Studs Terkel presents The Cradle Will Rock, a 1937 musical play. Includes interview with Marc Blitzstein and Hiram Sherman talking about the challenges of presenting for the first time.
Studs interview with Art Shay opens and closes with a slow blues piece. Shay discusses his picture book, "Nelson Algren's Chicago." He and Studs discuss the people and events in a number of pictures from the book. Studs plays a recording of Algren reading from one of his novels. Studs quotes critic, Rick Kogan of the Tribune.
South African writer Alan Paton likened the white South African people to the ostrich. Paton said the ostrich keeps its head in the sand, and some people do the same in South Africa, too. With their heads in the sand, they don’t see any problems existing. Paton said he can not understand his country’s government. He can’t understand why the Black people are not allowed to own homes. Because of the government, Paton also talks about having to be careful about what he writes and he says the Americans are very lucky to have their U.S. Constitution.
According to Jens Kruuse, being born in the same home town as Hans Christian Andersen is Kruuse’s claim to fame. A well-known literary critic, Kruuse says that people don’t realize he’s an excellent bridge player who enters tournaments. Kruuse explains that Denmark has the biggest coastline in all of Europe and that the people there live a truthful, simple but good life. The interview ends abruptly.
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.