90 Years of American History: Strong Women and How Real Fortunes Are Built
90 Years of American History: Strong Women and How Real Fortunes Are Built
Peter Mingils and Coach Irvin Harris welcome Bobbi Jo King Donnelson for a Building Fortunes Radio conversation about family history, strong women, and a legacy of courage.
What does it mean to build a fortune? On this special Building Fortunes Radio episode, Peter Mingils and distinguished host Coach Irvin Harris invite listeners to consider a richer answer: a fortune can be made of family, education, courage, faith, and stories passed from one generation to the next.
Irvin welcomes his second cousin, Bobbi Jo King Donnelson, joining from Chicago, and another cousin, Tanya Seals, joining from Denver. Bobbi Jo, born in 1936, has lived through a remarkable span of American history. Together, the family shares a personal conversation about her life, the strength of the women in their family, and what future generations should remember.
Learn more about Coach Irvin Harris and the BasketballCoach News segment at BasketballCoach.News.
Bobbi Jo King Donnelson: A Life Across Generations
This episode gives Bobbi Jo time to tell her life story in her own words. What was home like when she was growing up? What did her parents teach her about work and character? What challenges did she face as a young woman, and what helped her stay strong?
With Tanya joining the conversation, the interview becomes a family gathering across generations and across the country. It is a chance to hear lived experience, reflect on the values that anchor a life, and consider what younger generations may learn by listening closely.
Honoring Retha Harris and Ruth Watkins
Irvin also shares the stories of two other powerful women in the family: his mother, Retha Harris, and his aunt, Ruth Watkins. Retha raised nine children and returned to school in the 1970s, earning her GED, bachelor’s degree, and Master of Education degree. She went on to teach at Highland Elementary in South Omaha for 26 years.
Her path was not easy. Irvin recalls that when she pursued higher education, someone told her to go home and raise her children. Retha turned that discouragement into determination, building an example of perseverance for her family and community.
The episode also remembers Ruth Watkins, who stood firm when her family faced hostility after moving to West Omaha. Her response, as shared by Irvin, was that an attempt to make them leave only made them more determined to stay. These stories honor the strength, resolve, and dignity of African American women who built lives and opened possibilities for those who followed.
Family History, DNA, and a Living Legacy
The conversation explores how Irvin reconnected with relatives through family research and a DNA match, bringing branches of the family together after decades apart. He recalls meeting Bobbi Jo for the first time in July 2024, when his granddaughter danced at the Joffrey School of Ballet in Chicago.
As the family reflects on the past, Bobbi Jo is invited to share what she hopes future generations will carry forward. The heart of the discussion is a reminder to record family stories while loved ones can still tell them. Their wisdom is a fortune worth preserving.
Listen to Building Fortunes Radio
These podcasts are brought to you on Building Fortunes Radio and the Youmongus Radio Network, with Youmongus.com as a corporate sponsor. Episodes are rebroadcast on Amazon Podcasts, Amazon Audible, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio, as well as many other major podcast platforms. You can also find the shows on YouTube and Facebook.
Each radio show is educational, motivational, and inspirational for the Building Fortunes Radio listening audience. Subscribe, Like, and share this special episode with someone important to you. Help keep these stories of family, courage, education, and purpose alive for generations to come.
The Basketball Coach News Radio Show Hosted by Irvin Harris can also be found on BasketballCoach.news
To listen to the complete, inspiring archive of Patricia Allen’s interview with Peter Mingils and Coach Irvin Harris, visit the official Basketball Coach News audio vault on the Building Fortunes Radio Network.
