Part Two: Rebecca Felton: The First Female Senator (was also a pro-lynching activist)
Summary
This episode details Rebecca Felton’s transformation from a Civil War refugee to a white supremacist activist who advocated for lynching to protect white women. Hosted with guest Samantha McVeigh, the discussion covers her role in the 1898 Wilmington massacre and her eventual appointment as the first female U.S. Senator. The narrative highlights how her trauma fueled racist politics, culminating in her brief, symbolic Senate service in 1922.
Topics discussed
Intro and sponsor ads
Rebecca Felton's plantation destroyed during the Civil War
Rape fears, Confederate propaganda, and legal realities
Post-war poverty and Rebecca's political awakening
Rebecca's activism against convict leasing
Sponsor ads and podcast promotions
Rebecca Felton's advocacy for lynching
The Wilmington Coup and racial violence
Rebecca becomes the first female senator
Conclusion, analysis, and outro ads
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