perry follow the Webster Blue Back Speller from the early days of the United States, to the heart of Black intellectual life. Through the lives of Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois, Roman and Imani uncover how a single object became a gateway to literacy, self-determination, and an enduring debate about what education, citizenship, and freedom should mean in America.</p> <p><a href="https://99pi.org/100" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><i>A History of the United States in 100 Objects</i></a> is a production of <a href="https://99percentinvisible.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">99% Invisible</a> and <a href="https://www.bbcstudios.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BBC Studios</a>.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. <br><br>Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting <a href="http://siriusxm.com/podcastsplus." target="_blank">siriusxm.com/podcastsplus</a>. </p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>