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During the antebellum period, Americans went crazy for coral, using it in jewelry and medicine, referencing it in art and literature, and adopting it as a metaphor for understanding the complexity and interconnectedness of the natural world. We speak with scholar Michele Navakas about America's erstwhile fascination with coral and coral reefs. Along the way, Michelle shares a discovery she recently made in our collection: a song by "Mary Had a Little Lamb" author Sarah Josepha Hale that holds coral up as a lens through which to view both nature and human society. --- (Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap; other music: "The Coral Branch" by Sarah Josepha Hale, performed by Ian Crockett and Gene Navakas) --- Learn more at http://www.michelenavakas.com/thecoralbranch/