The character of Dr. Narcisse is linked to the historical figure Casper Holstein, a Virgin Islands immigrant who became the "numbers king" of Harlem in the 1920s. Holstein was a major philanthropist and supporter of Marcus Garvey, but the hosts question if he, like others, was handled by the government. They also note that the NAACP was founded by individuals with government ties, suggesting that both sides of early civil rights movements were often under state influence.