Willard Van Dyke, cinematographer and co-director of documentaries like "The City" and "The River," talks about 20th century American history and how it effected the arts. Using his documentaries and other artists' work, he explores how the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War changed American art and culture. He discusses Public Works of Art, war propaganda, and McCarthyism and their challenges for artists. Near the end of this interview, Van Dyke discusses the changes in modern still photography and documentaries as Americans forget history.

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. The book, "Laughing Last: Alger Hiss" is the biography of Tony Hiss' father. Although Alger Hiss was convicted of perjury and did time in prison, Tony Hiss said his father, Al, was doing all right.

Ms. Anthony, the grand-niece of Susan B. Anthony, comments on the women's liberation movement, her personal political life and her view of Christian life.

Discussing Hiroshima and nuclear nonproliferation with survivors of the Hiroshima bomb of August 6, 1945 and activists organizing against nuclear proliferation.

Sharon Tennison was concerned with U.S. and U.S.S.R. relations in the early 1980's when there was a nuclear threat and decided to form a group of ordinary citizens to travel to Moscow and immerse themselves in the culture. They got firsthand accounts and dispelled decades old myths. They not only formed the Center for U.S.-U.S.S.R. Initiatives but created branches of Alcoholics Anonymous in the Soviet Union as well as teacher and young adult exchanges. The ordinary citizen has created participatory democracy and began a dialogue and exchange with a former enemy.

Terkel comments and presents the Hiroshima commemoration program

Discussing nuclear armageddon and the medical consequences of nuclear war with panel Herbert Scoville, George Kistiakowsky, Dr. Jack Geiger and Dr. Quentin Young.

Nora Sayre discusses her book "Running time: Films of the Cold War" and how Russian-American relations affected Hollywood and celebrity blacklists.

Discussing the book "The Massacre at El Mozote: a Parable of the Cold War" (published by Vintage Press) with the author, journalist Mark Danner.

Joshua Rubenstein discusses his book "Tangled Loyalties: The Life and Times of Ilya Ehrenburg" and the importance of Ehrenburg during the Stalin regime.

Studs has a spirited discussion with Jonathan Kozol who shares his adventures and learnings in Cuba that formed the basis of his book "Children of the Revolution: A Yankee Teacher in the Cuban Schools." Kozol explains the ambitious Cuban Literacy Campaign begun in the 1960s that aimed to educate the entire population, tells of children teaching adults in remote villages by lantern light, and the unity and national pride that resulted. He and Studs explore the idea of generative words in literacy education and contemplate Kozol's hope to adapt a similar approach to American education.

His experiences as a journalist are what's covered in Harrison Evans Salisbury's book, "A Time of Change: A Reporter's Tale of Our Time". Salisbury believed as a reporter, one truly needed to be at the event, in order to obtain the true story. Once Salisbury questioned if he was living in America because he was asked to switch rooms at a hotel in Birmingham, only to find out later that there were special, bugged rooms for reporters.

Colonel Hamilton Fish III discusses American history. Major topics include The Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt, World War II, and Communism. Fish also reads a personal letter sent to him from Martin Dies, Jr. Content Warning: This conversation has the presence of outdated, biased, offensive language. 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.