DESTINATION FREEDOM

Curated by

John F. Barber

Copyright (c)

Final Draft

Broadcast 21 February 2022

Destination Freedom
Season 10, Episode 02 of Re-Imagined Radio
Curated by John F. Barber

Broadcast date: 21 February 2022

Episode Synopsis
Re-Imagined Radio celebrates Black History Month and the democratic traditions and cultural contributions of Black Americans. We sample from original episodes of Destination Freedom to consider W. C. Handy, "The Father of the Blues" and the New Orleans jazz music of Louis Armstrong.

COLD OPEN
SONG "FREEDOM" SAMPLED FROM "FATHER OF THE BLUES" EPISODE
RIR ANNOUNCER
Welcome to Re-Imagined Radio, a program about radio storytelling. I’m Jack Armstrong. With each episode we combine dialogue, sound effects, and music to engage your listening imagination. This episode is no different, and here to tell you about it is John Barber, producer and host.
MUSIC: RIR THEME?
HOST
Thank you Jack. Hello everyone. Welcome. 
This episode of Re-Imagined Radio is titled "Destination Freedom Tribute." We offer it as a tribute to Black History Month and the radio series Destination Freedom, with its focus on the democratic traditions and cultural contributions of Black Americans.
Broadcast nationwide on the NBC network by WMAQ, Chicago, Illinois, from 1948 to 1950, Destination Freedom was written by Richard Durham, editor of The Chicago Defender.
With each weekly episode, Durham used powerful radio storytelling to work against the discriminatory traditions and stereotypes of Blacks in American history, arts, and culture. His unflinching focus established the footholds for later civil and human rights movements.
HOST
The focus of our tribute is music. First let's listen to "The Father of the Blues," a dramatized biography of W.C. Handy, American musician, composer, and songwriter. This was the 12 September 1948 episode of Destination Freedom, written by Richard Durham.
SFX: "THE FATHER OF THE BLUES"
HOST
You just heard "The Father of the Blues," a dramatized biography of W.C. Handy, an episode of Destination Freedom written by Richard Durham. Handy was voiced by Fred Pinkard, a well known Chicago voice actor.
This is Re-Imagined Radio and we're paying tribute to Destination Freedom, and Black American musicians and composers, as part of Black History Month.
We salute Destination Freedom for its unflinching spotlight on stereotypes and discriminatory practices directed toward Black Americans. Our partner radio program, The Fusebox Show, shines its own bright light on American politics and culture.
Freeform, but focused, appropriate for all age groups and audiences, the Fusebox characters share their observations and reactions to events that both stir our imagination and boil our blood.
Here's a sample . . .
***THE FUSEBOX SHOW***
HOST
As you heard, The Fusebox Show is "ear food" . . . rich in production value, satirical humor, unique characters, and sometimes outrageous absurdity. Listen for episodes on this radio station, and learn more at The Fusebox Show website, www dot thefuseboxshow dot com. 
MUSIC: RIR BRIDGE/TRANSITION
HOST
This is Re-Imagined Radio. I'm John Barber. We are paying tribute to a radio series called Destination Freedom, broadcast nationally from WMAQ, Chicago, Illinois, 1948-1950. Each weekly broadcast, written and produced by Richard Durham, worked against discriminatory traditions and stereotypes by dramatizing the life and contributions of Black American artists, writers, musicians, leaders, and others.
HOST
Earlier we listened to "The Father of the Blues," a dramatization of the life of W.C. Handy, American musician, composer, and songwriter. Handy's musical inspiration sprang from the Mississippi River delta.
?? MUSIC: BRIEF JAZZ MUSIC SAMPLE ??
In New Orleans, a different genre of music evolved, jazz. The July 31, 1949 episode of Destination Freedom tells the story of how a young Louis Armstrong created a new genre of jazz with his trumpet playing. Let's listen now to "The Trumpet Talks."
SFX: "THE TRUMPET TALKS"
HOST
You just listened to "The Trumpet Talks," an episode of Destination Freedom written by Richard Durham. Oscar Brown, Jr. voiced the part of Louis Armstrong.
This episode of Re-Imagined Radio pays tribute to Black History month and Destination Freedom, a radio program that through its unflinching focus on Black American history, arts, and culture, established the footholds for later civil and human rights movements.
Written and produced by Richard Durham, Destination Freedom is an important radio series for its portrayal of Black Americans their history in the radio medium. Episodes offer compelling narratives, powerful dramatizations, dynamic characters, and engaging musical arrangements, all based on historical research and first-rate writing.
Re-Imagined Radio is proud to celebrate this legacy with our "Destination Freedom Tribute."
Throughout the year we plan to offer additional tributes. For example, we plan a tribute to  Archibald MacLeash and his radio drama written in prose, "The Fall of the City." Other tributes are planned for William Conrad and his million dollar radio voice, three radio adventure series produced and broadcast by the same Detroit radio station, and potential influences for the most famous radio broadcast ever, "The War of the Worlds."
Next month, please join us for our tribute to Lucille Fletcher, a radio writer recommended by Orson Welles.
?? SFX: ORSON WELLES AND HIS TRIBUTE TO LUCILLE FLETCHER ??
HOST
I'm John Barber. I hope you enjoyed this episode of Re-Imagined Radio.
The script was written by John Barber.
Sound design, and post production by Marc Rose of Fuse Audio Design.

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This is John Barber, producer and host. Thank you for listening. Please join us again. We promise a good listening experience. 
ANNOUNCER
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Thank you so much for listening, and please, join us again for another episode of Re-Imagined Radio where we will continue our exploration of radio storytelling.

MUSIC: RIR CLOSE ENDS, FADE OUT