Wagner, Sally & Pace, Charles — A Visit with Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Frederick Douglass

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Frederick Douglass were good friends from the mid 19th century to the late 19th century, and were active leaders in the fight for the rights of women and blacks throughout their lives.  From time to time they got together to visit and talk about America, as they knew it. In this archive edition of Radio Curious recorded in May 1996, I met with Chautauqua scholars Sally Roesch Wagner and Charles Pace who portrayed Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Frederick Douglass. We began our conversation when I asked them each to tell us what it was like to be an American during their life time.

Originally Broadcast: July 3, 1996.

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Kennedy, Randall — Can You Say This Word?

Few words in the English language have caused so much pain, hurt and emotion as the N-word. It is arguably the most consequential social insult in American history. The long history of the pejorative use of the N-word has given it an unusual power that extends to the judicial system, literature and social settings.

Randall Kennedy, a professor of Law at Harvard University Law School, is the author of “Nigger-the Strange Career of a Troublesome Word.”  His book chronicles the history of this word, in an effort to diffuse and neutralize it.

Originally Broadcast: March 19, 2002

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Toms, Michael — A Memorial to Michael Toms of New Dimensions Radio

Radio Curious presents a memorial to Michael Toms, the executive producer of New Dimensions Radio, in an interview recorded at his home in Ukiah, California on January 9, 1995.  Michael Toms passed away on January 24, 2013 at the age of 72.  We discuss radio as it was in 1995, his predictions for the future of radio, and many of his personal observations.

For over 40 years, Michael and Justine Toms have produced fascinating and long enduring and endearing programs on public radio with over 5000 programs in their archives.

In this conversation we get his perspective about how radio works, the producer to the listener point of view, and the future of radio.  I asked Michael Toms about his thoughts of the relationship between the producer of a radio program and the listener.

The Books Michael Toms recommends are:

“Feather Fall” by Laurens Van Der Post

“The Millennium Whole Earth Catalog” by Howard Rheingold

“Healing Words: The Power of Prayer and the Practice of Medicine“ by Larry Dossey.

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Lowenthal, Gary — Down and Dirty Justice

Crime and criminal justice is the topic.  Our guest is Emeritus Law Professor Gary T. Lowenthal, at the Sandra Day O’Conner College of Law at Arizona State University.  He’s the author of the 2003 book, “Down and Dirty Justice:  A Chilling Journey into the Dark World of Crime and the Criminal Courts.”

This program, recorded on January 7, 2004, and first broadcast in February 2013, began with our discussion about the power structure in the American criminal court systems, where the judge has the authority, but the power often rests with the prosecutor.  We later visit the background of sentencing laws first promoted by President Richard Nixon.

The book Gary Lowenthal recommends is “Seabiscuit” by Laura Hillenbrand.

You may learn more about Professor Lowenthal’s work here.

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