Black History Month Programming
Join WAER Syracuse Public Media as we celebrate Black History Month with a unique set of programs that observe rich, cultural traditions through music, exploration, and documentary storytelling.
Wednesday, February 1st 2-3pm
Sound Opinions: Music of the Civil Rights Movement- Professional music critics Jim and Greg discuss influential and game-changing music from the 1960s that provided a soundtrack to the civil rights movement. They analyze tracks by artists like Sam Cooke, The Staple Singers, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone and more.
Thursday, February 2nd 8-9pm
Blue Note Sound- So much of what we think of as straight ahead jazz was shaped by the Blue Note Sound. As the host of this special (Jim Luce) explains, in the mid-20th century Producer Alfred Lyons brought a diverse group of musicians into the studio to conceive, compose and make jazz records without compromise.
Tuesday, February 7th – Thursday, February 9th 2-3pm
Making Oprah- Produced by WBEZ, Oprah Winfrey tells the behind-the-scenes story of her iconic TV talk show, along with producers, staffers, TV executives, and ratings rival Phil Donahue. The three-part series chronicles the show’s scrappy roots in Chicago, its rise to daytime dominance, and the powerful sway Winfrey came to have in American life.
Tuesday, February 14th 8-9pm
Going Black: The Legacy of Philly Soul Radio- "Going Black: The Legacy of Philly Soul Radio (One Hour Special)" examines the legacy of Black radio, focusing on the legendary WDAS in Philadelphia. The story of Black radio in Philadelphia is actually the story of Black music, of civil rights and progress in the African-American community, and of how the radio medium has changed in the last century.
Wednesday, February 15th 8-9pm
Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia- This one-hour radio special hosted by Jeff Foxx explores the story of Philadelphia International Records, as well as their impact on the future of music through stories and music from many of their artists, as well as Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff
Thursday, February 16th 8-9pm
A Beautiful Symphony of Brotherhood: A Musical Journey in the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. - In this hour-long special from WQXR and WNYC, host Terrance McKnight interweaves musical examples with Dr. King's own speeches and sermons to illustrate the powerful place that music held in his work--and examines how the musical community responded to and participated in Dr. King's cause.
Friday, February 17th 8-9pm
Raw Truth: An MLK Tribute- The Boston Children’s Chorus (BCC) presents RAW TRUTH, its annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert, recorded live at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall.
Tuesday, February 21st- Thursday, February 23rd 2-3pm
Historically Black- Objects hold history. They evoke stories stamped in time. The Smithsonian's new National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. has opened up a world of stories that visitors are flocking to discover. To mark the September 2016 opening of the museum, The Washington Post invited people across the country to submit photographs of objects in their family that connect them personally to black history Historically Black reveals intimate and surprising aspects of history through interviews, archival sound and music.
Friday, February 24th 3-4pm
Black Like Me; The Michelle Obama Documentary – Valley Fontaine explores why Michelle Obama is so important to black women around the world. Valley hears frank, funny, and intimate insight from both men and women about the phenomenon known as “shade-ism” or “color-ism”, where people face discrimination both outside and within the black community on the basis of their skin tone.