66 Comments
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Amber's avatar

If you’re the one telling the stories, absolutely! How many interesting people there are in the world. How many untold stories waiting for us 💜

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Charlene Garrett's avatar

Great story! Please keep reminding us of history so we can see our current state as not all that different than the past. We made it then, we will make it now. :)

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Kelley's avatar

What I would’ve given to have you as my history teacher in high school! History was a tough subject for me (maybe it was memorizing dates? 🤷🏼‍♀️) You have a great gift of not only telling cool stories but also being able to make connections (especially to current events/political climate/world views/etc)….which is helpful so we can all be lifelong learners! 🙂

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Heidi Fryman's avatar

I’ve said this very thing to Sharon! She brings the stories to life and gives it context, making it so much more interesting than just memorizing dates.

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Lindsey Amos's avatar

Wow! I live in McCracken County, KY and we have a major thoroughfare and an airport named for this man. Never knew the story. Thank you, Sharon!

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Jonathon Wurth's avatar

Woohoo! A fellow Kentuckian! Plus there's Lake Barkley, too!

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Lindsey Amos's avatar

Yes! Forgot about that!

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Rachel's avatar

Bet!!!! 💀

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Jane's avatar

I can't wait to read the book on obscure but important people in history like Barkley. I think it is called something like "The Small and the Mighty"...

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Sharon McMahon's avatar

Huh, I’ll have to check that out! 😜

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Kimberly Parr's avatar

You always tell interesting stories that I didn’t even know I needed to hear! Keep ‘em coming!

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Brenda Tolman's avatar

Every morning I’m checking my Substack to see if you’ve given us something exciting to learn. My friend you never disappoint! What a great piece of history that teaches us today that we always come back around to look in the mirror.

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Diane Donovan's avatar

Yes! This was great. More please. Thank you Sharon

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Julie R's avatar

I have lived 1 hour from Paducah KY my entire life and never heard this! Lake Barkley, Barkley airport…now I know 😊

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Lisa's avatar

Great story! To be honest the history is a nice distraction from the political dumpster fire we are enduring today.

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Kimberlee's avatar

What an exit. God truly does have a sense of humor. Thank goodness!!😄

And yes, I would like to hear more of your stranger-than-fiction true life stories. Please!

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Jean Wilm's avatar

This was fascinating! A position created from a meeting of the Leftover Business Committee. 😳. You always make learning so much fun. 💕. Yes, more please.

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Marthann Richwine's avatar

Yes! You are the best storyteller!

I’m a Kentucky girl (fortunate to live in Kentucky once again after a stint in Ohio) and have always heard stories of Alben Barkley. There’s a lake in our state named for him.

On a different note, I was born in Jackson, KY. My mother and her siblings went to school with JD Vance’s Uncle “Teaberry Blanton”. (not friends, but schoolmates)

Side note: I do not support Trump/Vance.

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Debi Rassas's avatar

Just listened to the recording and after Barkley dropped, and people are asking for a doctor, commentator says, "He's being fanned." 😬 Was fanning the CPR back in the day?! Another reminder of how grateful I am for Progress! 🙏

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Sharon McMahon's avatar

Yes, “fresh air” was a cure for so many ailments. But also, people could faint from heat exhaustion, so maybe they thought they were cooling people down?

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Jonathon Wurth's avatar

Holy cats! I'm from the great Commonwealth of Kentucky and had never heard this story before. Yeah, I need some VP stories in my life.

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