Front Page Gold, Footnote Dilemma: The Eastland’s Mixed Legacy

Flower in the River: A Family Tale Finally Told

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Hey everyone! I'm excited to share some fascinating discoveries about how Chicago newspapers covered the Eastland disaster in 1915. This episode takes us behind the scenes at the Chicago Evening Post through the eyes of a publication called "The Scoop" - which was essentially a newspaper about newspapers!

First, I want to welcome all my new listeners who mysteriously appeared this week. Not sure where you came from, but I'm grateful you're here!

Key highlights from this episode:

• Deep dive into how the Chicago Evening Post handled the breaking news of the Eastland disaster
• Spotlight on Jun Fujita, the groundbreaking Japanese American photojournalist whose photos captured the tragedy
• Introduction to Lena McCauley, an incredible female journalist who wrote a technical analysis of why the Eastland capsized (and now I'm desperately trying to track down that article!)
• A look at S.J. Duncan-Clark, whose writing helped shape how people understood the disaster

Speaking of research, I've spent the last year uncovering stories that have been overlooked or barely acknowledged. While it can be painful to uncover these forgotten histories, it feels like tending a garden - these stories needed care and attention to bloom again.

On a personal note, I shared a memorable story about my mother who, as a young girl in the late 1930s, would sweetly offer to help "mail" her father's problematic correspondence with extremist groups in Europe. Instead of mailing them, she'd duck into an alley with a hidden box of matches and burn those letters to ash. Her courage and commitment to treating everyone as individuals, despite her upbringing, helps explain my own drive to uncover and tell overlooked stories.

Links:

• Bonus Episode: Max and Eva Play the Eastland Numbers Game
• The Eastland Disaster: Untangling the Numbers
• Through the Lens of Jun Fujita - with Graham Lee & Natalie Zett - Part 1
• Darkroom Confidential: Developing the Jun Fujita Story with Graham Lee, Part 2
• Jun Fujita: Behind the Camera by Graham Harrison Lee

• Book website: https://www.flowerintheriver.com/
• LinkTree: @zettnatalie | Linktree
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-z-87092b15/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zettnatalie/
• YouTube: Flower in the River - A Family Tale Finally Told - YouTube
• Medium: Natalie Zett – Medium
• The opening/closing song is Twilight by 8opus
• Other music. Artlist

Luvut

1. Front Page Gold, Footnote Dilemma: The Eastland’s Mixed Legacy (00:00:00)

2. The Eastland Disaster (00:00:08)

3. The Chicago Evening Post's Eastland Coverage (00:10:29)

4. Remembering Unsung Heroes of History (00:26:23)

5. Tribute to Eastland Disaster Victims (00:40:40)