African-American Civil rights dramatic anthology (1948-1950)
The triumph of African-American civil rights can be attributed to many heroes and heroines of the past. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Satchel Paige, Roscoe Dungee, Dr. Ralph Bunche, Malcolm X, Frederick Douglas, W.E.B. DuBois, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and Lena Horne were all major proponents of this movement, but some never think about Richard Durham. Durham's creation put a foothold on Civil rights and paved the way for equality.
Richard Durham's Destination Freedom premiered on June 27, 1948 on Chicago radio WMAQ. Durham's vision was to reeducate the masses on the image of African American society, since it was tainted with stereotypes that threatened to tear its beautiful culture apart. The danger was so imminent, that many White Supremacy groups protested, such as the White Knights of Columbus. Week after week, Durham would generate all-out attacks on southern bias, the Ku Klux Klan, on the attitudes of rednecks and the mentality of the mob. For two straight years, Durham wrote script after script for Destination Freedom and asked for nothing in return. In 1950, Durham's financial needs exceeded his push for equality, so he opted to accept an offer by Don Ameche to write a vehicle for him. After Durham left, the station quickly changed the shows premise to a white show, in order to rival Paul Revere Speaks, which was a popular show at the time. For about 50 years, the show was long forgotten until some transcripts were found, and the voices of freedom, played by Fred Pinkard, Oscar Brown Jr., Wezlyn Tilden, and Janice Kingslow, were heard once more.
For additional radio shows covering African-American civil rights, see also: Roi Ottley's A New Worlds A-Coming and Freedom's People. See also Jubilee which was created to entertain the black soldiers in WWII.
For more interesting reading, see also: article on the history of Minstrel Shows and Old Time Radio.
For more American historical drama, see also: American Adventure, An American in England, American Trail, Cavalcade of America, Democracy in America, The Free Company, Frontier Fighters, Inheritance, Norman Corwin Collection, Mr President, Science Magazine of the Air, You Are There, and The American History Collection.
Click here to read more about Destination Freedom- Radio Shows
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Please enjoy these 76 old time radio episodes:
Air Date | Title | Synopsis | Rating |
---|---|---|---|
09.25.1949 | a garage in gainesville | ||
06.05.1949 | anatomy of an ordinance |
+ Among the outstanding aldermen of Chicago who have fought for democratic housing programs and for ... | |
01.21.1951 | annas story |
+ NBC net, WMAQ, Chicago origination. "Anna's Story". Sustaining. | |
08.22.1948 | arctic autograph |
+ WMAQ, Chicago. "Arctic Autograph". Produced in co-operation with The Chicago Defender. The story ... | |
12.05.1948 | autobiography of a hero | ||
04.17.1949 | before i sleep | ||
03.04.1951 | benjamin drake story |
+ NBC net, WMAQ, Chicago origination. "The Benjamin Drake Story". Sustaining. + The soldiers of free... | |
01.05.1950 | birth of the urban league |
+ WMAQ, Chicago. "The Birth Of A League". Produced in co-operation with The Chicago Urban League. T... | |
03.20.1949 | black boy |
+ NBC net, WMAQ, Chicago origination. "Black Boy". The story of Richard Wright, author of the "lite... | |
08.21.1949 | black hamlet part 2 | ||
08.14.1949 | black hamlet part i | ||
09.19.1948 | boy with a dream | ||
10.03.1948 | citizen toussaint | ||
03.25.1951 | citizen whitney |
+NBC net, WMAQ, Chicago origination. "Citizen Whitney". Paul Revere, "back from the shadows, tells ... | |
07.11.1948 | dark explorers |
+ The men who blazed the way toward the New World, were men of all races and all creeds. The year is... | |
03.11.1951 | dick draper story |
+ NBC net, WMAQ, Chicago origination. "Dick Draper Story". Paul Revere, "back from the shadows," te... | |
11.07.1948 | echoes of harlem |
+ WMAQ, Chicago. "Echoes Of Harlem". The story of Duke Ellington and how he put his band together. | |
10.09.1949 | father to son |
+ In to 81 sessions of the United States congress which provide the legislative direction for the la... | |
02.18.1951 | forced confession |
+ NBC net, WMAQ, Chicago origination. "Forced Confession". Paul Revere, "back from the shadows," te... | |
04.15.1951 | fred custer story | ||
06.19.1949 | ghost editor | ||
06.26.1949 | harriets children | ||
05.01.1949 | help the blind | ||
11.28.1948 | investigator for democracy | ||
12.31.1950 | john alma johnny and mayra |
+NBC net, WMAQ, Chicago origination. "John, Alma, Johnny and Myra". Paul Revere, "back from the sha... |
DESTINATION FREEDOM
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