Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

In this episode, we pay our respects to the stories that come from and are influenced by the issues associated with the Civil Rights movement. In our first segment, we share stories of childhoods affected by racism with audio from StoryCorps, and the story of Ruby Bridges as told by Kate Dudding. In our next segment, we wish to highlight the heroes and heroines of the Civil Rights movement with more audio from StoryCorps featuring the extraordinary experiences of ordinary men and women, and a story about Elizabeth Eckford as told by Charlotte Blake Alston. Our third segment, features the story "Moon Cookies, Martin & Me" a warm and poignant story in which Lyn Ford shares some experiences that helped her consciousness of the world around her grow. Stories included in this episode: StoryCorps Audio: John Hope Franklin, the late scholar of African American history, tells his son, John, about being a Boy Scout during the 1920s. Link: storycorps.org StoryCorps Audio: Siblings James Hanover Thompson, Dwight Thompson, and Brenda Lee Graham recall James' involvement in the "Kissing Case" of 1958, and their family life thereafter. Link: storycorps.org(<a href= "James Hanover Thompson")  Story: Ruby Bridges Teller: Kate Dudding Website: www.katedudding.com Notes: The story of Ruby Bridges, the first African-American child to attend an all-white school. Story: Elizabeth Eckford Teller: Charlotte Blake Alston Website: www.charlotteblakealston.com Notes: Charlotte Blake Alston recounts the story of Elizabeth Eckford of the Little Rock Nine, the first group of African-American students to attend Little Rock Central High School as a result of Brown v. Board of Education. This performance also features poetry by Dudley Randall and Langston Hughes. StoryCorps Audio: Lawrence Cumberbatch tells his son, Simeon, about being present at the March on Washington in 1963. Link: storycorps.org StoryCorps Audio: Retired Memphis sanitation worker Taylor Rogers and his wife, Bessie, remember Martin Luther King Jr.'s final speech. Link: storycorps.org StoryCorps Audio: Herb Kneeland tells his son Martavius Jones about being a radio disc jockey in Memphis on April 4, 1968- the day that Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Link: storycorps.org Story: Moon Cookies, Martin & Me Teller: Lyn Ford Website: www.storytellerlynford.com Notes: Lyn Ford remembers her neighbor, Mrs. Rosenberg, and learns about peace in unexpected ways.