Emanuele Berry

Basically, we're going to kiki and catch up on all the drama of the Robesons.

Here's Nicole and her guest, author Jason Reynolds, with her show Our Ancestors Were Messy.

Coming up, Paul and Essie fall in love again.

But this time it's with the Soviet Union.

That's in a minute from Chicago Public Radio when our program continues.

It's This American Life.

I'm Emanuel Berry, sitting in for Ira Glass.

Today's show, Bless This Mess.

Today in our program, we are hearing the story of Paul and Essie Robeson.

When we left the couple, the newspapers couldn't stop talking about their unconventional relationship.

In part two of our story, all the headlines become about their politics.

Here's Nicole and Jason.

Nicole Hill.

She's a host of the award-winning show Our Ancestors Were Messy.

What you just heard was an adaptation of her original episode.

That's right, there is even more Paul and Essie drama.

It's a two-parter.

You can find that episode and more wherever you listen to podcasts.

And there are so many wonderful stories that Nicole tells.

I highly recommend checking out the episode about Nora Holt and the one about Zora Neale Hurston.