{"podcast":{"title":"Once Upon A Time In Black History","slug":"once-upon-a-time-in-black-history-7024254","podcast_index_feed_id":7024254,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/onceuponatimeblackhistory/feed.xml","website_url":"https://onceuponatimeblackhistory.podbean.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/19444487/once_7rb7hr.jpg","author":"Tamara Shiloh","episode_count":67,"summary":"Exciting Podcasts about Notable African Americans in history past and present. Learn about folks you know and didn’t know! We have a great selection of Black History topics for your listening pleasure and education.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-16T10:19:55.560309+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/once-upon-a-time-in-black-history-7024254"},"episode":{"title":"John Berry Meachum and the Floating Freedom School","slug":"john-berry-meachum-and-the-floating-freedom-school","published_at":"2025-07-21T07:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/once-upon-a-time-in-black-history-7024254/john-berry-meachum-and-the-floating-freedom-school","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/once-upon-a-time-in-black-history-7024254","url":"https://onceuponatimeblackhistory.podbean.com/e/john-berry-meachum-and-the-floating-freedom-school/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/yc8bu3zjfr8599m2/John_Berry_Meachum9m7cu.mp3","summary":"In this powerful episode of Once Upon a Time in Black History, host Tamara Shiloh uncovers the extraordinary story of John Berry Meachum, a formerly enslaved man who defied racist laws to educate Black children in antebellum America. Born into slavery in 1789, Meachum purchased his freedom and became a preacher, carpenter, and educator in St. Louis, Missouri. When the state outlawed teaching Black people to read and write, Meachum refused to surrender. His ingenious solution? A Floating Freedom School—a steamboat classroom anchored in the Mississippi River, beyond the reach of oppressive laws. This is a story of resistance, ingenuity, and unshakable belief in liberation through education. Meachum’s legacy reminds us that freedom isn’t given—it’s fought for, built, and sometimes, it floats. Listen, learn, and be inspired by a man who turned a river into a pathway to freedom. 🔗 Visit Multicultural Bookstore for more stories of courage and resilience. #BlackHistory #FreedomSchool #EducationAsResistance","meta_description":"In this powerful episode of Once Upon a Time in Black History, host Tamara Shiloh uncovers the extraordinary story of John Berry Meachum, a formerly ensla…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":416,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/once-upon-a-time-in-black-history-7024254/episodes/john-berry-meachum-and-the-floating-freedom-school/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/once-upon-a-time-in-black-history-7024254/john-berry-meachum-and-the-floating-freedom-school.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}