Destination Freedom July 25, 1948 The Making of a Man

Brought to you by the Chicago Defender and WMAQ Radio in Chicago Destination Freedom dramatized African American history. Richard Durham wrote and produced 91 scripts in this series dramatizing the lives of characters who were "rebellious, biting, scornful, angry and cocky." Durham's goal was to cut through the falses images of black life portrayed in popular art. Ironically the series was produced in the same studio where Amos and Andy originated. Destination Freedom set a high standard for radio drama and made history live for African Americans at an important time in their history. The show ran from June 1948 through November 1951, reaching an audience that was nearly ready for action. It would be hard to gauge how much this show influenced the Civil Rights Movement that was just being born, but it would be a mistake to think that it had no influence. In this episode from July 25, 1948 "The Making of a Man" we get the early life of Frederick Douglass as he moved from slavery to freedom. I will post the second episode on Douglass' life shortly.