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Frederick Douglass’s Grandchildren, the 4th of July, and Musical Optimism

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…

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African Americans | Awards | Biography | Black Music | Black Radio | Chicago culture | Documentary | Education | History | Jazz Singing | Music | NPR | public radio | Radio | Smithsonian Institution

Jazz and April

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…

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African Americans | Biography | Black Radio | Documentary | Education | Journalism | Nonfiction | Nonfiction Writing | NPR | Podcasting | public radio | Radio

Accepting the 2025 Edward L. Bliss Award for Distinguished Broadcast Journalism Education – Yay!!

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…

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African Americans | Biography | Black Music | Documentary | Education | History | Journalism | Music | Podcast | Podcasting | public radio | Radio | Smithsonian Institution

An Interview About Black Radio History and A Personal Journey

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,…

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African Americans | Black Radio | Documentary | Education | History | Music | Nonfiction | NPR | Podcast | Podcasting | public radio | Radio | Smithsonian Institution

Celebrating The Life and Influence of Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon

On July 16th, MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, joined the ancestors. Dr. Reagon was a powerful singer/songwriter, a leading Smithsonian Institution curator and a trailblazing social activist/historian/author. She founded and led – for 30 years – the Grammy nominated acapella singing group, Sweet Honey in the Rock. The group is now celebrating its…

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