Soledad O'Brien

I'm Soledad O'Brien, and on my podcast, Murder on the Towpath, I'm taking you back to the 1960s. Mary Pinchot Meyer was a painter who lived in Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Every day, she took a daily walk along the towpath near the E&O Canal.

If you were poor and black at the time, you had to be resourceful.

If you were poor and black at the time, you had to be resourceful.

It was a skill Rachel was determined to pass on to Dovey. She was arming her grandchildren for battle. Because Rachel knew how hard it was out there. She had lived it. You see, Rachel was born to slaves. She grew up when slavery was abolished, but the structures were still in place. The farm where she lived, she had to call the owner slave master. And when she was 13, that man tried to rape her.

It was a skill Rachel was determined to pass on to Dovey. She was arming her grandchildren for battle. Because Rachel knew how hard it was out there. She had lived it. You see, Rachel was born to slaves. She grew up when slavery was abolished, but the structures were still in place. The farm where she lived, she had to call the owner slave master. And when she was 13, that man tried to rape her.

The police arrived in a heartbeat. Within 40 minutes, a man named Raymond Crump Jr. was arrested. He was found nearby, soaking wet, and he was black. Only one woman dared defend him, civil rights lawyer W. Roundtree. Join me as we unravel this story with a crazy twist. Because what most people didn't know is that Mary was connected to a very powerful man.

The police arrived in a heartbeat. Within 40 minutes, a man named Raymond Crump Jr. was arrested. He was found nearby, soaking wet, and he was black. Only one woman dared defend him, civil rights lawyer W. Roundtree. Join me as we unravel this story with a crazy twist. Because what most people didn't know is that Mary was connected to a very powerful man.

But he wouldn't relent. The man stomped on her feet and crushed them.

But he wouldn't relent. The man stomped on her feet and crushed them.

John F. Kennedy. Listen to Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O'Brien on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

John F. Kennedy. Listen to Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O'Brien on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

When she returned home, Rachel's mother wrapped her bloody feet in bandages. But her feet would never recover.

When she returned home, Rachel's mother wrapped her bloody feet in bandages. But her feet would never recover.

Rachel eventually learned to walk again, but her feet would never be the same. Here's Charlene again.

Rachel eventually learned to walk again, but her feet would never be the same. Here's Charlene again.

Her swollen feet reminded her every day how that man thought he had a right to her. But she never wanted to forget how discrimination had shaped her. misshaped her, really. And she felt obligated to pass that resolve onto her children and grandchildren.

Her swollen feet reminded her every day how that man thought he had a right to her. But she never wanted to forget how discrimination had shaped her. misshaped her, really. And she felt obligated to pass that resolve onto her children and grandchildren.

She told them the story about her feet, not once, but regularly. It was one of their family lures. Which, if you think about it, is a pretty traumatic story to tell such young girls. But for Rachel, it was probably her way of preparing them for the world.

She told them the story about her feet, not once, but regularly. It was one of their family lures. Which, if you think about it, is a pretty traumatic story to tell such young girls. But for Rachel, it was probably her way of preparing them for the world.

Sometimes pain is a catalyst.