Not Your Momma's History

Not Your Momma's History is the YouTube channel of Cheyney McKnight, a historical interpreter and artist based in New York. Her videos bring to life the day-to-day experiences of Black people throughout American history, using period clothing, storytelling and primary sources.

McKnight coined the term "afroterpretation" for her approach — interpreting history as a Black woman, centring Black interpreters through ancestral reconnection and modified historical clothing. She takes a "Let's Talk About Slavery" table to parks and historic sites across America, creating a space for honest conversation about chattel slavery.

For the Victorian era specifically, her work opens a window the costume dramas rarely show: how Black women and men actually lived, worked and dressed in the nineteenth century. It is vital viewing for anyone who wants their history of the period to be complete.