I GUESS IT TELLS. IT SAYS ITSELF. PLUS THE PEOPLE PERHAPS DON'T REMEMBER PAUL ROBESON. PERHAPS THE WAY WE SHOULD. HE WAS KNOWN FOR HIS GREAT SINGING VOICE. HE SANG ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW. HE WAS ALSO A SCHOLAR AND ATHLETE. HE WAS HE WAS REALLY QUITE A GUY FROM THIS IS THE EMMY AWARD WINNING SHOW LET'S TALK CINCY, PRESENTED BY WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP, PUT OUR FINANCIAL STRENGTH BEHIND YOU. HELLO EVERYONE, I'M COURTIS FULLER AND WELCOME TO LET'S TALK CINCY. I ONCE READ THAT DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SAID THE MURDER OF 14 YEAR OLD EMMETT TILL WAS ONE OF THE MOST BRUTAL AND INHUMAN CRIMES OF THE 20TH CENTURY. 70 YEARS AGO, THIS TRAGEDY WAS A GALVANIZING MOMENT IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. REVEREND FRED SHUTTLESWORTH SAID THE MURDER OF THIS BLACK CHILD, SET IN CONCRETE. THE DETERMINATION OF PEOPLE TO MOVE FORWARD. THE CHICAGO YOUNGSTER WAS KIDNAPED AND KILLED IN MISSISSIPPI AFTER A WHITE WOMAN ACCUSED HIM OF WHISTLING AT HER. JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, BEFORE HER DEATH, THAT SAME WOMAN SAID SHE LIED ABOUT THE INCIDENT. NO ONE WAS EVER CONVICTED OF THE CRIME. EMMETT'S MOTHER HELD AN OPEN CASKET FUNERAL SO EVERYONE COULD SEE THE BRUTALITY HER SON ENDURED. THE JUSTICE DENIED RESULTED IN ANOTHER JOURNEY, ONE THAT SHOWED A MOTHER'S STRENGTH IN THE MIDST OF HATRED. EMMETT TILL AND MAMIE TILL MOBLEY LET THE WORLD SEE IS AN EXHIBITION CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY DOWN AT THE NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER. EMMETT TILL AS A YOUNG TEENAGE BOY, WAS VISITING FAMILY FROM CHICAGO, HE TOOK THE TRAIN DOWN TO MISSISSIPPI. HE WAS THEN. ATTACKED AND ULTIMATELY MURDERED. I AM DOCTOR STEPHANIE LAMPKIN. I AM A CURATOR AT THE NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER. SO THE EXHIBITION REALLY CONTEXTUALIZES THE PERIOD OF THE JIM CROW SOUTH. SO THIS PARTICULAR STORY TAKES PLACE IN THE 1950S. SO THIS IS BEFORE WE HEAD INTO THE MAINSTREAM CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. BUT AS EMMETT HEADS DOWN TO MISSISSIPPI, HE'S ENTERING THE JIM CROW SOUTH, WHERE RACIAL VIOLENCE IS MUCH MORE EXPLICIT. THERE HAD BEEN VIOLENT INCIDENCES THAT HAD OCCURRED ACROSS THE JIM CROW SOUTH, BUT REALLY, IT'S SEGREGATION THAT BECOMES VERY APPARENT IN ONE OF THE INTERACTIVES FEATURED IN THE EXHIBITION, TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SEGREGATED PUBLIC SPACES BETWEEN BLACK AMERICANS AND WHITE AMERICANS. THE EXHIBITION WALKS THROUGH SEVERAL FACTS ABOUT EMMETT TILL AND WHO HE WAS AS A CHILD, HIS CHARACTER, HIS SPIRIT. AS A YOUNG BOY. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTS THAT THIS EXHIBITION DOES HELP TO SET STRAIGHT ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WHILE IN THAT STORE AND OUTSIDE OF THAT STORE, WHICH WE ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO EXPLORE AND LET THE WORLD SEE WHICH IS ACTUALLY TAKEN FROM MAMIE TILL-MOBLEYS OWN ADVOCACY AND EFFORTS FOR JUSTICE IN THE NAME OF EMMETT TILL. THIS PARTICULAR STORY, DUE TO THE VIOLENT NATURE OF HIS MURDER. THE PHOTOGRAPHS WERE THEN PRINTED BY JET MAGAZINE. SO THIS PARTICULAR EXHIBITION HAS SOME REALLY STUNNING AND ALSO IMPORTANT PHOTOGRAPHY THAT'S USED, INCLUDING IMAGES FROM THE TRIAL THAT TOOK PLACE. THERE IS A REALLY REMARKABLE IMAGE OF EMMETT TILL'S FAMILY MEMBER, MOSES, RIGHT, STANDING AND POINTING AT THE GENTLEMAN WHO MURDERED EMMETT TILL BY STANDING UP AND POINTING TO THE WHITE MEN IN A WHITE, ALL MALE JURY AND SAY, THESE MEN DID. IT TOOK A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF COURAGE. WE ALSO KNOW THROUGH KIND OF LATER RECORDS, AND ALSO FROM COMMUNITY RESEARCH, THAT SOME OF TILL'S FAMILY MEMBERS ACTUALLY HAD TO LEAVE MISSISSIPPI AS A RESULT. THERE IS A FOCUS ON MAMIE TILL MOBLEY AND HER EFFORTS BETWEEN GIVING, DOING A PUBLIC SPEAKING TOUR WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE NAACP, SHE TRAVELED AROUND. SHE WAS ADVOCATING AND REALLY, IT WAS HER PERSISTENCE AND HER CALL FOR JUSTICE THAT REALLY BROUGHT THIS STORY TO THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT. THERE'S ALSO A REALLY STRONG IMAGE OF MAMIE TILL-MOBLEY AT AN ANTI-LYNCHING RALLY THAT IS OFTEN USED WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. AND FINALLY, THERE IS A REALLY SIGNIFICANT ARTIFACT IN THIS EXHIBITION, WHICH INCLUDES A BULLET RIDDLED SIGN THAT WAS THE MEMORIAL MARKER FOR WHERE EMMETT TILL'S BODY WAS FOUND. THE GOAL OF THIS EXHIBITION IS REALLY FOR VISITORS TO LEAVE WITH A SENSE OF THE EXHIBIT AS AN EXAMPLE OF TRUTH TELLING AND HEALING. EMMETT TILL AND MAMIE TILL MOBLEY, LET THE WORLD SEE IS AT THE FREEDOM CENTER UNTIL APRIL 6TH. WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT. WELCOME BACK EVERYONE. WELCOME BACK EVERYONE. THE ESCAPE OF THE CINCINNATI 28 IS A REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE FROM BOONE COUNTY, KENTUCKY, WHO RISKED EVERYTHING FOR FREEDOM. THE JOURNEY IS TOLD IN A MOVIE CALLED ALL OR NOTHING. I'M TIRED. I'VE BEEN ON THIS PLANTATION ALL MY LIFE. I'VE BEEN ENSLAVED ALL MY LIFE. I'M TIRED OF BEING PUSHED AND PULLED. I'M TIRED OF THE MASTER DOING HIS BIDDING. I WANT TO LEAVE. SO THE CINCINNATI 28 WERE A GROUP OF ENSLAVED BOONE COUNTIANS WHO ESCAPED FROM BOONE COUNTY THE EVENING THE NIGHT OF APRIL 2ND, 1853. THEY WERE MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL CHURCH HERE WHERE WE'RE SITTING NOW, BUT THEY WERE ALSO FROM THIS GENERAL PETERSBURG AREA. SO THEY WERE LED BY WASHINGTON PARKER, WHO WE BELIEVE WAS A DEACON. ALSO HERE, WHO WHO PREACHED TO THE ENSLAVED FOLKS WHO WERE MEMBERS OF THIS CHURCH AND PLUS 27 OTHERS, INCLUDING A SMALL CHILD. THEY HAD ASSISTANCE FROM A MAN NAMED JOHN FAIRFIELD, AND HE WAS SOMEONE WHO WOULD HELP FREEDOM SEEKERS. HE WAS A WHITE MAN FROM VIRGINIA. HIS FAMILY WERE. ENSLAVERS, BUT IT IS SAID THAT HE CHOSE A DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE, AND HE WAS HELPING PEOPLE. I WAS COMPELLED TO TELL THIS STORY BECAUSE IN 1853, LITERALLY DURING THE JUST PRIOR TO THE CIVIL WAR, THE COUNTRY WAS SO SEGREGATED, EVEN SEEMINGLY MUCH MORE THAN IT IS TODAY. AND TO FIND 27 FREEDOM SEEKERS ESCAPING BONDAGE, AND WITH THE AID OF A SINGLE WHITE MAN, AND ALONG THEIR JOURNEY, SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT ORIGINALLY CONNECTED TO THIS STORY STEPPED UP TO HELP THEM ON THEIR THEIR VOYAGE. IT WAS JUST IT WAS JUST VERY HEARTWARMING AND TOUCHING. IT'S ALL OR NOTHING. THE TITLE IS, I GUESS IT IT TELLS. IT SAYS ITSELF. IT. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING 500 MILES? YOU OF OF OF OF UNKNOWN TERRAIN AND YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT BOUNTY HUNTERS BEHIND YOU AND AHEAD OF YOU. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE GOING INTO. IT'S LIKE YOU CAN'T TURN BACK. SO THERE WERE SOME INITIAL CHALLENGES RELATED TO WHETHER, WHEN THEY WERE LEAVING BOONE COUNTY, IT WAS DARK. IT WAS RAINY. THE RIVER WAS HIGH. IT WAS NOT AN IDEAL TIME TO TRY TO LEAVE AND START YOUR JOURNEY. THE CINCINNATI 28 CROSSED THE RIVER AT GARRISON CREEK RIGHT HERE. THEY FOLLOWED THE RIVER PAST THE NORTH BEND AREA, PAST ADDISON, AND THEY STOPPED JUST OUTSIDE OF SEDAMSVILLE. THEY WERE THEN MET UP WITH WITH ABOLITIONISTS AND UNDERGROUND RAILROAD CONDUCTORS FROM CINCINNATI. THEY FOLLOWED UP MIDDLE CREEK OR, I'M SORRY, MILL CREEK, ALL THE WAY UP TO COLLEGE HILL. THE THE THERE WERE MANY EXPERIENCES FROM KENTUCKY, NORTHERN KENTUCKY, WHERE WE FILMED ON THE OHIO RIVER, WHERE WE FILMED ON LOCATION TO WHERE THE FREEDOM SEEKERS ACTUALLY ESCAPED THE ACTUAL PLANTATION TO. ONCE WE ENTERED CINCINNATI, THE WESLEYAN CEMETERY TO WHERE THE EMOTIONS AND I'LL SAY THE SPIRITS SEEM TO JUST ENTER THE BODIES OF OUR ACTORS AND IT JUST BECAME A VERY EMOTIONAL AND POWERFUL MOMENT. SO THE THE FINAL NUMBERS FOR THE JOURNEY, 27 OUT OF THE 28 PEOPLE WHO LEFT ON APRIL 2ND MADE IT INTO CANADA. THE BABY WHO WHO BY ALL ACCOUNTS WAS JUST A FEW MONTHS OLD, DIED THAT SUNDAY. ON THE THIRD. THEY DIDN'T THEY DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT UP INTO COLLEGE HILL IN COLLEGE HILL. ANOTHER FREEDOM SEEKER JOINED THE GROUP, SO THEY ENDED UP BECOMING AGAIN THE THE CINCINNATI 28. AND SO SOMEBODY SO THEY WERE STILL PART OF THAT 28 GROUP, BUT ONLY 27 FROM BOONE COUNTY MADE IT UP INTO CANADA. CLEAR YOUR MINDS FOR FREEDOM AND BE READY TO DIE TRYING. AND IT WAS A TOUGH STORY TO WRITE. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. A PERIOD PIECE IS REALLY, REALLY CHALLENGING. YOU KNOW, THIS WAS REALLY AN AMAZING, FANTASTIC STORY THAT THAT DESERVED TO BE TOLD. I HOPE PEOPLE WILL COME AWAY WITH A LITTLE, A LOT OF COMPASSION FOR WHAT OTHERS GO THROUGH. THERE'S AN OLD CLICHE THAT YOU NEVER KNOW A PERSON TILL YOU WALK A MILE IN THEIR SHOES, AND IMAGINE, JUST IMAGINE. TRAVELING 500 MILES IN THESE PEOPLE'S JOURNEY WHERE MANY OF THEM DIDN'T HAVE SHOES. WELL, A SCREENING OF THE MOVIE ALL OR NOTHING IS TAKING PLACE ON FEBRUARY 27TH AT THE 20TH CENTURY THEATER FROM 7 TO 10 P.M. THE THEATER IS LOCATED AT 3021 MADISON ROAD IN CINCINNATI, AND YOU CAN BUY TICKETS ONLINE OR AT THE DOOR. BACK IN A MOMENT. WITH ME NOW IS WENDELL YOUNG. WITH ME NOW IS WENDELL YOUNG. MANY OF YOU WILL KNOW HIM AS A FORMER CINCINNATI CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. ALSO A LONGTIME MEMBER OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH 30 YEARS. I'M FORGETTING NOW, I THINK I WAS 26, ACTUALLY ACTIVE YEARS. YEAH. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE. WE ARE TALKING NOT ABOUT YOUR ROLE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR A POLICE OFFICER. TRUE. WE MANY OF YOU ALSO MIGHT KNOW THAT WENDELL HAS A GREAT VOICE. HE CAN SING, AND HE ALSO HAS DONE A LOT OF ACTING OVER THE YEARS. HOW DID THAT EVEN COME ABOUT? WELL, IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, THAT I'VE ALWAYS LIKED TO DO. I THINK IT REALLY STARTED FOR ME IN GRADE SCHOOL, ABOUT FIFTH GRADE. I HAD A WONDERFUL TEACHER NAMED JOEL MCCREA AT SOUTH AVONDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND HE CAST ME AS GEORGE WASHINGTON. TO THE CHAGRIN OF MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE ADMINISTRATION IN THAT BUILDING. RIGHT. IT CAUSED QUITE A STIR. BUT I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH WHAT I CALL A MINI UN. WE WERE WE HAD NATIVE AMERICAN KIDS IN MY ROOM. WE HAD JAPANESE KIDS IN MY ROOM. OF COURSE, THERE WERE AFRICAN-AMERICAN KIDS. WE HAD KIDS FROM IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. AND HE CAST ALL OF US IN ROLES THAT PEOPLE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WERE A BIT UNUSUAL. JAPANESE GIRL, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS MARTHA WASHINGTON. ANYWAY, LONG STORY SHORT, ALL THE NOTORIETY REALLY CAUGHT MY ATTENTION AND I WAS HOOKED. THE FIRST TIME SOMEBODY APPLAUDED AFTER I SAID SOMETHING. SO OVER THE YEARS, I WAS JUST KIND OF IN. I'VE ALWAYS DIBBLED AND DABBLED A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW? SO THAT'S HOW I GOT STARTED. WELL, THERE'S A COUPLE OF PRODUCTIONS COMING UP AT THE FREEDOM CENTER. THOSE WILL TAKE PLACE ON FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 28TH. AND THEN SATURDAY, MARCH 1ST. ONE IS A DEBATE BETWEEN FREDERICK DOUGLASS AND ABRAHAM LINCOLN. YES. AND THE OTHER ONE IS ABOUT THE GREAT PAUL ROBESON. YOU'RE GOING TO PLAY PAUL ROBESON. I'M GOING TO DO THE BEST I CAN. BUT IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY. I MEAN, A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, I THINK, PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF PAUL ROBESON, SO THEY WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE FAMILIAR WITH WHO HE WAS AND WHAT HE DID AND WHY HE'S IMPORTANT. BUT I VAGUELY REMEMBER HIM AS A SMALL CHILD, HAVING OCCASIONALLY SEEN HIM ON TV AND SOME OF THE CONTROVERSY THAT SURROUNDED HIS LIFE. BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, HE WAS KNOWN FOR HIS GREAT SINGING VOICE. HE SANG ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW. HE WAS ALSO A SCHOLAR AND ATHLETE. HE WAS HE WAS REALLY QUITE A GUY, AND HIS LIFE WAS VERY INTERESTING. I DON'T BELIEVE YOU CAN DO HIM JUSTICE IN A ONE ACT PLAY. BUT LIKE I SAID, I'LL DO THE BEST I CAN. AS YOU SAID, MOST PEOPLE AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT PAUL ROBESON HAS BEEN OVERSHADOWED. HISTORY HASN'T GIVEN HIM THE CREDIT THAT HE DESERVES. AND AS YOU SAID, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE JUST FORGOTTEN ABOUT HIM. I AGREE, BUT HIS HIS LIFE HAD SUCH AN IMPACT ON WHERE WE ARE TODAY. I THINK HE WOULD BE TROUBLED IN MANY WAYS WHERE WE ARE TODAY. HERE WE ARE HAVING. ISSUES. I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SITUATION OUT THERE IN LINCOLN HEIGHTS. I MEAN, YOU YOU EXPERIENCE A LOT OF THINGS AS A POLICE OFFICER AND A COUNCIL MEMBER. AND TO SEE THIS NOW, AFTER ALL THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE PUT FORTH YOURSELF. WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE? WELL, YOU KIND OF TOUCHED ON IT WHEN YOU SAID THAT PEOPLE PERHAPS DON'T REMEMBER PAUL ROBESON. PERHAPS THE WAY WE SHOULD. BUT IF WE FORGET HISTORY, THERE'S THE OLD SAYING IT HAS THE TENDENCY TO REPEAT ITSELF. AND I THINK THAT IN MANY WAYS, WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THAT IN SPITE OF ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE, THERE'S MUCH MORE WORK TO DO. WHAT I FIND HEARTENING IS THAT IT APPEARS THERE HAS BEEN NO MASS GATHERING OF PEOPLE WILLING TO TAKE THE SIDE OF THOSE FOLKS WHO WENT TO LINCOLN HEIGHTS TO AGITATE. THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE CASE MANY YEARS AGO. THE WAY PEOPLE IN LINCOLN HEIGHTS RESPONDED. FOR SOME WHO SAY THEY SHOULD HAVE IGNORED IT. THE OTHERS WHO SAY THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE. BUT THE REALITY IS, NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT THAT SITUATION, WHAT IT HIGHLIGHTS SIMPLY IS THAT THE DIVIDE IN AMERICA REMAINS REAL. WE'RE NOT YET A POST-RACIAL SOCIETY. SO MY BELIEF IS THAT PAUL ROBESON WOULD EASILY RECOGNIZE THAT IN 2025, THINGS ARE NOT THAT MUCH DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF THOSE KINDS OF ACTIVITIES THAN THE THINGS HE RAILED AGAINST IN THE 1930S, 40 AND 50. TO SAY THERE'S BEEN NO PROGRESS JUST IS NOT TRUE AND IS NOT FAIR. BUT TO SAY THAT WE'VE ARRIVED, THAT IS NOT TRUE EITHER, BECAUSE HE HAD HIS CRITICS, SOME WOULD SAY, BE QUIET. THERE WERE MANY WHO JUST WANTED HIM TO BE SILENT. MANY WANTED DOCTOR KING TO BE SILENT. BUT YOU CAN'T BE SILENT. WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT IS OUR HISTORY. AND AT EVERY POINT ALONG THE WAY, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO FIND THEMSELVES ON THE TIP OF THE SPEAR ARE OFTEN CAUTIONED BY THOSE WHO ARE NOT YET READY TO STEP OUT. YOU'RE MOVING TOO FAST. SLOW DOWN. WAIT FOR US. THE REALITY SIMPLY IS, PAUL ROBESON WAS AHEAD OF HIS TIME. AND BECAUSE HE WAS AHEAD OF HIS TIME, HE RAN INTO A LOT OF ISSUES THAT MANY IN THE COMMUNITY JUST WERE NOT YET READY TO CONFRONT OR DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CONFRONT. AND IN MANY CASES, HE DIDN'T EITHER. HE JUST KNEW THAT HE WASN'T GOING TO SIT BACK AND TAKE IT. I MEAN, HE OFTEN REFERS HIM TO PLAY TO HIS BROTHER REEVES, WHO WAS VERY MUCH A REBEL. BUT REEVES ALWAYS TOLD HIM, YOU STAND UP, YOU BE A MAN. YOU DON'T TAKE ANYTHING FROM ANYBODY. IF THEY HIT YOU, YOU HIT THEM BACK HARDER. AND HIS FATHER WOULD HAVE CAUTIONED, PERHAPS, AS MANY TRIED TO SAY TO DOCTOR KING, YOU KNOW, TURN THAT OTHER CHEEK, YOU KNOW, BE PATIENT. SO WE'VE HAD TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NECESSARY TO AGITATE. AND THEN WE HAD TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO WERE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT THAT AGITATION HAD TO OFFER. SO WE'RE WE'RE REPEATING SOME HISTORY, BUT WE'RE STILL MOVING FORWARD. I THINK DOCTOR KING SAID GRADUALISM TURNS INTO STAND STILL. ISM. ABSOLUTELY. STAND STILL ISM TURNS INTO DO NOTHING. THAT'S RIGHT. AND IT'S IT'S GOOD THAT THAT THIS IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE. AND THEN AT THE FREEDOM CENTER IS JUST A PERFECT LOCATION. AGAIN, THIS IS FEBRUARY 28TH. MARCH 1ST AT THE FREEDOM CENTER. ALWAYS GOOD SEEING YOU. THANK YOU. COURTIS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. ABSOLUTELY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT. AND FINALLY TODAY, ANOTHER BIT AND FINALLY TODAY, ANOTHER BIT OF HISTORY YOU CANNOT EVER FORGET. IT'S THE STORY OF A GROUP OF BLACK WOMEN WHO OVERCAME MANY CHALLENGES WITH THEIR GROUNDBREAKING WORK AT NASA AND THE APOLLO 11 MISSION. THEIR EFFORTS CHANGED. NASA AND THE NATION. WE WORKED HARD BECAUSE WE HAD A MISSION, AND OUR MISSION WAS TO SEND A MAN TO THE MOON AND RETURN HIM SAFELY. NOT EVERYONE CAN MAKE THAT STATEMENT, BUT MARION LEE JOHNSON IS A FORMER NASA MATHEMATICIAN WHO WORKED ON THE APOLLO 11 MISSION. IT WAS A GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. MY FORTE WAS MATHEMATICS AND WHEN I, YOU KNOW, WAS LOOKING FOR A JOB AND I CAME ACROSS THIS ASSOCIATE ENGINEERING, I SAID TO MYSELF, YOU'RE NOT AN ENGINEER. YOU CAN'T DO THIS. BUT SOMETHING SAID, YOU KNOW, YES, YOU CAN. THAT'S JOHN GLENN. WHAT DO YOU LADIES DO FOR NASA? CALCULATE LAUNCH AND LANDING, SIR. THE 2016 GAVE LIFE TO THE AMAZING AND SELDOM TOLD STORY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALE MATHEMATICIANS AND ENGINEERS WHO HELPED JOHN GLENN AND OTHER ASTRONAUTS SOAR INTO SPACE IN THE EARLY 1960S. ANOTHER JOHNSON, KATHERINE JOHNSON, NO RELATION WAS, SHALL WE SAY, THE HUMAN CALCULATOR BEHIND THE EARLY MISSIONS. WE HAD OUR MARCHING ORDERS. WE HAD TO DO WHAT WE HAD TO DO. KATHERINE AND HER GROUP, YOU KNOW, THEY MADE THE ORBIT AROUND THE EARTH. AND SO WE HAD TO FINISH THAT OUT BECAUSE WE HAD A MISSION. AND OUR MISSION WAS TO SEND A MAN TO THE MOON AND RETURN HIM SAFELY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID. THEY SURE DID. WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THE PROGRAM TODAY. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I'M CURTIS FULLER. I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EDITION OF LET'S TALK CINCY. UNTIL THEN. HAVE A GOOD DAY AND A BETTER DAY TOMORROW. THE FIRST.