African American issues

Activist and Pennsylvania State Senator Milton Street delivers a talk about the inner city, gentrification, Philadelphia politics and its racial aspects, and his experiences as an activist.

Activist Dick Gregory recently gave a speech for the Ford Hall Forum that was recorded by NPR. Today, Fresh Air will play an excerpt of that speech, on the subject "Are Minorities Really Powerless?" The topics addressed in the excerpt are the 1980 presidential election, Gregory's distaste for the concept of "voting for the lessor of two evils," and the "choicelessness" the common voter feels. The speech was given prior to the election.

Dr. John Morrison is a professor of Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania. He has recently completed a study about the effects of racism on whites. He joins the show to discuss his work.

Writer Sonia Sanchez returns to Fresh Air to discuss her upcoming book of children's stories, A Sound Investment. She explains the importance of literature and storytelling with her own children, as well as the role of political poetry and the stereotypes of African Americans in television and movies.

Poet and playwright Sonia Sanchez discusses teaching young writers, her experiences as an African American woman, and her appreciation and critique of white feminist movements.

Scholar, activist and singer Bernice Reagon was a member of SNCC's Freedom Singers. She talks about the history of songs associated with the Civil Rights Movement.