I adore this show!

And not just a good story- a good story told well! Such a fun take on history.

Wonderful series about real lives of real people - unabashedly and delightfully about the history of Black Americans.

I enjoy the history, the approach, the storytelling. The conversation between the host and guest is also very interesting and enjoyable.

This show is awesome! It is so creative and it made me for real LOL. I love stories, especially our Black stories, and what you’ve done here is incredible. Thank you!

Everyone knows that the best part of history is the messy part. We rarely get to hear these stories but not only are they so interesting, they’re important parts of the fabric of American history. Also the storytelling skills, editing, and sound work are amazing.

I can’t get enough of this podcast! So engaging, interesting, juicy and informative. A perfect mix of history and tea

Found this gem while listening to Nobody Should Believe Me and am already hooked! As a single 43yr old white mother of a biracial 18yr old young woman, I found these stories of black history beautiful and so informative. This MUST be heard as it’s never been taught in school. I will definitely be talking this one up to everyone and especially my daughter. Excited to see how far this goes!

This podcast is perfect. No notes.

I never rate or write a review for a podcast but I want this podcast to get the recognition it deserves. As a black person I know we tend to think of the older generations and our leaders as Gods who were perfect. It is blasphemous to even critical think their choices. I don’t think this attitude serves us. It is educational, entertaining, and inspiring to know are ancestors were just as messy and toxic as we are. They not only survived but thrived in trying times. That gives me hope. Thank you for this podcast. You deserve all the sucess coming to you.

I love this podcast! Great storytelling, an engaging host, fun guests! The only downside is I can’t do dishes and listen because I have to keep pausing to look for photos. So glad to have found this!

Old white lady here, truly appreciating the stories of black culture and society, deliciously delivered with excellent narration and production. Made my day! Thanks Andrea (Nobody Should Believe Me) for featuring.

Fun, funny and easy to listen to!

Thank you Nicole and team. Your approach to storytelling is beautiful- the score, how you incorporate the history of the newspapers, the rapport with your guests, and the curation of the stories, themselves. A real joy to listen to.

Much anticipated stop Lives up to lofty expectations stop Telling everyone while awaiting next installment stop -Sophia

Nic you’re a genius! I’m obsessed and I can’t wait for more episodes. I love history and people being messy and you’ve perfectly combined the two. You also have the best voice for podcasting. I never leave reviews on anything but you deserve all of your flowers!

This series is BRILLIANT! The storytelling, the reflections, the guests—-I’ve learned so much about these messy ancestors, but I’m also learning to be more compassionate with myself and others as we continue to fight for our rights, freedoms, and dreams.

Waiting a year for this series!!! Love the research based tea!

This show is everything I could want in a podcast.

This is such a simultaneously easy and engaging listen! Love the interwoven conversation, the reflecting and debriefing, the scoring, and definitely love being reminded that humans have ALWAYS been messy. ✨

Gossip is such an excellent delivery system for history—genius move, Nichole Hill! I love so much about the format and it’s a relief and a pleasure to learn about the lives of ancestors without centering trauma. I also am here for the blend of contemporary and historical word choices and reactions! While some “comedy” pods strain to be funny (and end up just being crass and annoying), this one relaxes and assumes we can follow a layered set of references. So excited for future episodes!!

Devastated that there aren’t more episodes to binge right now. Every ancestor’s story is an epic one on some level, and Ms. Hill is delivering ones that are both wildly entertaining and full of important historical context that helps explain how folks makes stories and are stories, then, now, likely forever into the future. I have never left a review on a podcast before and I loved this format and content so much that I got brave enough to tell y’all that you cannot miss this show. ❤️

I’m obsessed with this: hits the spot for so many reasons. All history should be delivered as gossip!

I just listened to the first episode of The Ancestors Were Messy, and I’m already hooked. Nichole Hill blends history, storytelling, and cultural reflection in a way that resonates far beyond any one lineage. While these aren’t my ancestors, the themes of legacy, identity, and the complexity of history deeply connect with me. This podcast challenges the neatly packaged versions of the past we’re often taught and instead embraces the reality that history is full of contradictions, imperfections, and hard truths. Nichole creates a space that is both thought-provoking and engaging, weaving together personal reflections, historical analysis, and humor to bring these stories to life. What I appreciate most is how she invites listeners—regardless of background—to sit with the messiness of history, to reflect on its impact, and to consider how it shapes our present and future. If you’ve ever side-eyed the simplified versions of history we’re often given, this podcast is for you. It doesn’t just tell stories—it makes you rethink what it means to honor those who came before us. And if you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and check out Nichole’s other podcast, The Secret Adventures of Black People. She has a gift for giving the audience a peek into people’s lives and leveraging her storytelling to make each episode feel both intimate and expansive at the same time. I can’t wait to hear more from The Ancestors Were Messy—this first episode was just the beginning, and I know it’s going to be something special. Highly recommend!

Banger

This is such a smart and funny show about Black history and the host is hilarious and charismatic. Will be listening, can’t wait for more episodes to come out!

Very well produced. I also love the way episode 1 blends the past with modernity — like the juxtaposition of “bade” in one sentence with the phrase “Percy was tweekin” just feels right lol. We‘ll be the ancestors too someday and it makes me think about what future generations will think about how those of us today once spoke. This show already feels deeply necessary. The storytelling; the thread/connection between past and present; the joy, fun and laughter throughout the conversation. 10/10 would recommend!

This first episode was absolutely fabulous! The perfect mix of history and craziness. I can’t wait to learn more about our inspiring, messy ancestors!

“Our Ancestors Were Messy” is simply incredible. Nichole did an excellent job presenting a pretty scandalous story in such an interesting way; I couldn’t stop listening. I also loved the insightful commentary that she and her guest gave throughout the episode. The beauty of this pod is that it shows a side of the main characters that folks rarely hear about. Nichole did a fantastic job of humanizing and presenting them as the fascinating 3-dimensional people they were. And I really appreciated how the story adds a deeper context to a period of time that many people aren’t too knowledgeable about. Overall, if you want a podcast that’s hilarious, entertaining, engaging, and intelligent, look no further!