Historian James McPherson discusses the his book, "Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era." McPerson explores the American Civil War and talks about some Civil War music. He also discusses the reasoning behind the Civil War and some of the key figures during that time and how many songs came to be written about the battles and leaders.

Historian James McPherson discusses the his book, "Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era." McPerson explores the American Civil War and introduces some Civil War music. He talks about black soldiers, photography, and reconstruction. Content Warning: This conversation has the presence of outdated, biased, offensive language.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.

Stephen B. Oates discusses his book "Let the Trumpets Sound: A Biography of Martin Luther King;" 2 short excerpts played during the program: one of Terkel interviewing Martin Luther King and another of E.D. Nixon speaking about MLK.

Nancy Milio's book, "9226 Kercheval: The Storefront That Did Not Burn," is about community health services offered in a ghetto on the south side of Detroit, Michigan. As a nurse, Milio knew how important it was to offer quality health services to poor and uneducated individuals. With their real names changed, Milio talks about her experiences with Mrs. Watkins, Johhnie West and others at the center.

Lillian Smith explores the responses she received from her books that address racial prejudice and discrimination, especially in the south.

Rutherford Calhoun is the main character of Charles Richard Johnson's novel, "Middle Passage." In his quest to get away from his marriage and a bill collector, a freed slave himself, Rutherford stows away onto a ship not realizing that the cargo being carried are slaves from Africa.

Angelou discusses: her early life; her international travels; dancing; blues and jazz music; and the book "Youngblood" by John Oliver Killens. In this program "In the Evening (When the Sun Goes Down)" and "Joe Turner No. 2 (Blues of 1892)" by Big Bill Broonzy, "I Ain't Gonna Pick No More Cotton" by Sam Lightnin' Hopkins is played, as well as other musical selections.

Durham created and broadcast radio plays in Chicago from 1948-1950, and his work was chronicled in "Richard Durham's Destination Freedom: Scripts From Radio's Black Legacy, 1948-50."