Black Oxygen, from the Archives: Esther Monroe, A Life Well Lived

This episode features my grandfather, Esther Monroe, who I call Daddy Monroe, recorded in the spring of 2023 when he was 96 years old—still driving, still living independently, and still sharing the wisdom of nearly a century on this earth. Today, he’s 98, no longer driving or living independently - but is surrounded by family, friends and health care providers that love him tremendously.

What you're about to hear is a legacy—a testament to a life extraordinarily well lived.
Daddy Monroe was born during the Great Depression, a Black man in the South who witnessed this country transform in ways that once seemed impossible. He saw wages so low he made just 75 cents a day. He experienced the daily cruelties of racism.

In this conversation with my mom, Brenda Moten, and me, Daddy Monroe shares something profound: one of the best days of his life was watching Barack Obama become president—because for most of his life, he never thought he'd live to see such progress. "There was no way of seeing that things could get better," he tells us.

But they did get better. And in our current moment, when it's easy to lose hope, Daddy Monroe's voice reminds us that change is possible. His formula is simple but not easy: know the difference between right and wrong, be honest with each other, love one another even when we disagree, and treat each other with kindness and respect.

This is more than a family conversation—it's a masterclass in resilience, hope, and the long arc of progress from someone who's lived it all.

Here's my grandfather, Daddy Monroe, in his own words.

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