Author Sonja Williams talks about her recent book Word Warrior, a biography of pioneering broadcast dramatist, journalist and political strategist Richard Durham (1917-1984)
In 2020, NPR asked five decendants of the great orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass to read excerpts from their grandfather’s powerful July 5, 1852 speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July.” Please click on the link below to hear these young people bring Douglass’s still relevant words to life. Also, please click…
Despite the anxiety-provoking month that April has been thus far – politically, economically and environmentally – April also is a time to celebrate. It’s Jazz Appreciation Month, as established by the Smithsonian Institution’s National Musuem of American History (NMAH) in 2001. For 25 years, the museum and other entities around the country have celebrated the…
Happy Black History Month! You might recognize the faces of the many African American actors pictured here who brought the fictional stories of Space (and Deep Space) travel to life in the long standing Star Trek franchise. May you boldly explore the mulitlayered universe of the often groundbreaking accomplishments and history of Black Americans this…
Greetings! Between politics and the weather, I hope that you’re finding space to be as positive as possible in this crazy world we live in. And if you have the interest – and live in my hometown of NYC – please consider putting the National Concerts Chorus’ March 22nd, 8pm concert on your calendar. As…
Happy Fall! If you live in the DMV and love choral music, you might want to check out the upcoming concert of the Prince Georges County Choral Society (PGCCS). The PGCCS will offer Songs of Hope for a Better World on Saturday, November 15th at 6:30pm in the Dionne Warwick Theater of Bowie State University’s Fine…
Each week, journalist Julia Barton whips out her fascinating online newsletter, Continuous Wave. It explores the forgotten history of broadcast and all electronic media, and she recently featured an excerpt from my biography of Radio Hall of Fame writer Richard Durham. Please see Julia’s introduction to her post below, and then check out her newsletter…
On August 8th in San Francisco, California, I became this year’s receipient of the annually-awarded (since 1983) Edward L. Bliss Award for Distinguished Broadcast Journalism Education from the Broadcast and Mobile Journalism division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. As the first African American woman and only the sixth woman to…
Last month, Mitra Kaboli one of the producers of Selects – a monthly show that unearths audio gems from the past – interviewied me about my work as an audio documentary writer and producer. Specifically, Mitra asked about my radio background and the role I played in the production of the Smithsonian Institution’s Peabody Award-winning documentary series,…
As this days of this month roll along, there’s still time to celebrate Black Music Month and African American music in all its forms. With that in mind, feel free to check out this rendition of the spiritual Deep River, as performed by my choir – the Prince George’s County Choral Society, based at Bowie State University…
Summer’s here (Yay!) And once again, the Unversity of Illinois Press (UIP) is inviting book lovers to take advantage of its annual summer sale. From June 1st through June 16th, ALL UIP books are discounted 50%. So why not find your favorite UIP book – including my own book, Word Warrior: Richard Durham, Radio and Freedom…
