Audio Antiques

The radio broadcast of Joe Louis battling Max Baer at Yankee Stadium on September 24th, 1935. It was Louis' 10th fight that year, after defeating 9 other opponents. Joe Louis reigned as boxing's World Heavyweight Champion from 1937 to 1949. The Brown bomber won 26 world heavyweight title fights, the most in history. More at http://krobcollection.com

On this edition we spotlight Jack Paar. The author, comedian, and actor is best known as one of the most successful hosts of NBC's Tonight Show. The Canton Ohio native began his career working in radio, despite growing up with a stutter. Paar was a humorous DJ at radio stations in Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo, and was then given his own network radio show on NBC in 1947. After getting into a disagreement with the show's sponsor, Paar briefly worked as an actor for RKO Pictures. In 1950 Jack Paar returned to radio as a game show host but again clashed with his sponsor. He got a few jobs in television, and was given his big break, as host of the Tonight Show in 1957. Ten years after his first network radio shows, which are coming up next. More at http://krobcollection.com

Before Martin Luther King Jr, there was Paul Robeson, who became an international activist for human rights and racial justice just as radio was beginning to become popular. Robeson used his fame as a star football player, and a popular singer and actor to fight for equality, not only in the United States but around the world. You will hear Paul Robeson perform on the Magic Key radio show on NBC in 1936. After that you will hear his business manager. Paul's wife, Dr. Eslanda Robeson was an anthropologist, author, actress, and civil rights activist, who urged African-Americans to be proud of their history. In 1949 she published her third book, American Argument, which was edited by fellow anthropologist Pearl Buck. In it she spoke freely about society, politics, gender roles, and race relations. You'll hear Eslanda defend her book on the radio show, Author Meets the Critics on NBC in 1949. More at http://krobcollection.com

The Beulah Show, a situation comedy about a happy house maid, who was always hoping her boyfriend would propose. It was one of the few top starring roles for an African-American during network radio's golden age. Academy award winner Hattie McDaniel got the job in 1947, at what was then a whopping salary of $1,000 a week. In 1952 she became ill and Lillian Randolph took the position. She was later replaced in 1954 by her sister, Amanda Randolph. We have 4 shows from 1954.More at http://krobcollection.com

The Negro - Fascism and Democracy, from the radio show "New World A Coming". A World War Two examination of which political system African-Americans should side with. The program aired in 1944.  Details at http://krobcollection.com

This is a feature length presentation of the Adventures of Superman serial on the Mutual Radio Network in 1946. It's called Superman Fights the Clan of the Fiery Cross. After World War Two, the Klu Klux Klan became very popular in the United States. To fight the terrorist group, the producers of Superman had the Man of Steel take on a mythical but similar clan. The series was so successful, it nearly put the real KKK out of business above the Mason-Dixon Line.   More at http://krobcollection.com

From 1942, The Negro & Democracy is an episode from the classic radio series Freedom's People. The show was created by NBC to highlight the struggles and triumphs of African-Americans throughout the history of the United States. More at http://krobcollection.com

During radio's classic era it was very rare for artists of color to have the opportunity to host or headline a drama, comedy, or variety shows. But there were a few performers that defied the odds. One was Mildred Bailey, a Native-American jazz singer who was raised on an Indian reservation in Idaho. She grew up in a musical family, and got a job demonstrating sheet music when she as a teenager. Bailey was a big fan of African-Americans Louis Armstrong, Ethel Waters, and Bessie Smith. After coming to the attention of superstar Bing Crosby, Bailey began singing with big bands in the 1920s, later having three of her records hit Number One on the charts. CBS gave Bailey her own nationwide radio show in 1944, after hearing her sing in New York City night clubs. You're going to hear Mildred Bailey on the Benny Goodman Camel Caravan Show in 1939, and on her own show in 1944 and 1945.More at http://krobcollection.com

In this podcast series we've focused on wars, music, movies, sporting events, and the Depression, but this time we examine Slavery in America. Occasionally the subject would be presented on radio during the golden age. We start with the 1957 CBS radio Workshop dramatization of Denmark Vesey, the early 19th century free Black leader in Charleston, South Carolina, who was accused and convicted of planning a major slave revolt. Then the 1940 story of Akron, Ohio's John Brown a militant abolitionist on Cavalcade of America. The 1944 Words at War drama about the astounding story of freed slave George Washington Carver. Cavalcade returns with 1949 story about the effort to end slavery in Minnesota. And finally, the story about the leader who took one of the first stands against slavery on the 1950 radio show Mr. President. Can you guess who he is?More at http://krobcollection.com

One of the most popular shows during radio's classic era was not a drama, comedy, or musical variety show, it was an educational program called The World Is Yours. The weekly 30 minute show began in 1936 and ran until 1942. It was one of the first public radio projects, and was produced by the Smithsonian Institution. The World is Yours was funded by the Works Progress Administration, and used actors and musicians that were out of work because of the Depression. The show was so popular it generated a half million letters during it's run. Episodes were narrated by a character named the Oldtimer, who explained geography, natural history, science and the arts. You will hear three shows, one from 1937, and two from 1938.More at http://krobcollection.com

During World War Two there were several efforts to stem the tide of rising racial violence, as African-Americans became more vocal about bias and discrimination at home while Black soldiers were fighting against fascism overseas. The federal government was concerned that white attacks against African-Americans would affect morale, and provide propaganda for Germany, Japan, and Italy. So they worked with the radio networks to create anti-stereotypical programs to boost the image of Blacks. One was an 8 part series called Freedom's People which aired on NBC in 1941. You'll hear the opening installment. Another show was An Open Letter on Race Hatred aired by CBS in 1943. It featured a personal appeal by Republican presidential candidate Wendell Willkie. Once the war was over, the networks basically returned to the usual stereotypical shows common during the latter years of the Jim Crow area. More at http://krobcollection.com

All-Star Tribute to Canada Lee, as aired on the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1941. Canada Lee pioneered acting roles for African Americans, starring on radio, stage and screen. He's best known for the films Native Son, and Lifeboat. Lee was also a champion of civil rights in the 1930s and 1940s, and was the first African-American producer on Broadway. Honoring Canada Lee in this presentation are Paul Robeson, Duke Ellington, Hattie McDaniel, Eddie Anderson, and many others. Then we will hear Canada Lee performing on the program New World A Comin' in 1944, playing the role of Langston Hughes. Finally, there's a 1949 interview with Lee on the Barry Gray Show. Visit http://krobcollection.com

Rare audio of a 1939 contest between the Cleveland Indians and the Washington Senators. The Major League Baseball teams battle in the last game of the season. For more info visit http://krobcollection.com

This is a tribute to one of America's greatest inventors. From 1939 we have an episode from the radio reality show, Strange As It Seems. The installment highlights Dr. George Washington Carver, an amazing agricultural scientist who promoted alternative crops to cotton, and methods to prevent soil depletion, that saved the southern United States from economic ruin. He will explain it in his own words, plus you'll hear the story of Carver's life in a 1948 episode of Destination Freedom.More at http://krobcollection.com

From the 1930s, the very popular Major Bowes Original Amateur Hour. With the Harlem Roustabouts Jazz Group, Blues singer Martha Booker, and other amazing performers, with a salute to Mansfield, Ohio. More at http://krobcollection.com

From 1932, it's the very first Jack Benny radio show, which led to the popular comedian having a career spanning 4 decades, on not only radio, but film and television. Also included are episodes from 1946 and 1954. The show also launched the career of Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, who became the wealthiest African-American of the era. More at http://krobcollection.com

This podcast features the radio show Pete Kelly's Blues, it was a tribute to age of dixieland jazz in the 1920s. It starred Jack Webb who would go on to become a big star on the crime drama Dragnet. However, "Blues" also featured blues singer Meredith Howard, one of the very few African-Americans to star in a non-stereotypical role during during the golden age of radio. Howard also had a recording career, and usually sang a solo playing the character of Maggie Jackson. Details at http://krobcollection.com

The radio show Destination Freedom tells the story of Satchel Paige, one of the greatest baseball pitchers of all time. Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige played in Negro League Baseball and Major League Baseball. He Joined the Cleveland Indians in 1948 at the age of 42, signing a $40,000 contract for the three months remaining in the season, becoming the first black pitcher in the American League, and the seventh African-American major leaguer overall.  Paige was the oldest man ever to debut in the  National League or American League. That fall, he became the first African-American to pitch in the World Series, entering Game 5 of contest between the Cleveland Indians and the Boston Braves. You will hear the event as it happened. Paige's career spanned five decades and culminated with his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.For more podcasts visit KRobCollection.com 

Get ready for Jubilee, a radio program that featured African American musicians and singers. This 1942 episode is hosted by actor, singer and musician Dooley Wilson who is best remembered for his performance in the classic film Casablanca. Wilson's guests are legendary singer and actress Lena Horne, the Golden Gate Quartet, and boxing great Joe Louis who was in in the Armed forces at the time. http://krobcollection.com

From 1945, an installment from the classic radio show New World A Coming. This episode is called the Negro Reporter, staring Canada Lee. It's an examination of early African-American journalism. More in at http://krobcollection.com

During radio's classic era race, and ethnicity were rarely talked about or featured on the air, but there were a few exceptions. One was The Eternal Light. An NBC Radio show that began in 1944, and ran for 45 years. It was produced in conjunction with the Jewish Theological Seminary, and featured dramas, and commentary from the perspective of Judaism. The Eternal Light won numerous awards, and sometimes featured major Hollywood stars. NBC later created a television version which was just as successful. You will hear three episodes. The Battle of the Warsaw Ghetto from 1943. Racial justice and social activist Helen Keller's visit to Israel in 1952, and the story of The Blessed Taylor in 1960.More at http://krobcollection.com

Before there was Sidney Poitier and Harry Bellafonte, there was Canada Lee...who along with Paul Robeson was among the very few black actors to scratch out a dignified living in Hollywood movies during the 1930s and 40s. Lee was born in New York City on March 3rd, 1907.  He studied music as a child, but at age 19 Lee became a professional boxer. Even though he was rich and successful, Lee quit boxing 1933 after losing sight in his right eye. Lee then formed a dance band, took up acting, and began performing in live theater productions. Canada Lee made his film debut in Keep Punching, a 1939 movie about boxing. In 1944 he appeared in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Lifeboat. In 1947, he appeared as Ben Chaplin in the boxing film noir, Body and Soul starring John Garfield. More at http://krobcollection.com

The International Sweethearts of Rhythm was the first integrated all-women's band in the United States. The Sweethearts were formed at Piney Woods Country Life School in Mississippi in 1938, to help raise funds for the facility which served poor, orphaned, and African American children. By 1941, the band was so successful they hit the road, playing swing and jazz across the nation including New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Europe. In addition to black women, members of the band included Latina, Asian, Caucasian, Indian and Puerto Rican females, making touring the Jim Crow South very difficult. During the 1940s the band featured some of the best female musicians of the era. They made radio and movie appearances, but despite their success, the International Sweethearts of Rhythm disbanded in 1949, as members left to start their families, as big bands started to decline in popularity. You will hear two radio appearances by the Sweethearts on the show Jubilee in 1944, and 1945. More info at http://krobcollection.com

The life and times of John Fitzgerald Kennedy have been the subject of many history books. The public got to see him up close and personal after Senator Kennedy announced his campaign for president in 1960. The Democrat appeared on Meet The Press, which aired on NBC radio and television. We have two of his appearances, the first on January 3rd, 1960, and on October 16th, 1960 just a few weeks before the general election, when he beat Republican rival Richard Nixon to win the White House. After taking office, President Kennedy appointed his brother Robert as U.S. Attorney General, who appeared on Meet the Press September 9th, 1961 to provide the administration's progress report. Both men would die from the bullets of assassins before the end of the decade. More at http://krobcollection.com

Ghetto is a word that dates back to 1516. It's an Italian word that was used describe part of a city where Jewish people were restricted to live. Since the 20th century ghetto is used in the United States to describe impoverished African-Americans are segregated away from the general population. You're going to hear about the history of the American ghetto from the classic radio show, New World A Comin'. There are two episodes from 1944 hosted by African-American stage and screen actor Canada Lee.    More at http://krobcollection.com

In April 1947, modern day baseball changed forever. That's when Jackie Robinson played his first major league game as a Brooklyn Dodger. After that day, there were a string of African-American firsts in baseball.  Four months later, Dan Bankhead of the Dodgers became the first black pitcher to play in a major league game. In 1948, Roy Campanella became the first black catcher. Larry Doby of the Cleveland Indians became the first Black player to hit a home run in a World Series. In 1949, there were three African-Americans playing in the World Series when just 3 years earlier Blacks were still excluded from Major League Baseball. All three were playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, and pitcher Don Newcombe. Robinson and Campanella would become Hall of Famers, and Newcombe would win both the Cy Young and National League Most Valuable Player awards during the same season. You'll hear all three playing in Game 4 of the 1949 World Series against the Yankees.  Newcombe took the mound with only 2 days rest, from striking out 11 Yankees in Game One, but the Yankees won 1-to-nothing and would go on to take the series.  Get details at http://krobcollection.com

The Golden Gate Quartet is an African-American vocal group, that was founded in 1934 by four students at Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Virginia. Willie Johnson, William Langford, Henry Owens, and Orlandus Wilson started singing gospel and folks songs in churches and then at radio stations.  In 1937 the foursome signed their first recording  contract. They performed at Carnegie Hall, and nite clubs in New York City causing their popularity to grow. In 1940 they had a nationally syndicated radio show. In 1941, the Golden Gate Quartet became the first black musical group to sing at Constitution Hall, and performed several times at the White House. The Quartet was inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998. You're going to here 5 episodes from their national radio show which aired in 1940 and 1941. More info at http://krobcollection.com

They were the first presidential debates since 1960. President Gerald Ford, and Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter were in a close race for the White House, and squared off in series of three debates just weeks before the 1976 election. It was the first presidential debate in 16 years, and was only the 3rd U.S. Presidential debate held between the final two contenders. You'll hear coverage of the second Ford-Carter debate by the Mutual radio network. It was held on October 6, 1976 at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. The candidates will touch on some subjects that are relevant even today, and others that have been lost to history. More at http://krobcollection.com

It's one of only a few classic radio shows by African-Americas. Destination Freedom was a weekly radio program produced by NBC radio station WMAQ in Chicago from 1948 to 1950. It presented biographical histories of prominent African-Americans as written by the program's producer Richard Durham. You are going to hear a 1950 episode about the creation of the National Urban League, the nonpartisan historic civil rights organization that advocates on behalf of economic and social justice for African Americans, and against racial discrimination in the United States. Plus a 1949 episode about the founder of the city of Chicago. Jean Baptiste Point du Sable was an African-American trader who established the settlement of Chicago in the 1780s. Get ready for living history, right after this break. More at http://krobcollection.com

The Golden Age of radio began just after World War One. Recordings of broadcasts from that era are extremely rare, and so were appearances by celebrities. However, President Calvin Coolidge made a speech on NBC in 1928, reminiscing about the end of his administration. In this podcast you will hear other sounds from the dawn of radio's classic era. We'll begin with one of the first soap operas. The Cecil & Sally Show began in 1928 on KYA Radio in San Francisco, and in a few months went national on NBC. It starred just two characters Johnny Patrick and Helen Troy, with no sound effects or music. Then you'll hear a 1928 broadcast from WAAM Radio in Newark, New Jersey. It's quite different from what we listen to today, but keep in mind, broadcasting was less than a decade old, and the experts were still trying to figure things out. So settle back, close your eyes, and imagine you are listening to radio in the 1920's. More at http://krobcollection.com

During radio's classic age, few women had starring roles on dramatic programs outside of soap operas. One such woman was Mercedes McCambridge, who Orson Welles called the world's greatest living radio actress. She starred in the early 1950s crime show Defense Attorney, also known at The Defense Rests. McCambridge was so convincing that she receiving an honorary membership in the Los Angeles Women's Bar Association. McCambridge began her career as a radio actor during the 1930s while also performing on Broadway. She went on to appear in movies and numerous TV shows, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her screen debut in All the King's Men in 1949. You will hear Defense Attorney from 1951, and The Defense Rests from 1952 with Mercedes McCambridge in the title character of Martha Ellis Bryant, a respected attorney who champions the underdog and the unjustly accused. Then Bill Swisher interviews McCambridge on the American Forces Radio Network in 1975.More at http://krobcollection.com

This podcast explores the life of African-American actor & comedian Butterfly McQueen. She was born in Tampa, Florida in 1911, and showed an aptitude for entertaining at an early age. McQueen had planned to be a nurse, but a teacher was so impressed by her unique voice, and photographic memory, that she suggested McQueen try acting. McQueen will forever be remembered as the maid Prissy, in the classic 1939 movie Gone With The Wind. In the 1950s, McQueen became one of the stars on the popular TV situation comedy Beulah. However, Butterfly McQueen left Hollywood for good after appearing in 12 movies, and on numerous network radio shows. In a 1980's interview McQueen explained she was frustrated with being typecast as stereotypical maids and servants.She kept busy by getting involved in the civil rights, animal rights, and free thought movements. Returning to school at the age of 64, she attained a degree in Political Science. McQueen continued to act on the stage, and in 1980 won an Emmy Award for her work on an ABC television special. You will hear Butterfly McQueen on the Jack Benny Show in 1943, the Dinah Shore Show in 1944, and the Jubilee Armed Forces Radio variety program in 1944. More at KRobCollection.com

This podcast features the 1963 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It was held on July 9th at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Ohio USA. The contest was won by the National League, which defeated the American League 5-to-3. The Most Valuable Player of the game was Willie Mays, who hit a homer and scored two runs. This was the first baseball all-star game to be played at night, and featured 21 future hall of famers, including Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, and Hank Aaron.More at KRobCollection.com

Born in Joplin, Missouri in 1901, James Mercer Langston Hughes was an African-American poet, social activist, novelist, and playwright. Hughes took New York's literary scene by storm in the mid 20th century winning numerous awards, and honorary doctorates. He is best known as leader of the Harlem Renaissance, and was celebrated as the Shakespeare of Harlem. Langston Hughes also created short stories, operas, essays, and works for children. You're going to hear about the early life of Hughes in a 1948 presentation of the classic radio show Destination Freedom. Followed with a story created by Langston Hughes on the radio series New World A-Comin' in 1945. Then, Hughes himself talks about his life and his writings in a speech on the campus of UCLA in 1967.More at http://krobcollection.com

The Big Show was a variety program created by NBC Radio in hopes of keeping the medium competitive with television. In 1950, listeners were deserting radio and becoming TV viewers. NBC's answer was to produce a lavish, expensive, star studded program that would stop the exodus. The Big Show was 90 minutes long, featuring the greatest comedians, stage, screen and music talent of the day, hosted by actress Tallulah Bankhead. It premiered on November 5, 1950. But the Big Show could not turn the tide, the golden age of radio was rapidly ending. NBC cancelled the show after two seasons and a reported loss of $1 million, which was a lot of money in the 1950s. You're going to hear Big Show #5, broadcast on December 3rd, 1950, featuring comedians Fred Allen, Joan Davis, Phil Silvers, and President Harry Truman's daughter Margaret.More at http://krobcollection.com

Radio's classic era wasn't just about singing, joke telling, and dramatic acting. There were serious, intellectual, thought provoking programs on the air as well. One such program was the University of Chicago Roundtable on NBC Radio. We have two shows from 1949. In the first one, there's a discussion regarding the need for government civil rights programs. On the second program, there's an examination of whether human beings are inherently violent, and what might be done to curb violence and prevent war. Each week, the University of Chicago Roundtable brought together a host of panelists in the fields of journalism, science, philosophy, politics, literature, business, and others, in order to answer the big questions of the day.  More at http://krobcollection.com

Radio was very popular during the 1930s and 1940s, and the movie industry tried to take advantage of the medium to promote their films. During the era MGM, RKO, 20th Century Fox, Samuel Goldwyn, and Paramount all had preview shows on the air, urging the public to check out their coming attractions. One show was a little different. Warner Brothers Academy Theater presented their stable of rising stars in complete dramatic productions to showcase their young talent. Many of these shows were produced to promote Warner Bros. productions already in wide distribution. You're going to hear three episodes of Warner Brothers Academy Theater from 1938. The Crowd Roars, and That Certain Woman Parts One and Two. Details at http://krobcollection.com

We're going to hear two major forces that shaped the world of jazz. Fletcher Hamilton Henderson was a pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. Henderson was one of the most prolific black musical arrangers and, along with Duke Ellington, is considered one of the most influential bandleaders in jazz history. He helped bridge the gap between the Dixieland and the swing eras, attracting new young talent to the genre. Fletcher Henderson and his band perform on the radio show Jubilee in 1945. "Dizzy" Gillespie was a jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. Gillespie became a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz in the 1940s and 1950s, becoming one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time". You will hear him perform on the show, This Is Jazz in 1960. Details at http://krobcollection.com

In this podcast, we're going to the playhouse. Philip Morris Playhouse was a 30-minute dramatic anthology series, that usually involved crime, and was broadcast on CBS radio between 1939 and 1949. It was sponsored by the Philip Morris cigarette company, which reportedly spent $1 million dollars a year on this highly produced program. It had different stars performing each week without a regular cast. In 1953 it premiered as a live television show on CBS-TV but only lasted a few months. You will hear two episodes of Philip Morris Playhouse, The Apology, and Four Hours to Kill, both from 1949. More at http://krobcollection.com

Our focus is on the medical community and its relationship with African-Americans before and after World War 2. We have two episodes from the classic radio program New World A Coming. From the year 1945: "Negros and Health", examining facts and misconceptions, followed by "The Story of Negro Nurses".  More at http://krobcollection.com

This show is about Dick Gregory, the comedian, civil rights activist, and author whose pioneering stand-up routines made him a prominent voice in both the fields of entertainment and social justice. Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1932, Gregory rose to national fame after his breakthrough performance at Chicago’s Playboy Club, and in 1961 became the first African-American comedian allowed to sit for an interview on NBC's Tonight Show. Gregory's sharp, satirical takes on race and society resonated with both Black and white audiences, which was a rarity at the time. Dick Gregory used his celebrity to advocate for civil rights, and even ran for President in 1968, bringing attention to human rights, nutrition, and environmentalism during a turbulent period in American history. Gregory joined protest marches, organized voter registration drives, and participated in hunger strikes. Over the decades, he influenced generations of comedians from Richard Pryor to Dave Chappelle. You're going to hear Dick Gregory giving a speech at the City Club Forum in Cleveland, Ohio on the City Club's nationwide radio network in March 1983. More at KRob Collection.com

Destination Freedom was a weekly radio program produced by NBC radio station WMAQ in Chicago from 1948 to 1950. It presented biographical histories of prominent African-Americans as written by the program's producer Richard Durham. You are going to hear episodes about three tireless advocates for civil rights, diversity and inclusion. The 1948 story of James Weldon Johnson, an attorney, diplomat, writer, and co-creator of the Negro National Anthem. The 1949 story of the legendary educator Booker T. Washington, president of the Tuskegee Institute. And the 1949 story of Mary Church Terrell, one of the first African-American women to earn a college degree. Terrell was a talented journalist and charter member of the NAACP.More at http://krobcollection.com

Ever wonder what it takes to be a science fiction writer? You will find out as we present, the 1956 NBC radio program Biography in Sound. You will hear interviews with  prominent science fiction authors, including Isaac Asimov one of the greatest sci-fi writers of all time. But first, let's listen to some science fiction. Parts one and two of the Space Merchants from the CBS Radio Workshop in 1957. Then you will hear how writers put these kinds of stories together.More at http://krobcollection.com

Mystery dramas were always a listener favorite during radio's classic era. You will hear four such theater productions in this podcast. Mollé Mystery Theater was a 30-minute anthology radio program that ran from 1943 to 1948. It was sponsored initially by Sterling Drugs, manufacturers of Mollé Brushless Shaving Cream. ABC Mystery Theater was a similar series on the air from 1951 to 1954 and made a brief transition to ABC-TV. We have Mystery Playhouse from 1945, and the CBC Radio Mystery Theater which was written, adapted, produced and broadcast by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation from 1966 to 1968. Details at http://krobcollection.com

This podcast is about Huddie William Ledbetter. Better known by his stage name Lead Belly, was one of the most celebrated folk and blues singers of his time. His most popular songs "Goodnight, Irene", "Midnight Special", "Cotton Fields", became American classics. Lead Belly was celebrated for his songwriting skills, strong vocals, and virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar. He's a Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Lead Belly was born in 1888, and faced many hardships as a young African-American growing up in the Jim Crow South, serving several prison sentences for murder, attempted homicide, and assault.  But Lead Belly spent his time behind bars, performing concerts for his fellow inmates and perfecting his craft. Once he got out for good, Lead Belly was given a radio show, and signed a contract with RCA Victor, one of the biggest record companies at the time. You will hear 3 episodes of the Leadbelly Show on New York Radio Station WNYC in 1940, one with special guest, legendary folk singer Woodie Guthrie. You'll also hear Lead Belly perform on the show, This Is Jazz in 1947, just 2 years before his death. More at http://krobcollection.com

In this podcast, we pay tribute to the Mutual Broadcasting System. It was the fourth nationwide radio network to be established in the United States, after CBS, NBC, and the NBC Blue Network which later became ABC. Mutual was established in 1934 as a cooperative between WOR New York, WGN Chicago, WLW Cincinnati, and WXYZ in Detroit. The network was retired in 1999 after numerous ownership changes. During radio's golden age Mutual was was best known as the home of The Lone Ranger, Superman, and The Shadow, as well as Major League Baseball, the NFL, and college football. Because it didn't have a big budget like it's rivals, Mutual usually avoided airing expensive variety shows, and concentrated on crime, drama, game, music, news and talk programs. For example, you're going to hear, Nick Carter Master Detective from 1945. From 1946 the popular situation comedy Vic & Sade, plus Sherlock Homes starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. From 1947, the game show What Am I Offered, and the Barbara Welles Show with guest James Stewart. Finally, The Saint starring Vincent Price from 1949.More at http://krobcollection.com

Jazz and radio broadcasting were born right around the same time, and stuck together well into the Rock-N-Roll age. The early days of radio will filled with lots of jazz. One of the most celebrated shows was This Is Jazz, hosted by music critic Rudi Blesh. He founded Circle Records in 1946 to record new music by aging early jazz stars. You're going to hear two 1947 episodes of This is Jazz, with guest star Blue Lu Barker, one of the biggest blues vocalists in the 1930s and 40s. Making an appearance on the show is jazz fan and pioneering actor Canada Lee. The second episode features the great Sidney Bechet, one of the first important soloists in jazz. Bechet started performing in 1911, but was not fully appreciated until the 1940s. More at http://krobcollection.com

Horror and fantasy shows appeared on radio nearly from the very start. The first horror drama during radio's golden age was The Witch's Tale, which was aired from 1931 to 1938. It featured Old Nancy, the Witch of Salem, who introduced a different terror tale each week. You'll hear an episode from 1937. Another early horror program was Lights Out, which started in 1934 and eventually made it to television. We have an episode from 1939, as well as popular series Inner Sanctum and the Sealed Book both from 1945. Our horror fest ends with the show Quiet Please from 1947, a program that was unique because most episodes featured no more than two or three actors. More at http://krobcollection.com

Marian Anderson was one of the most popular and talented operatic singers in the 20th century. The African-American contralto overcame childhood poverty to sing with major orchestras throughout the United States and Europe between 1925 and 1965. In 1923 Anderson was the first black artist to record for RCA Victor. She became the first African-American singer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera. In addition, Anderson worked as a delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Committee, and as a Goodwill Ambassador for the U.S. State Department. She participated in the civil rights movement in the 1960s, and was awarded the first Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963. Anderson also received the Congressional Gold Medal in 1977, the Kennedy Center Honors in 1978, the National Medal of Arts in 1986, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991. You will hear Marion Anderson perform on the Magic Key of RCA radio show on NBC in 1936. Her legendary 1939 performance before an integrated audience of 75,000 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. that racists tried to block. Then finally a 1959 interview with Jeanne Hamm on WWVA Radio.  More at http://krobcollection.com

It is often called the Forgotten Conflict. The Korean War was started by North Korea in 1950, assisted by Russia and China. They attacked South Korea backed by the United States and other allies. The fighting stopped 1953. Approximately 3 million people died in the Korean War, the majority were civilians. The United States suffered 54,248 deaths. We have a report on the war by the CBS Radio news program Hear It Now, from the week of December 29th, 1950. This was one of the first news programs to use tape-recorded audio to capture the sound of newsmakers and major events. Then from 1953, we have one of the few Korean War radio dramas from a show called Proudly We Hail about the mission to capture a Russian fighter jet. More info at http://krobcollection.com