Before there was internet fraud and phone scams, there were always swindlers.

Female swindlers too.

Discover the stories of women from the past who not only survived, but thrived as con-artists and thieves.

How did they use their feminine characteristics to swindle in a world where men made the rules?

Join me, Lucy Worsley, historian and author, and my all-female team in ladies swindlers, wherever you get your podcasts.

Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica. This month we're talking

about women who found themselves at the center of controversy, whether deserved or not. Today we're

talking about a woman who set the blueprint for black actresses today. A woman who, unlike her predecessors,

would soar to new and uncharted heights.

But the Hays Code and racist ideologies would exile her from true stardom.

Introducing Nina May McKenney.

Nina was born on June 12, 1912 in Lancaster, South Carolina.

When she was just 12 years old, her parents moved to New York City in the hopes of finding

better job opportunities, but left young Nina behind.

The reasons for not taking their daughter vary from source to source, but what remains consistent

is that she was left in the

hands of her Aunt Carrie. For the next four years, Nina worked alongside her aunt as a domestic

for the affluent white family in town. Her job was to deliver and collect mail, and she did so

with flair. To entertain herself while running errands, Nina would perform stunts on her bicycle.

So much so, the people in town took notice any time she arrived.

One could argue that this was her first dive into showmanship.

From there, Nina continued performing.

...