''Destination Freedom'' was a weekly radio program produced by WMAQ in Chicago from 1948 to 1950 that presented biographical histories of prominent African-Americans such as

George Washington Carver George Washington Carver ( 1864 – January 5, 1943) was an American agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted alternative crops to cotton and methods to prevent soil depletion. He was one of the most prominent black scientists of the ea ...

Satchel Paige Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige (July 7, 1906 – June 8, 1982) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Negro league baseball and Major League Baseball (MLB). His career spanned five decades and culminated with his induction in ...

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 1817 or 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became ...

Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross, March 10, 1913) was an American abolitionist and social activist. Born into slavery, Tubman escaped and subsequently made some 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 slaves, including family and friends, us ...

, and

Lena Horne Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) was an American dancer, actress, singer, and civil rights activist. Horne's career spanned more than seventy years, appearing in film, television, and theatre. Horne joined the chorus of th ...

. (Also see ) The scripts for the shows were written by Richard Durham.

Studs Terkel Louis "Studs" Terkel (May 16, 1912 – October 31, 2008) was an American writer, historian, actor, and broadcaster. He received the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1985 for '' The Good War'' and is best remembered for his oral his ...

voiced some of the radio characters.

Hugh Downs Hugh Malcolm Downs (February 14, 1921July 1, 2020) was an American radio and television broadcaster, announcer and programmer; television host; news anchor; TV producer; author; game show host; talk show sidekick; and music composer. A regular t ...

also served as an announcer in both the initial and 1950 series. The show was the brainchild of African-American journalist and author

Richard Durham Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...

. In cooperation with ''

The Chicago Defender ''The Chicago Defender'' is a Chicago-based online African-American newspaper. It was founded in 1905 by Robert S. Abbott and was once considered the "most important" newspaper of its kind. Abbott's newspaper reported and campaigned against Jim ...

'', he began this series over NBC Chicago outlet WMAQ in June 1948, with scripts emphasizing the progress of African-Americans from the days of slavery to the ongoing struggle for racial justice. Airing in Sunday-morning public-service time, the series built a steady audience in the Midwest with inspirational stories of social progress, earning strong support from Civil Rights organizations, and offering employment to a wide range of African-American performers. Episodes began with a stanza from the spiritual " Oh, Freedom".Ashleigh Lawrence-Sanders, March 16, 2018
History, Memory, and the Power of Black Radio
AAIHS.org ''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 he believed that it was tainted with inaccurate and derogatory stereotypes. Week after week, Durham would generate all-out attacks on these stereotypes by illustrating the lives of prominent African-Americans. For two years, Durham wrote script after script for ''Destination Freedom'', receiving no financial compensation for his effort. In 1950, Durham's financial needs forced him to accept an offer by

Don Ameche Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, stock, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 1930s, which l ...

to write material for him. It is also said that Durham's relationship with NBC and WMAQ was not entirely harmonious. Continuing without Durham, the final year of the program turned to general themes of "American freedom," without the sharp focus on the African-American experience. This, WMAQ hoped, would create a show 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 characters voiced by Fred Pinkard,

Oscar Brown Jr. Oscar Brown Jr. (October 10, 1926May 29, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, civil rights activist, and actor. Aside from his career, Brown ran unsuccessfully for office in both the Illinois state legislature and the U. ...

, Wezlyn Tilden, and Janice Kingslow, were heard once more. Two early recordings, "A Garage in Gainesville" and "Execution Awaited", are listed in

National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservati ...

. In 1949 it received a first-place commendation from the

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...

Institute for Education by Radio.

Richard Durham episodes

: * 1948 episodes ** The Knock-Kneed Man –

Crispus Attucks Crispus Attucks ( – March 5, 1770) was an American whaler, sailor, and stevedore of African and Native American descent, commonly regarded as the first person killed in the Boston Massacre and thus the first American killed in the Amer ...

– June 27 and July 30, 1950 ** Railway to Freedom –

– July 4 ** Dark Explorers – Moors who helped explore

New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...

– July 11 ** The

Denmark Vesey Denmark Vesey (also Telemaque) ( July 2, 1822) was an early 19th century free Black and community leader in Charleston, South Carolina, who was accused and convicted of planning a major slave revolt in 1822. Although the alleged plot was dis ...

Story – community leader in Charleston, South Carolina () – July 18 ** The Making of a Man –

: Part 1 – June 27 ** The Key to Freedom – Frederick Douglass: Part 2 – August 1 ** The Heart of George Cotton – doctors

Daniel Hale Williams Daniel Hale Williams (January 18, 1856 – August 4, 1931) was an African-American surgeon, who in 1893 performed what is referred to as "the first successful heart surgery". It was performed at Chicago's Provident Hospital, which he founded i ...

and

Ulysses Grant Dailey Ulysses Grant Dailey (1885–1961) was an American surgeon, writer, and teacher. He was one of the first African Americans recognized in the field of medicine in the United States., p. 373. In 1949, the House of Delegates of the National Medical A ...

– August 8 and October 31. ** Truth Goes to Washington –

Sojourner Truth Sojourner Truth (; born Isabella Baumfree; November 26, 1883) was an American abolitionist of New York Dutch heritage and a women's rights activist. Truth was born into slavery in Swartekill, New York, but escaped with her infant daughter to f ...

– August 15 ** Arctic Autograph –

Matthew Henson Matthew Alexander Henson (August 8, 1866March 9, 1955) was an African American explorer who accompanied Robert Peary on seven voyages to the Arctic over a period of nearly 23 years. They spent a total of 18 years on expeditions together.

– August 22 ** The Story of 1875 – Charles Caldwell – August 29 ** Poet in Pine Mill –

James Weldon Johnson James Weldon Johnson (June 17, 1871June 26, 1938) was an American writer and civil rights activist. He was married to civil rights activist Grace Nail Johnson. Johnson was a leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peop ...

– September 5 ** The Father of the Blues –

W. C. Handy William Christopher Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the Father of the Blues. Handy was one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. One of many musici ...

– September 12 ** Boy with a Dream – J. Ernest Wilkins Jr. – September 19 ** Shakespeare of Harlem –

Langston Hughes James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. One of the earliest innovators of the literary art form called jazz poetry, Hug ...

– September 26 ** Citizen –

Toussaint l'Ouverture François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture (; also known as Toussaint L'Ouverture or Toussaint Bréda; 20 May 1743 – 7 April 1803) was a Haitian general and the most prominent leader of the Haitian Revolution. During his life, Louverture ...

and the

Haitian Revolution The Haitian Revolution (french: révolution haïtienne ; ht, revolisyon ayisyen) was a successful insurrection by slave revolt, self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now the sovereign state of Haiti. The revolt ...

– October 3 ** Little David –

Joe Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed the Brown Bomber, Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He rei ...

– October 10 ** The Boy Who Was Traded for a Horse –

– October 17 ** Echoes of Harlem –

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

– November 7 ** One Out of Seventeen –

Mary McLeod Bethune Mary Jane McLeod Bethune ( McLeod; July 10, 1875 – May 18, 1955) was an American educator, philanthropist, humanitarian, Womanism, womanist, and civil rights activist. Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935, established th ...

– November 14 ** The Rhyme of the Ancient Dodger –

Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line ...

– November 21 ** Investigator for Democracy –

Walter Francis White Walter Francis White (July 1, 1893 – March 21, 1955) was an American civil rights activist who led the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for a quarter of a century, 1929–1955, after joining the organi ...

– November 28 ** Autobiography of a Hero – Doris ("Dorie") Miller – December 5 ** The Pied Piper Versus Paul Revere – Albert Merritt – founder of the Boys Club of

Martinsville, Indiana Martinsville is a city in Washington Township, Morgan County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 11,828 at the 2010 United States Census. The city is the county seat of Morgan County. History Martinsville was founded in 1822. It is ...

– December 12 ** Choir Girl from Philadelphia –

Marian Anderson Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897April 8, 1993) was an American contralto. She performed a wide range of music, from opera to Spiritual (music), spirituals. Anderson performed with renowned orchestras in major concert and recital venues throu ...

– December 19 ** Mike Rex – author

Willard Motley Willard Francis Motley (July 14, 1909 – March 4, 1965) was an American writer. Motley published a column in the African-American oriented ''Chicago Defender'' newspaper under the pen-name Bud Billiken. He also worked as a freelance writer, and ...

– December 26 * 1949 episodes ** Maiden Speech –

Oscar Stanton De Priest Oscar Stanton De Priest (March 9, 1871 – May 12, 1951) was an American politician and civil rights advocate from Chicago. A member of the Illinois Republican Party, he was the first African American to be elected to Congress in the 20th centu ...

– January 2 ** The Boy Who Beat the Bus – Governor

William H. Hastie William Henry Hastie Jr. (November 17, 1904 – April 14, 1976) was an American lawyer, judge, educator, public official, and civil rights advocate. He was the first African American to serve as Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, as a ...

– January 9 ** The Chopin Murder Case –

Hazel Scott Hazel Dorothy Scott (June 11, 1920 – October 2, 1981) was a Trinidad-born American jazz and classical pianist and singer. She was an outspoken critic of racial discrimination and segregation. She used her influence to improve the representat ...

– January 16 ** The World's Fastest Human –

Jesse Owens James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens (September 12, 1913March 31, 1980) was an American track and field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games. Owens specialized in the sprints and the long jump and was recognized in his lifet ...

– January 23 ** Last Letter Home – 332nd Fighter Group (

Tuskegee Airmen The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332d Fighter Group and the 477th Fighter Group, 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the ...

) – January 30 and August 13 1950 ** Searcher for History

W.E.B. Du Bois William Edward Burghardt Du Bois ( ; February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) was an American-Ghanaian sociologist, socialist, historian, and Pan-Africanist civil rights activist. Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois grew up i ...

– February 6 ** The Death of

Aesop Aesop ( or ; , ; c. 620–564 BCE) was a Greek fabulist and storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as ''Aesop's Fables''. Although his existence remains unclear and no writings by him survive, numerous tales cre ...

– February 13 and November 27 ** Peace Mediator – Dr. Ralph J Bunche – February 20 and August 6, 1950 ** The Houses That Paul Built – Paul R. Williams – February 27 ** Do Something! Be Somebody! –

Canada Lee Canada Lee (born Leonard Lionel Cornelius Canegata; March 3, 1907 – May 9, 1952) was an American professional boxer and then an actor who pioneered roles for African Americans. After careers as a jockey, boxer and musician, he became an actor ...

– March 6 ** Up From Slavery –

Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American c ...

– March 13 ** Black Boy – Richard Wright – March 20 ** Transfusion – Charles R. Drew and his work on

blood transfusion Blood transfusion is the process of transferring blood products into a person's circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used for various medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood. Early transfusions used whole blood, but mo ...

– March 27 ** Pagan Poet –

Countee Cullen Countee Cullen (born Countee LeRoy Porter; May 30, 1903 – January 9, 1946) was an American poet, novelist, children's writer, and playwright, particularly well known during the Harlem Renaissance. Early life Childhood Countee LeRoy Porter ...

– April 3 ** Woman with a Mission –

Ida B. Wells Ida B. Wells (full name: Ida Bell Wells-Barnett) (July 16, 1862 – March 25, 1931) was an American investigative journalist, educator, and early leader in the civil rights movement. She was one of the founders of the National Association for ...

– April 10 ** Before I Sleep – poet

Paul Laurence Dunbar Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 – February 9, 1906) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Dayton, Ohio, to parents who had been enslaved in Kentucky before the American C ...

– April 17 ** Apostle of Freedom – Richard Allen – April 24 ** Help the Blind –

Josh White Joshua Daniel White (February 11, 1914 – September 5, 1969) was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and civil rights activist. He also recorded under the names Pinewood Tom and Tippy Barton in the 1930s. White grew up in the Sout ...

– May 1 ** The Ballad of

– May 15 ** The Secretary of Peace –

Benjamin Banneker Benjamin Banneker (November 9, 1731October 19, 1806) was an African-American naturalist, mathematician, astronomer and almanac author. He was a landowner who also worked as a surveyor and farmer. Born in Baltimore County, Maryland, to a fr ...

– May 22 ** The Saga of Melody Jackson –

Henry Armstrong Henry Jackson Jr. (December 12, 1912 – October 24, 1988) was an American professional boxer and a world boxing champion who fought under the name Henry Armstrong. Armstrong was one of the few fighters to win in three or more different divisi ...

– May 29 ** Anatomy of an Ordinance – Alderman Rev. Archibald Carey – June 5 ** Negro Cinderella –

– June 12 ** Ghost Editor – Roscoe Dunjee – June 19 ** Harriet's Children (First anniversary program) – June 26 ** Norfolk Miracle – Dorothy Maynor – July 3 (rebroadcast February 2002 by

KGNU KGNU (1390 AM) & KGNU-FM (88.5 FM) are a pair of community radio stations licensed to Denver and Boulder, Colorado respectively. KGNU is owned by Boulder Community Broadcast Association, Inc. History KFML 1390 AM was first licensed on April 4 ...

) ** Tales of Stackalee (Black folklore hero) – July 17 ** The Legend of John Henry – a retelling of the

folk hero A folk hero or national hero is a type of hero – real, fictional or mythological – with their name, personality and deeds embedded in the popular consciousness of a people, mentioned frequently in folk songs, folk tales and other folklore; a ...

story – July 24 ** The Trumpet Talks –

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

– July 31 ** The Long Road –

Mary Church Terrell Mary Church Terrell (born Mary Eliza Church; September 23, 1863 – July 24, 1954) was one of the first African-American women to earn a college degree, and became known as a national activist for civil rights and suffrage. She taught in the Lati ...

– August 7 ** Black Hamlet, Part I –

Henri Christophe Henri Christophe (; 6 October 1767 – 8 October 1820) was a key leader in the Haitian Revolution and the only monarch of the Kingdom of Haiti. Christophe was of Bambara ethnicity in West Africa, and perhaps of Igbo descent. Beginning with t ...

(life as a slave) – August 14 ** Black Hamlet, Part II – Henri Christophe (rise to power) – August 21 ** Segregation Incorporated – National Committee on Segregation in the Nation's Capital, 1947–51 – August 28; rebroadcast in January 2003 by

** The Saga of Senator

Blanche K. Bruce Blanche Kelso Bruce (March 1, 1841March 17, 1898) was born into slavery in Prince Edward County, Virginia, and went on to become a politician who represented Mississippi as a Republican in the United States Senate from 1875 to 1881. He was the f ...

– September 4 ** The Tiger Hunt – the 761st Tank Battalion in World War II – September 11 ** Poet in Bronzeville –

Gwendolyn Brooks Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (June 7, 1917 – December 3, 2000) was an American poet, author, and teacher. Her work often dealt with the personal celebrations and struggles of ordinary people in her community. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetr ...

– September 18 ** A Garage in Gainesville – retelling of a

lynching Lynching is an extrajudicial killing by a group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob in order to punish an alleged transgressor, punish a convicted transgressor, or intimidate people. It can also be an ex ...

in a small southern town – September 25 ** Execution Awaited – a simulated court trial examining

prejudice Prejudice can be an affective feeling towards a person based on their perceived group membership. The word is often used to refer to a preconceived (usually unfavourable) evaluation or classification of another person based on that person's per ...

and

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...

– October 2 ** Father to Son –

Adam Clayton Powell Sr. Adam Clayton Powell (May 5, 1865 – June 12, 1953) was an American pastor who developed the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York as the largest Protestant congregation in the country, with 10,000 members. He was an African American com ...

and

Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. (November 29, 1908 – April 4, 1972) was an American Baptist pastor and politician who represented the Harlem neighborhood of New York City in the United States House of Representatives from 1945 until 1971. He was t ...

– October 9, rebroadcast in August 2002 by station

** Of Blood and the Boogie – Albert Ammons – October 16 **Diary of a Nurse –

Jane Edna Hunter Jane Edna Hunter (December 13, 1882 – January 13, 1971), an African-American social worker, was born near Pendleton, South Carolina. In 1911 she established the Working Girls Association in Cleveland, Ohio, which later became the Phillis Wheat ...

– October 23 ** Keeper of the Dream – Captain Hugh Mulzac, commander of the – October 30 ** The Man Who Owned Chicago –

Jean Baptiste Point du Sable Jean Baptiste Point du Sable (also spelled ''Point de Sable'', ''Point au Sable'', ''Point Sable'', ''Pointe DuSable'', ''Pointe du Sable''; before 1750 – 28 August 1818) is regarded as the first permanent non-Indigenous settler of what would ...

– November 6 ** Blind Alley Symphony –

Dean Dixon Charles Dean Dixon (January 10, 1915November 3, 1976) was an American conductor. Career Dixon was born in the upper-Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem in New York City to parents who had earlier migrated from the Caribbean. He studied conducting ...

– November 13 ** The Tale of the Tobacco Auctioneer — Kenneth R. Williams – November 20 **The Death of

– February 13 and November 27 ** Joe Rainey vs. The Status Quo – Joseph Homer Rainey – December 4 * 1950 episodes ** The Birth of a League – the Great Northern Migration and formation of the Chicago Urban League – January 15 ** Lawyer of Liberty – William Henry Huff – January 22 ** Portrait of

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson Bill Robinson, nicknamed Bojangles (born Luther Robinson; May 25, 1878 – November 25, 1949), was an American tap dancer, actor, and singer, the best known and the most highly paid African-American entertainer in the United States during the f ...

– January 29 ** Housing: Chicago – February 5 ** Recorder of History – Dr.

Carter G. Woodson Carter Godwin Woodson (December 19, 1875April 3, 1950) was an American historian, author, journalist, and the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). He was one of the first scholars to study the h ...

, founded Negro History Week in Chicago – February 12 ** Brotherhood Week Begins at Home – February 19 – Tribute to Hugh C. McMannan ** The Umfunddisi of Ndotsgeni –

Todd Duncan Robert Todd Duncan (February 12, 1903 – February 28, 1998) was an American baritone opera singer and actor. One of the first African-Americans to sing with a major opera company, Duncan is also noted for appearing as Porgy in the premier produ ...

– February 26 ** The Atlanta Thesis –

E. Franklin Frazier Edward Franklin Frazier (; September 24, 1894 – May 17, 1962), was an American sociologist and author, publishing as E. Franklin Frazier. His 1932 Ph.D. dissertation was published as a book titled ''The Negro Family in the United States'' (1 ...

– March 5 ** Premonition of the Panther –

Sugar Ray Robinson Walker Smith Jr. (May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989), better known as Sugar Ray Robinson, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1940 to 1965. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. He is often regarded ...

– March 12 ** The Making of a Balladeer – Lonnie Johnson – March 19 ** The Liberators (Part I) –

William Lloyd Garrison William Lloyd Garrison (December , 1805 – May 24, 1879) was a prominent American Christian, abolitionist, journalist, suffragist, and social reformer. He is best known for his widely read antislavery newspaper '' The Liberator'', which he found ...

– March 26 ** The Liberators (Part II) –

Wendell Phillips Wendell Phillips (November 29, 1811 – February 2, 1884) was an American abolitionist, advocate for Native Americans, orator, and attorney. According to George Lewis Ruffin, a Black attorney, Phillips was seen by many Blacks as "the one whi ...

– April 2 ** The Buddy Young Story – April 9 ** The Fifth District Crime Fighter (Captain Kinzie Bleuitt) – a dramatization of

law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term en ...

efforts in

South Side, Chicago The South Side is an area of Chicago, Illinois, U.S. It lies south of the city's Loop area in the downtown. Geographically, it is the largest of the three sides of the city that radiate from downtown, with the other two being the north and we ...

– April 16 ** The Dance Anthropologist –

Katherine Dunham Katherine Mary Dunham (June 22, 1909 – May 21, 2006) was an American dancer, choreographer, anthropologist, and social activist. Dunham had one of the most successful dance careers of the 20th century, and directed her own dance company for ma ...

– April 23 ** The Case of Samuel Johnson – judge

Jane Bolin Jane Matilda Bolin (April 11, 1908 – January 8, 2007) was an American attorney and judge. She was the first black woman to graduate from Yale Law School, the first to join the New York City Bar Association and the first to join the New York Ci ...

– May 7 ** The Sorrow Songs –

Spirituals Spirituals (also known as Negro spirituals, African American spirituals, Black spirituals, or spiritual music) is a genre of Christian music that is associated with Black Americans, which merged sub-Saharan African cultural heritage with the e ...

– May 14 ** John Hope, Educator – May 21 ** The Grave Diggers' Handicap – Isaac Murphy – June 4 ** The Shy Boy –

Fats Waller Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, violinist, singer, and comedic entertainer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz pi ...

– June 11 ** The Case of the Congressman's Train Ride – Richard Westbrooks, who represented Arthur Mitchell in a US Supreme Court case – June 18 ** The Angel of Federal Street – a tale about heaven and

– nurse Ruth Blue Turnquist – June 25 ** Kansas City Phone Call –

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...

– July 2 ** Mr. Jerico Adjusts a Claim –

William Nickerson Jr. William Nickerson Jr. (January 26, 1879 – November 14, 1945) was a prominent Los Angeles-based businessman and founder of Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company, which at one time was the largest black-owned business west of the Mississip ...

and the

Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company, was once the largest black-owned insurance company in the western United States, founded by William Nickerson Jr. with the assistance of Norman Oliver Houston and George Allen Beavers Jr. Founding In t ...

– July 9 ** Test by Fire –

Charlotte Hawkins Charlotte Mary Hawkins (born 16 May 1975) is an English television and radio presenter, newsreader and journalist. Hawkins joined ITV's ''Meridian Tonight'' in 2003, hosting its main news programme, leaving in 2006 to become co-presenter of ...

– July 16 ** Sing a Song for Children – Pruth McFarlin – July 23, rebroadcast in September 2002 on

Post-Dunbar episodes – Paul Revere "Patriotic Freedom" format

* Patriotic Format – opening show for 1950, a discussion of freedom amongst historic figures – October 15, 1950 * United Nations – promoting the establishment of the organization – December 17, 1950 * Magic Words – a recap of the basic rights of freedom – November 5, 1951 * The Golden Circle – beginnings of the

Knights of the Golden Circle The Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) was a secret society founded in 1854 by American George W. L. Bickley, the objective of which was to create a new country, known as the Golden Circle ( es, Círculo Dorado), where slavery would be legal. T ...

– November 12, 1950 * Breakdown – an arrest (of Michael Shiftkoff) by the secret police in Communist Bulgaria – November 18, 1950 * The Price (Mackton and Winston of Company 'D') – a retelling of an American infantry unit's deployment to the Korean War – November 26, 1950 *

Matthew Lyon Matthew Lyon (July 14, 1749 – August 1, 1822) was an Irish-born American printer, farmer, soldier and politician, who served as a United States representative from both Vermont and Kentucky. Lyon represented Vermont in Congress from 1797 to ...

– criticism of the

Alien and Sedition Acts The Alien and Sedition Acts were a set of four laws enacted in 1798 that applied restrictions to immigration and speech in the United States. The Naturalization Act increased the requirements to seek citizenship, the Alien Friends Act allowed th ...

– December 10, 1950 * Weapons for Peace (United Nations) – illustrates the danger of world-wide nuclear war – December 17, 1950 * Peace on Earth (Frank Johnson Story) – a veteran's perspective on the end of a war – December 24, 1950 * John, Alma, Johnny and Myra – drama about the

Occupation of the Baltic states The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were invaded and occupied in June 1940 by the Soviet Union, under the leadership of Stalin and auspices of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact that had been signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet ...

– December 31, 1950 * The Capture – retells the story of

Nathan Hale Nathan Hale (June 6, 1755 – September 22, 1776) was an American Patriot, soldier and spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission in New York City but was captured b ...

– January 7, 1951 *

Dwight David Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

– retells the story of his life up to his presidential election – January 14, 1951 *

Freedom of Assembly Freedom of peaceful assembly, sometimes used interchangeably with the freedom of association, is the individual right or ability of people to come together and collectively express, promote, pursue, and defend their collective or shared ide ...

(Jeff Maxwell Story) – review of the right – February 4, 1951 * Forced Confession – promotes Due Process of Law – February 18, 1951 *

Anna Zenger Anna Catharina Zenger (–1751) was an American publisher and the first woman to publish a newspaper in America. Her family having fled the Pfalz region of Germany, she was born Anna Catharina Maul around 1704, possibly in England or in the ...

– the first woman to publish a newspaper in America – February 25, 1951 * Benjamin Drake Story – drama about local people opposing unruly, oppressive people – March 4, 1951 * The Dick Draper Story – drama about employment rights in the United States – March 11, 1951 * Thomas Wright, American Citizen – About private efforts, including coercion, to thwart

housing segregation in the United States Housing segregation in the United States is the practice of denying African Americans and other minority groups equal access to housing through the process of misinformation, denial of realty and financing services, and racial steering. Housin ...

– March 18, 1951 * Citizen Whitney – a dramatic criticism of

Marxism and religion 19th-century German philosopher Karl Marx, the founder and primary theorist of Marxism, viewed religion as "the soul of soulless conditions" or the "opium of the people". According to Karl Marx, religion in this world of exploitation is an expressi ...

– March 25, 1951 * The Jones Family – a dramatization about

eminent domain Eminent domain (United States, Philippines), land acquisition (India, Malaysia, Singapore), compulsory purchase/acquisition (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom), resumption (Hong Kong, Uganda), resumption/compulsory acquisition (Austr ...

– April 8, 1951 * Fred Custer Story – a dramatization about attending college and medical school – April 15, 1951 * Reverend Browns Half Acre – concerns property ownership – April 22, 1951 * Korean Frontline – Stories about the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

and communism in China – April 29, 1951 * Harper College Story (The Test) – Discusses education – May 6, 1951 * Open for Business – the difficulties and rewards of owning a small retail business – May 13, 1951 * Judge Farwell's Story – reflections of a US Federal Judge – May 19, 1951 * Anna's Story – an immigrant from Sweden – January 21, 1951 * Russell Thomas Story: Coal Miner to Pharmacist – Illustrates the opportunity for advancement available in America – June 2, 1951 * Crisis in Avondale (The Avondale Story) – a drama about how free speech can be irresponsibly misused – June 9, 1951 * Mike Yankovich, Minnesota Miner (Decision) – a drama about the costs and benefits of unionization in mining – June 16, 1951 * Wanted, a Witness – a drama about the civic responsibility to assist in solving crimes – June 23, 1951

References

External links

''Destination Freedom'' programs
*
Destination Freedom: One For the History Books
– review of the series by PODCAKE, June 29, 2021
Destination Freedom
– listing of shows on RUSC (R U Sitting Comfortably?)
''Destination Freedom'' Black Radio Days
from

News – Boulder Community Broadcast Association
''Destination Freedom'' Black Radio Podcast, Audio Drama at it's Finest, Joins Broadway Podcast Network
– a modern revival of the series from No Credits Productions, LLC
Librivox Audio Books episodes with links to audiofiles

Power, Politics, & Pride: Durham's Destination Freedom
– WTTW: Chicago's Black Metropolis (with information on prominent cast members)
RadioGOLDINdex – Destination Freedom
– listing compiled by J. David Goldin
Richard Durham Papers
–

Chicago Public Library The Chicago Public Library (CPL) is the public library system that serves the City of Chicago in the U.S. state of Illinois. It consists of 81 locations, including a central library, two regional libraries, and branches distributed throughout the ...

archive
Richard Durham
–

Radio Hall of Fame The Radio Hall of Fame, formerly the National Radio Hall of Fame, is an American organization created by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988. Three years later, Bruce DuMont, founder, president, and CEO of the Museum of Broadcast Communicatio ...

''Word Warrior: Richard Durham, Radio & Freedom''
– video presentation from the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

featuring author Sonja D. Williams {{Authority control 1940s American radio programs 1950s American radio programs 1948 radio programme debuts 1950 radio programme debuts 1950 radio programme endings 1951 radio programme endings 1948 establishments in Illinois 1950 establishments in Illinois 1950 disestablishments in Illinois 1951 disestablishments in Illinois 1948 in radio 1949 in radio 1950 in radio 1951 in radio 1948 works 1949 works 1950 works 1951 works African-American cultural history African-American radio African-American sports history American documentary radio programs American radio dramas Chicago radio shows United States National Recording Registry recordings Works about African-Americans

Richard Durham episodes

Post-Dunbar episodes – Paul Revere "Patriotic Freedom" format

References

Further reading

External links