Each summer, Connecticut residents flock to the shoreline, raising umbrellas and spreading towels along the state's beaches. Yet, behind this sunny imagery hides a somber history -- a story of coastal ownership and exclusivity.
This hour, Free the Beaches author Andrew Kahrl joins us. We reflect on the impact of Connecticut’s private and restricted beaches and learn about a 20th-century crusade to unlock the state’s coast.
Plus, we draw attention to a Connecticut native who was integral in the campaign for civil rights -- Judge Constance Baker Motley.
Lehman College professor Gary Ford sits down with us to talk more about Motley's life, as well as her legacy both inside and outside of the courtroom.
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Book Excerpt: Free The Beaches by Andrew Kahrl
GUESTS:
- Andrew Kahrl - Associate professor of history and African American studies at the University of Virginia; author of Free the Beaches: The Story of Ned Coll and the Battle for America’s Most Exclusive Shoreline (@andrewkahrl)
- Dr. Gary Ford Jr. - Assistant professor of Africana Studies at Lehman College and author of Constance Baker Motley: One Woman's Fight for Civil Rights and Equal Justice Under Law (@garylford1)
Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
