It seems the United States always been a divided nation in many respects. Since its founding, proponents of the right and left have battled for influence and control. It was no different during the Great Depression of the 1930s, as the struggle played out on the new medium of radio. Father Charles Coughlin was a Catholic priest who's radio shows reached millions. He promoted right wing conspiracies, Christian Nationalism, and antisemitism on the air. Louisiana senator and former governor Huey Long was a progressive populist who on the radio called for wealth re-distribution, government involvement and expanded social programs. In Coughlin you hear Rush Limbaugh, in Long you hear Bernie Sanders. We have two presentations, Coughlin in 1939, and Long in 1935. Both were early supporters of President Franklin Roosevelt, but went their separate ways after he was elected.

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We're going to the theater! Live radio theater was very popular during the medium's golden age. There were many theater-like shows on the networks. We're going to hear 3 installments of the Screen Guild Theater, which ran from 1939 to 1952 and featured movie stars, primarily in original dramas and sometimes comedies, or in adaptations of movies. All three are from 1939, the first features Judy Garland and Jack Benny. The second stars movie tough guy George Raft. Eddie Cantor, Joan Blondell, and Gene Autry perform on the 3rd show of Screen Guild Theater. Throughout its run, profits from these programs were donated to the Motion Picture Relief Fund, which supported the Motion Picture Country Home for retired actors.

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Ken Robinson interviews art gallery director Ernestine Brown, about collecting and investing in contemporary artworks. There also advice on creating your own art gallery and furthering a career as an artist, with a special focus on people of color. (1982)

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From it's early days in the 1920's news was an important part of radio. The first newscasts were little more than announcers reading press releases and police reports. In the 1930s and 40s, network newscasts evolved into audio versions of newspaper columns. During the World War Two and into the 1950s there was the arrival of the radio news anchor, who presented reporters on the scene, with commentary confined to the people actually making the news. You're hear this transition develop over decades of radio news coverage.

Elmer Davis on CBS Radio in 1939

HV Kaltenborn on NBC Radio in 1940

Walter Winchell in 1941, American Radio's most popular newsman at the time, and was heard on the Blue Network, which later became ABC.

Fulton Lewis Jr on the Mutual Radio Network in 1942.

Raymond Gram Swing on ABC Radio in 1945

Mutual Newsreel Digest in 1950

Taylor Grant suffers the news anchor's nightmare on ABC in 1953.

The legendary Edward R. Murrow on CBS Radio in 1957.

Frank Bourgholtzer on NBC Radio in 1961.

Charles Osgood before he became famous in 1966 on ABC Radio

Bill Maher Jr, father of the famous comedian on Mutual Radio in 1969.

Mike Stanley on CBS in 1969.

James Limbach on Associated Press Radio in 1977.

Al Williams on the Mutual Black Radio Network in 1978.

David Leslie on ABC in 1978.

Pat Prescott on the National Black Network in 1981.

Becky Bailey on Mutual in 1988.

Jim Lounsbury on the United Press International radio network in 1989.

Sheri Preston on ABC radio in 2004.

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America's Town Meeting of the Air was a public affairs discussion program which began on NBC radio's Blue Network in 1935 and ran for 21 years. It was one of radio's first talk shows, and NBC did not expect it to become a success, but it did, and eventually picked up a sponsor. Each week moderator George Denny Jr presided over an examination of a controversial issue with a large audience present and participating in the discussion. We're going to hear America's Town Meeting of the Air on November 16, 1939. The topic is, Should We ignore Racial Differences?

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Ken interviews author Whitley Strieber, and explores the subjects of miscarriage, and dating.

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William Warfield was a famous opera singer, born in the U.S state of Arkansas in 1920. Known for his rich baritone voice and commanding stage presence, the African-American rose to prominence in the mid-20th century, captivating audiences worldwide, and gracing the stages of prestigious opera houses and concert halls. Warfield served in the Army during World War Two, working in military intelligence. After the war, he earned a masters degree at the Eastman School of Music, and was quickly invited to tour Australia where he gave 35 concerts. Warfield then made 6 separate tours of Europe taking the continent by storm. He became a regular guest on radio and television shows.

Warfield later became a University of Illinois music professor at Urbana-Champaign, and was later promoted to Chairman of the Voice Department. In 1984 he received a Grammy Award. You will hear William Warfield just as his operatic career was starting to skyrocket, on NBC Radio's popular Edgar Bergen-Charlie McCarthy Show in 1952. One of only a handful of African-Americans to appear on the show during its more than 20 year history.

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She's one of the most celebrated entertainers in American history. Lucille Désirée Ball was an actress, comedian, model, studio executive, and producer. However, she's best known as the star of the wildly popular, classic TV show I Love Lucy. Before her long career on television began, Lucy had a successful radio career during the medium's golden age, in addition to occasional roles on stage and screen. You will hear Lucille Ball in a 1948 episode from her long running radio sitcom My Favorite Husband, which I Love Lucy was patterned after. She will perform on a 1951 episode of Screen Director's Playhouse, and finally in a 1944 dramatic role on the legendary radio series, Suspense.

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