The field of history is under fire these days, and not just from conservatives.

Perhaps as a result of a need for unambiguous heroes in dark, unsettled times, historians also face pressure to simplify the historical record when it comes to liberal causes—and perhaps nowhere more so than in the country’s long struggle for racial equality. 

“I wanted to write about Civil Rights in a way that made Martin Luther King, Jr. a bit player,” said Marcia Chatelain, author of the new choral biography How Bright the Path Grows: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the March on Washington. 

The women featured—among them Rosa Parks, Mahalia Jackson, and Marian Anderson—are imperfect. But that’s exactly what makes them interesting, their stories worth reexamining. 

On this episode, Chatelain joins Commonweal associate editor Griffin Oleynick to talk about her book, motherhood, and vocation. 

Plus, senior correspondent Heidi Schlumpf speaks with Dominic Preziosi about the latest in Catholic news, including Pope Leo’s health, and the Pentagon toying with the idea of broadcasting an execution, a decision President Trump walked back just after the segment was recorded.

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