Uncovering Hidden History
How a 9-Year-Old Brought Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Life
Can I print this photo? We found a 1938 photograph by James J. Kriegsmann in the public domain.
When Sienna, age 9, discovered Sister Rosetta Tharpe in a book, she knew she had found something special. "I want to write about her," Sienna told us during our story pitch session. "She invented rock and roll, but most people don't know about her!"
This was the beginning of Sienna's journey into historical journalism. Her process shows exactly what we nurture at Story Salon: curiosity, research skills, and the ability to share important stories with our community.
Sienna started with traditional research, poring over a book about overlooked female artists and icons. But she didn't stop there! Together, we explored online resources, with Sienna quickly learning a crucial journalism skill – identifying reliable sources. She carefully chose information from .org news’ sources, understanding that independent journalism, libraries and non-profit organizations often provide the most trustworthy historical information.
Working through several drafts, Sienna crafted a compelling lede that would grab readers' attention: Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a talented guitar player born in 1915 and is known for writing the first Rock and Roll song called 'Rock Me.'
What about Rosetta makes this story relevant to our local readers? She connected Sister Rosetta Tharpe to New York City, noting that she performed at the Cotton Club and Apollo Theater – venues just a short train ride from our Rivertowns community. This local connection transformed a historical figure into someone whose footsteps once echoed near our neighborhoods.
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Did Rosetta play in NYC? Google’s AI Overview said yes — but we dug deeper by confirming with trusted sources: NPR, The New York Historical Society, Encyclopedia Brittanica, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Choosing to run with Sienna’s article for Women’s History Month in March demonstrated our editorial thinking. Timing is everything — and in this case, can amplify a story's impact.
For the final touch, Sienna researched public domain images, finding a stunning 1938 photograph by James J. Kriegsmann.
The published article, "Rosetta Rocked and Rolled," accomplished something worthwhile – it introduced our readers to the "Godmother of Rock and Roll," a trailblazing Black woman whose contributions paved the way for musicians like Elvis Presley.
At our editorial meeting after our pub day, Sienna’s smile said everything. This wasn't just homework – it was real journalism that shared an important historical figure with our community.