Audio Antiques

Duke Ellington was a major influence on music during the jazz age. Edward Kennedy Ellington was born in 1899, and in 1927 had his first international hit with Creole Love Call. The African-American composer, pianist, and orchestra leader would remain popular for this rest of his life, touring the world, while based at the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York. Ellington was given many awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1966, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969, the Legion of Honour by France in 1973. You will hear the Duke Ellington story on the radio program Destination Freedom in 1948, the Duke performing live on NBC radio in 1945, and Ellington with entertainment superstar Bing Crosby on the Kraft Music Hall also in 1945.

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Ken interviews Gerome Warcloud of the American Indian Center, and the American Indian Movement on the struggles and concerns of North America's indigenous people. (1981)

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This podcast focuses on the contributions made during the times of Jim Crow segregation, to promote racial harmony during World War Two, in two episodes of the show New World A-Comin', both aired during the war on New York Radio Station WMCA. First, we'll hear a 1944 play about one of the 125,000 African Americans who fought in World War Two, all in segregated units. Then we'll hear a 1945 presentation about a white union worker in Detroit who kept his weapons plant from shutting down by fighting racial bias and discrimination.

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Superman first appeared in comic books in 1938, and quickly became one of America's most famous fictional heroes. In 1940, The Adventures of Superman appeared as a radio serial that appealed to kids, it was an instant success. The serial continued until 1951, with more than 2,000 original episodes produced. In 1946 the producers began focusing on racial and ethnic issues to fight the rising popularity of the Klu Klux Klan. In 1947, Superman fought the Knights Of The White Carnation. You will hear the Man of Steel and his friends take on a murderous immigrant hater.

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Fear of Public Speaking, Divorce, and Sick Buildings.

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An interview with Jerry Johnson of the rehabilitation center Orca House, and Beverly Bell of the Urban Minority Alcoholism Outreach Program. He reveals how alcohol can affect African-American families. 

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On this podcast we take examine of two historic and legendary African-American educators. First, there's the story of philanthropist, humanitarian, and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune who was an advisor to President Franklin Roosevelt. She was the founder of what would become Bethune-Cookman University in Florida. Bethune will also speak to us in her own words. Then, the story of Booker T. Washington, the founder of Tuskegee University in Alabama. Washington was born a slave, but became an advisor to several U.S. presidents. Both biographies are from the radio series Destination Freedom and first aired in the late 1940s.

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Josh White was a rock star, before there were rock stars. Joshua Daniel White was born in 1914, and overcame tremendous odds to become a world famous musical powerhouse. By mastering the guitar, he took the world of folk, blues, and pop music by storm. Growing up as a young African-American child prodigy, he was forced to perform under involuntary servitude. As a young man, White was able to break free, becoming a cabaret, radio, and recording artist. He even appeared in movies, and was welcomed into the White House. But because Josh White was a tireless advocate for racial justice and civil rights, he was blacklisted, and banned from performing in the U.S. in the 1950s. White then went to Europe, where he was in demand to perform frequently, and was even given his own TV show and radio program in England. The blacklisting of White in America was finally broken in 1963. You will to hear the story of his early life in a 1949 episode of the radio drama Destination Freedom. Then Josh White performs on a 1947 edition of the radio variety show Jubilee.

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It seems the United States always been a divided nation in many respects. Since its founding, proponents of the right and left have battled for influence and control. It was no different during the Great Depression of the 1930s, as the struggle played out on the new medium of radio. Father Charles Coughlin was a Catholic priest who's radio shows reached millions. He promoted right wing conspiracies, Christian Nationalism, and antisemitism on the air. Louisiana senator and former governor Huey Long was a progressive populist who on the radio called for wealth re-distribution, government involvement and expanded social programs. In Coughlin you hear Rush Limbaugh, in Long you hear Bernie Sanders. We have two presentations, Coughlin in 1939, and Long in 1935. Both were early supporters of President Franklin Roosevelt, but went their separate ways after he was elected.

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We're going to the theater! Live radio theater was very popular during the medium's golden age. There were many theater-like shows on the networks. We're going to hear 3 installments of the Screen Guild Theater, which ran from 1939 to 1952 and featured movie stars, primarily in original dramas and sometimes comedies, or in adaptations of movies. All three are from 1939, the first features Judy Garland and Jack Benny. The second stars movie tough guy George Raft. Eddie Cantor, Joan Blondell, and Gene Autry perform on the 3rd show of Screen Guild Theater. Throughout its run, profits from these programs were donated to the Motion Picture Relief Fund, which supported the Motion Picture Country Home for retired actors.

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