Today we’d like to introduce you to Lettie Gore
Hi Lettie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a historian, history professor, racial equity strategist & consultant, and huge James Baldwin fan. I’m the owner of Lettie’s History Education & Consulting Services, Inc., and my pop-up bookshop But Then You Read. I’m also the host and owner of my podcast “History Shows Us”.
I was born in Maryland but moved down to the Sunset Beach, North Carolina area in 1993. I was 5 at the time and brother was 2. Both of my parents and their parents, aunts, uncles, and siblings are from that area (Sunset Beach, Shallotte, Thomasboro–all right near the SC state line). After marrying, my parents left the area in the early 1970s and moved to Maryland. With them moving back to NC, I was raised right next door to my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
From a very early age I loved to read. I thought deeply. I was a fast learner. I took dance lessons, piano lessons, and loved running in the fields at home. I grew up in a home where I learned and was shown how to treat others. My dad is a minister/preacher and both of my parents showed us what it meant to have faith, depend on God, and stand up for myself, what is right and speak up about what is morally wrong. Looking back growing up with extended family around me spoke heavily to Black culture and Black community, too.
I’ll skip ahead to receiving my Bachelor’s in History from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington (UNCW) in 2011. I loved history so much I went decided to get my Master’s in History from UNCW and began that in January 2012. I was excited to work with and learn more from the incredible professors I had in undergrad in the History department there. The program was very rigorous, challenging, and I went from being someone who simply liked to read history, to an actual historian (there’s a difference!). It was one of the best decisions I made. I finished my MA in History in 2015, with a focus on American History, African-American History, and race studies.
I didn’t get a job teaching at a community college like I wanted to. I ended up working as a front desk receptionist at an eye doctor/specialist office in Wilmington, NC in 2015. It was obviously not what I wanted to do but I was grateful and I did my job extremely well. I loved talking with patients! One year later, I started working at a pharmaceutical company in Wilmington as a Project Assistant. A few months later, I got a job as an adjunct (part-time) history professor at Cape Fear Community College (CFCC). I was excited to finally have the opportunity to get experience on my resume. I was still working as a Project Assistant at the time, though. I would leave during my lunch break, go to CFCC to teach for an hour, then I would go back to work. It was a lot of work. I did that for 3 semesters, then had to stop because I was physically unable to keep doing it. At the time I was also planning my wedding.
I got married in April 2018 (now divorced). I got a job working with Communities in Schools as an Afterschool Program Coordinator. I was no longer a Project Assistant or teaching. In August 2018 I started on my second Master’s degree. This MA was in Conflict Management & Resolution (CMR). I completed it in May 2020. Earlier that year God told me to pursue it. I didn’t understand why, but in hindsight I see why. I started my podcast “History Shows Us” in August 2019. Again, I felt called to do that, so I did it. I also started speaking in various places in Wilmington, NC about history and racial justice.
The first half of 2020, I was becoming more known on Instagram with my posts about history, racial justice, social justice, and more. When George Floyd was murdered, millions of people in our country were paying attention racial injustices and wanting to learn more about systemic racism, white supremacy, oppression, etc. I had already been educating about this, and my social media following skyrocketed. I started providing history lessons, live Q&As, educational webinars, a book club, and more through my Patreon. This was the start of me being a full-time entrepreneur (from 2020 until the end of 2023). I started my business: Lettie’s History Education & Consulting Services, Inc. Not only was I educating on Patreon, but I was participating on panels, I was a guest on podcasts, I was holding workshops and trainings, and so much more. I’m still doing those things!
Personal life was also of course still happening. I separated and got divorced during the pandemic. I didn’t expect that to happen, but knew it was the best decision. I went through a lot between 2020 and now, even more than I’m sharing here, and yet, I persevered.
Last year in September (2023) I had my first event for my mobile/pop-up bookshop which is named But Then You Read. I came up with the name from part of a James Baldwin quote. This pop-up bookshop was something I truly thought about everyday for at least 3 years, so I decided to finally do it. I started acquiring books for it in January 2023. The event last year was incredible. I’ve had other events, too, and am continuing to.
I am currently a full-time history professor at Cape Fear Community College. I love teaching history and “connecting the dots” when it comes to seeing the larger picture. I love interacting with students and knowing I’m making an impact on their lives by teaching and showing them history is more than just dates and times.
A huge theme of my story is not giving up hope or my faith in God and Jesus coming through for me! I look back and can see how things I went through led me to where I am.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
In some ways no, it hasn’t been smooth, but I don’t believe that’s how life is “supposed” to be anyway.
There were two big struggles for me. One was finishing my MA in History and not getting a job teaching history. The second was in 2019 when I felt as though I was being passed over for opportunities. I was applying for jobs I wanted and was not getting them. I felt discouraged at times but also was still cheering others on as I saw their successes, genuinely happy for them.
I have ADHD and was diagnosed with it 3 years ago. It’s a superpower (haha!) and at the same time can be a hindrance in many ways. I started therapy in 2020 for self-help, and after seeing my therapist bi-weekly for over a year, she told me she noticed some patterns and things I was continuously struggling with and suggested we do an ADHD assessment.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I teach six history classes which include American History I, American History II, and African-American History.
With my history education & consulting business, I use a unique approach combining my extensive history knowledge with my conflict resolution skills to have necessary racial equity, social justice, and antiracism conversations with truth and compassion to help equip others with tangible tools to create personal and collective transformation.
My pop-up bookshop has books for all ages! The books include history, racial/social justice and issues, personal growth/self-help, fiction, and other non-fiction books, with the majority of them being written by Black and brown authors and scholars. I have books that aren’t printed anymore, original prints (think an original print of a Zora Neale Hurston book from 1970), books people don’t even know exist! A bookshop like this is necessary, and because I have read a lot of books and am a historian, I’m able to suggest books, help people figure out what they might be interested in, etc. I want to one day have my own bookstore. It’s going to happen!
What’s next?
My biggest plan for the near future is honestly to grow both of my businesses more. I want to get back to hosting more pop-up bookshop events, participating in other vendor events, and also hosting more educational workshops, talks, etc. with my history education business. I absolutely want to open a bookstore and raise money to help me achieve that goal.
I have a couple of book ideas I want to put more time and planning into, too!
This year I was navigating quite a few challenges and life changes. As I like to say, life was life-ing!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.learnwithlettie.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sincerely.lettie/
