Nonfiction

October 6, 2016

Dear Sonja Williams,

I just read WORD WARRIOR and I learned so much! I have been really interested in Durham’s work and his distinctive voice because of his work in radio, and wrote about his work and his significance in VISIONS OF BELONGING (Judith E. Smith, 2004) as you know!

The wonderfully generous and collegial J. Fred MacDonald directed me to his own book on Destination Freedom, sent me (then all there was) tapes of a number of the broadcasts, and directed me to interview Clarice Durham, which I did. When Barbara Savage’s book (BROADCASTING FREEDOM: RADIO, WAR, AND THE POLITICS OF RACE, 1938-1948) came out, I grabbed it, and made use of her work, also.

I’ve followed every clue I could find about him in the years since, and was just so thrilled to be able to have your beautifully researched account of his WHOLE LIFE and all his work. I am happily in your debt.

Best from Judith E. Smith

September 30, 2016

Dear Ms. Williams,

Your book “Word Warrior” is fabulous!

Learning about Richard Durham is invaluable. It is so encouraging to learn of his path. Your book on Durham’s life also provided an opportunity to learn about a time period that I experienced as a child/young adult. My father was the first African-American hired at WTTW. I will be asking him about his recollections on “Bird of the Iron Feather” show. I attended the Harold Washington Rally at the Pavilion. It was a truly electric.

I am in awe of your ability to concisely encapsulate situations/time periods. I will be using your book as a textbook!

I noticed that you thanked the Carter G. Woodson Regional Library and the Vivian G. Harsh Collection staff for their assistance. They are truly a jewel. The Library will be closing November 10, 2016 for a major renovation. Researchers were encouraged to try to come in before that time.

Congratulations on your great book.

Cecilia Horde

It’s official.

The Smithsonian Institution’s new National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is now open – and seriously impressive.

With five information and artifact-packed floors, you can easily spend several hours, if not several days, browsing through centuries of African American history.

You can see an actual slave ship, teenaged Emmett Till’s casket, and an airplane flown by the Tuskegee airmen.

Short video displays and interactive screens document the civil rights movement along with black Americans’ contributions this country visual arts, drama, music and dance culture. You may also see some of the personal effects and striking likenesses of African American history makers like Serena Williams, Martin Luther King Jr., and Barack Obama.

And when you visit, don’t miss the Museum’s store. There you can find a wealth of potential souvenirs and relevant books. I’m happy to report that my book Word Warrior: Richard Durham, Radio, and Freedom is on sale in this store. 

Whoopee!!

I hope that you’ll visit the NMAAHC – with comfortable shoes and plenty of patience, given the crowds – and be amazed!

The big day is almost here. The intriguing, touching, and massive National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) officially opens its doors this Saturday, September 24^th.   I hope you’ll visit this truly fascinating museum that has generated unprecedented support and anticipation.

But if you’re unable to make it to Washington DC’s National Mall for NMAAHC’s inaugural weekend, never fear. The Smithsonian Institution makes sure that its museums stay open almost every day of the year (except for major holidays like Christmas and New Years or unpredictable emergencies).

And if you’re a book lover, I’m happy to report that my book Word Warrior will be on sale in the NMAAHC’s museum shop starting this Saturday. Talk about excited!

If you’re interested in a brief preview of the book or to hear about my background, click here (pick program #7 on iTunes) or click here for NPR’s podcast directory (choose program #008; August 10, 2016).  This interview was featured on Spectrum, a podcast hosted by Ohio University’s WOUB Public Media General Manager and Director, Tom Hodson.

Thanks for listening and I hope to see you on the National Mall!

The quote in the photo above from pioneering Black journalist and civil rights advocate Ida B. Wells (1862-1931) is just one of the many quotes featured on the walls and display cases of the soon-to-be opened National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington, DC.  More than 100 years in the making, this museum will officially invite visitors to enjoy its treasures starting on Saturday, September 24, 2016. Fittingly, the NMAAHC is located on the National Mall, in the shadow of the Washington Monument and across the street from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Through her prolific newspaper articles and opinionated editorials, Ida B. Wells sought to eliminate lynching and racial inequality. She is just one of the many women and men whose stories, accomplishments and/or artifacts are featured in the NMAAHC.  In honor of Wells’ legacy and the museum’s historic grand opening weekend, WAMU-FM’s The Big Broadcast radio series will air a half-hour drama about Wells written by another pioneer – African American broadcast dramatist Richard Durham (1917-1984).

Durham’s dramatization of Wells life, titled “Woman With a Mission,” features a professional cast that included Chicago-based actors Oscar Brown Jr., Weslyn Tilden and Fred Pinkard. And it was one of Durham’s favorite scripts.

So mark your calenders. You can hear this fascinating drama, on WAMU’s The Big Broadcast, Sunday, Sept. 25^th starting at 7pm. If you live in the Washington DC metropolitan area, tune to 88.5 FM. Or your can listen online from September 25^th through October 2^nd at http://wamu.org/programs/the_big_broadcast

Enjoy!

In this month’s edition of HNet, Michigan State University’s Humanities and Social Science Online publication, Morgan State University scholar Ida Jones reviewed my book Word Warrior.

In her spirited critique titled “The Revolution Will Be An Audiophile,” Jones indicated that “early black radio broadcasts in the community were an essential staple of modern communication….after the rise and domination of the black press, black radio provided common ground for intergenerational discourse, played our music, and/or served as a virtual platform for aspiring and established preachers, singers, and dramatists.”

She went on to note that Word Warrior “rightly situates” the late writer/dramatist Richard Durham “within the tradition of black communication and black radio, reaching back to his antecedents who assumed the significant cultural role of the griot-educator-activist.”

Jones called Word Warrior “an engrossing, at times poetic excavation of one man’sdealing with life and learning as an African American man. Durham answered the call to arms through the artistry of storytelling, advocacy, agency, and learning. He swirled those elements together throughout his inquisitive life.”

Savor Ida Jones’ entire review by clicking here.