Knowledge Gumbo

About Knowledge Gumbo

"Empowering Black women through untold stories, inspiring quotes, and actionable insights from history. Join us weekly as we rediscover Black women’s contributions, engage in critical thinking, share a laugh, and inspire community.” *Knowledge Gumbo* is a soulful blend of wisdom, history, and culture, filtered through the lens of Black women, for Black women, and about Black women. Hosted by Alicia Thomas, a former mechanical engineer turned seeker of untold stories, this podcast dives into powerful quotes, proverbs, and book excerpts—primarily from Black women from maids to renowned thought leaders—and unpacks their meaning with humor, insight, and a touch of reflection. From thought-provoking sayings to timeless words of wisdom, every episode brings history to life—not through dates and places, but through voices, stories, and the lessons they leave us. Perfect for Black women from Generation X and more, *Knowledge Gumbo* is a space for learning, laughing, and passing down knowledge to future generations. Pull up a seat, stir the pot, and let’s share a bowl from the rich mixture of voices and stories of the past to inspire the present. **New episodes available weekly. Jump in, listen, and share the gumbo with a few friends!**

Publisher

Alicia Thomas

Category

education · history · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

4 Jan 2025

Latest episode

10 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

8 of 65 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   10 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler and the Book Medicine Wasn't Ready For

   Host Alicia T. explores Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler's groundbreaking medical book and her fight for recognition as the first Black woman physician in America.

2. 

   26 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Shirley Chisholm: Building and Disrupting at Once

   Host Alicia Tsays explores how Shirley Chisholm's self-proclaimed identity as a "catalyst" reframes her simultaneous building and disrupting of institutions, offering a powerful model for change.

3. 

   19 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Toni Morrison on Language as the Measure of a Life

   Host Alicia Tsays explores Toni Morrison's profound Nobel Prize speech, revealing how language serves as the ultimate measure of a life's worth.

Inside a recent episode

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler and the Book Medicine Wasn't Ready For

Published 10 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] She saw over and over families losing infants and children to illnesses she believed were survivable with the right information delivered in time. She could have kept that knowledge inside her own practice. Instead, in 1883, she published a book of medical discourses addressed directly to mothers, nurses, and women generally at her own stated word, not to other physicians, meaning she spoke directly to the people. She wrote plainly in her own preface that she wanted her thoughts accepted on their marriage alone. Publishing this book was not safe. It was not a safe professional move. Dr. Crumpler was already one of a handful of black physicians and a woman in a field that has spent decades deciding she didn't belong in it. […]

Who has been a guest on Knowledge Gumbo

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Shirley Ann Jackson
• Mae Jemison
• Aprille Ericsson
• Toni Tipton-Martin

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

991

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Podcast Authority Score: 50 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

75

Social presence

0

YouTube

66

Engagement

0

Contact Knowledge Gumbo

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Knowledge Gumbo