This October 31st, you'll spend money on Halloween without thinking twice. But by 1917, cities were banning this holiday. The spooky traditions spanning 2,000 years were on the verge of extinction—forgotten like so many immigrant customs that didn't survive the American melting pot.

One woman saw the disaster coming. And she was the only one who could stop it.

But here's the thing: She wasn't supposed to matter. She was a 26-year-old working-class librarian in Lynn, Massachusetts. The kind of woman people looked through, not at. The kind trained to be quiet, helpful, invisible.

So how did she save Halloween from extinction—and why did the world forget her name?

This week on Roots & Reinvention, discover the story of Ruth Edna Kelley—a woman in history who refused to stay invisible when it mattered most. Her story will make you question everything you think you know about power, legacy, and what it means to do work that changes the world.

If you've ever felt invisible in your work, if you've ever wondered whether your contributions matter, if you've ever questioned whether it's too late to answer a calling only you can hear—this episode is for you.

Because Ruth's story isn't just history. It's permission. Permission to believe that invisible work can change everything. Permission to trust that one woman choosing to be herself can transform the world.

Whether you're starting over, navigating career change, feeling stuck in work that no one sees, or ready to stop letting other people define you and you're read to define yourself on your own terms—this story of life transformation will inspire you to start.

READY TO START BEING YOURSELF?

You've been letting others define you for a long time—and somewhere along the way, you lost yourself. Maybe you've spent years being who everyone else needed you to be—the good daughter, the devoted wife, the selfless mother, the reliable employee—and now you're ready to stop.

This isn't a crisis—it's a calling. A calling to stop being who everyone else wants you to be and start being you.

Join the NEW Roots & Reinvention Community where we help you start being yourself, inspired by women in history who dared to do the same. As a member, you'll receive weekly episode bonuses based on that week's podcast theme to help you connect each episode to your own journey. Find out more at:

https://skool.com/rootsandreinvention

Subscribe to The Reinvention Letter at ReinventionLetter.com—your weekly spark of clarity, connection, and courage. No fluff. Just tools, truth, and stories from inspiring women in history who dared to be themselves, plus practical inspiration for your own transformation.

Because the world needs more women willing to step out of the shadows and claim their power. Women who decide to be themselves—because that changes everything.

Remember: It's never too late to start being you.

KEYWORDS: halloween, being yourself, women in history, historical women, life transformation, women who changed the world, inspiring women in history, invisible work, career change, personal transformation, start being yourself, women's empowerment, stories of women, courage to start over

EPISODE TOPICS: Ruth Edna Kelley, Halloween history, librarian stories, working-class women, invisible workers, cultural preservation, women's folklore, choosing yourself, doing meaningful work, legacy building

NEW EPISODES: Every Thursday
HOSTED BY: Taylor Hunt

Please note: This episode is based on extensive research based in actual events in history. Some artistic license was taken to provide sensory details.