Studs interview with Virgil Thomson about his career as a music composer. Thomson shares his work with Gertrude Stein in operas "Mother of Us All" and "Four Saints In Three Acts." He discusses his preference for black artists. Thomson describes his work in documentary films such as "Plow That Broke the Plains." He also shares information about the cajun music "Squeeze Box" in the film "Louisiana Story." This edited version does not include the music pieces.

Presenting "Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression" Chapter 3: Big Business & A Portrait of Two Women. William Benton credits Pepsodent's survival of the Great Depression to Amos 'n Andy. Arthur Robertson talks about the initial aftermath of the 1929 crash as a Wall Street businessman. Sidney Weinberg discusses the confusion on Wall Street after the crash and praises FDR's programs. Jimmy McPartland talks about the importance of working and the success of WPA to boost morale.

Studs Terkel presents a program in honor of the birthday of abolitionist and African American leader Frederick Douglass, including excepts from Terkel's 1964 interview with African-American scholar, author and social historian Lerone Bennett. Terkel reads at length from Douglass' autobiography, "My Bondage and My Freedom," focusing on Douglass' interactions with slave owners Hugh and Sophia Auld.

Ralph Ellison, winner of the National Book Award for Fiction for his book "Invisible Man," discusses his early life and education and his life as a writer and lifetime scholar. He speaks on being a musician (trumpet), the joy of music and the Church and how they fit into the lives of African Americans.

Content Warning: This conversation includes racially and/or culturally derogatory language and/or negative depictions of Black and Indigenous people of color, women, and LGBTQI+ individuals. Rather than remove this content, we present it in the context of twentieth-century social history to acknowledge and learn from its impact and to inspire awareness and discussion. Muhammad Ali discusses his book "The Greatest: My Own Story," touching on topics including his childhood and family, conversion to Islam, stance on the Vietnam War, and experiences in jail.

Angelou discusses: her early life; her international travels; dancing; blues and jazz music; and the book "Youngblood" by John Oliver Killens. Musical selections have been removed due to copyright.

Max Morath discusses his career, jazz music, and history.

Martin Duberman, historian and biographer, discusses his latest work which focuses on the singer, actor, and political activist Paul Robeson. Robeson was known for his performance in Showboat and Emperor Jones.

Studs Terkel and Irwin Silber, a writer and Civil War historian, talk about music from the Civil War and Silber’s book “Songs of the Civil War.” This is the final part of the interview with Silber. A brief interview with Malayan artist Abdullah Ariff follows the Silber interview. Ariff discuss Malayan culture and the artwork he has on display in the United States.

A discussion with sociologist and anthropologist St. Clair Drake at the time of his receiving an honorary award from Roosevelt University on the themes of his convocation address. A fascinating deep-dive into race relations from the Revolution to the Bicentennial, touching on the contradictions, crises, and struggles that led to Black institutions and liberation. Studs plays several excerpts from previous programs with St.