1 Sealed Letter

In this episode of One Sealed Letter, we trace the extraordinary life of Robert Smalls through three of his letters—each one a window into a different chapter of his transformation from enslaved pilot to Civil War hero to U.S. Congressman. We begin with his 1862 public letter, written just months after he commandeered a Confederate warship and delivered his family—and his crewmates—to freedom. In it, he rebukes false rumors and asserts his unwavering commitment to the Union cause and the fight to end slavery. Next, we explore a deeply personal letter sent to the widow of his former enslaver—inviting her, in an astonishing act of grace, to live in the very house where he and his mother had once been held in bondage. Finally, we read his 1890 article published in the North American Review, where Smalls—now a seasoned statesman—exposes the rampant voter suppression and racial terror dismantling Reconstruction. Together, these letters form a powerful arc of resistance, reconciliation, and resolve. Smalls was not only a man of action—he was a man of words. And those words still carry. ⸻ Primary and Secondary Sources: • Smalls, Robert. Letter to the Lowell Daily Citizen, September 1862; reprinted in The Liberator (Boston), September 26, 1862, under the title “A Colored Man’s Reply to Senator Pomeroy.” • Smalls, Robert. “Election Methods in the South.” North American Review, vol. 151, no. 405, November 1890, pp. 589–597. Read here: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25102082?seq=1 • Historical summary and correspondence references from: – Smithsonian Magazine: “The Daring Civil War Escape of Robert Smalls” – Gale Library Blog: “From Slave to Senator” – House of Representatives History Archive: Biography and political record of Robert Smalls – Cricket Media: “The Amazing Story of Robert Smalls” (incl. account of the McKee letter and train fare) – Slideplayer Archives: Selected quotes from Smalls’s 1890 article and Reconstruction context – New York Tribune, May 1862: Early coverage of Smalls’s escape and Northern public reaction – The Liberator and abolitionist press: Archival commentary on Smalls’s letters and influence

In this delightfully puzzling episode, I dive into the whimsical, artful world of rebus letters—those clever messages made from pictures and symbols rather than words. From ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs to 18th-century valentines, rebuses have long offered a way to say something meaningful without spelling it out. You’ll hear stories of love notes disguised as riddles, flirtations hidden in etchings, and how rebuses helped children (and adults) learn to read. Plus, I’ll share tips on how to write your own rebus letter, and tell you where to find my free Rebus Letter Guide, filled with 300+ ideas to get you started. You can download the rebus guide here: https://tremendous-founder-4461.kit.com/68a83f40ea

In this special episode of One Sealed Letter, we step into the private world of Princess Diana through the letters she wrote to friends, strangers, and loved ones. Read aloud in full and placed in historical context, these intimate notes reveal Diana’s deep compassion, fierce vulnerability, and remarkable grace under pressure. From the turmoil of her divorce to the tenderness of her final summer, each letter offers a glimpse of the woman behind the public persona. This episode is both a tribute and an investigation—into who Diana was, how she endured, and what her own words can teach us today.

What transforms an everyday action into something sacred? In this episode of 1 Sealed Letter, I’m joined by Dr. Michael Norton—Harvard Business School professor and author of The Ritual Effect—for a fascinating conversation on how rituals shape our emotions, relationships, and sense of meaning. We explore the subtle yet powerful differences between habits and rituals, the psychology behind why effort increases value, and how letter writing—with its deliberate slowness, candlelit wax, and quiet reverence—beautifully embodies the ritual instinct. Michael shares insights from his research on everything from cake mix and IKEA furniture to grief, bedtime routines, and the unexpected ways ritual brings order to chaos and depth to the everyday. To learn more about Michael’s work, visit: michaelnorton.com

In this episode, I unravel the deeper questions behind “happy mail”—from consumerism and toxic positivity to the quiet devaluation of women’s creative work. What happens when joy becomes performative, or art is dismissed as trivial? A thoughtful look at the materials we use, the messages we send, and the meaning we assign to what seems small.