Gregory uses his celebrity platform to raise awareness for a number of different issues, including alcoholism, the policies of the Reagan administration, and the the state of the black community today. He is currently on a hunger strike in solidarity with women in support of the Equal Rights Amendment.
Journalist Charles Hardy and University of Georgia historian Deborah Herman both reflect on the history and impact of advice columns on the lives of bourgeois American women. Herman looks at six months' worth of Dear Abby columns in the 1950s to determine the state of and attitudes toward marriage during that decade.
Margo Howard, the daughter of the advice columnist Ann Landers, has written a new book about her mother. She joins Fresh Air's Terry Gross to discuss the growth of the the Dear Abby column's popularity and Landers' changing views over the decades.
The pianist rejected the life of a traveling jazz musician, instead choosing to perform and record live performances in clubs near his home in the Delaware Water Gap area. He also makes a living as a transcriber and arranger. He plays selections from each of his albums for a live audience.
Musician and composer David Eyges is one of the few jazz cello players. In recent years, he has worked with Philadelphia saxophonist Byard Lancaster, with whom he recorded the album "The Arrow." The duo has now become a trio with the addition of Philadelphia drummer Sunny Murray. The group recently released the album "Crossroads." Eyges' music is part of a trend of blurring the lines between jazz and classical music.
Because of her anti-racist actions against the South African government, Adelaide Tambo left her home country and now lives in England with her husband. She believes it is crucial to fight racism in local communities across the world, particularly for the sake of black women, who face particularly severe oppression.
The artist's iconic LOVE statue can be see in Philadelphia's JFK plaza. Indiana, now based in Maine, tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about the trajectory of his career as a literary painter to a socially-conscious sculptor.
Dian Fossey has spent 14 years studying the social, behavioral, and communication patterns of mountain gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda. Now a professor at Cornell University, she shares her findings with Fresh Air's Terry Gross.
Covert Action, a report by Danny Miller, begins with an interview with Kenneth Lawrence, a regular contributor to the Covert Action Information Bulletin, a magazine published around five times a year in Washington, D. C., which covers the actions of the C. I. A. The publication is known for its "Naming Names" feature which reveals the name of C. I. A. agents. Covert Action claims that the information in the column is unclassified or of agents who are no longer working. However, they have suspended the column due to pending legislation.
Covert Action, a report by Danny Miller, continues with an interview with Stephen Rosenfeld, an editorial writer for the Washington Post. He joins the show to offer another perspective on the situation, and gives his opinion on both the actions of the Covert Action Information Bulletin and the legislation proposed to end them, the Intelligence Identities Protection Act. (INTERVIEW BY DANNY MILLER)
Critic Francis Davis joins us for the weekly program "Interval," in which he looks at new jazz releases. Today Davis reviews "We Want Miles" by jazz legend Miles Davis, and "The Great Pretender" by trumpeter Lester Bowie.
Randy Shilts has a new biography about Harvey Milk, the openly-gay mayor of San Francisco who was assassinated at the age of 48. Shilts details Milk's coming out later in life and his adroitness as a unity-building politician.
The All Things Considered co-host's new book details the making of the show, the unique challenges women journalists face in the field, and how she developed her style and confidence as a radio interviewer.
British-born economist Hazel Henderson sees an economy based on renewable energy and environmentally-sound industry as the best path forward for the United States. She argues that tax cuts and subsidies associated with Reaganomics are hindering such efforts.
The editor of The Nation has a new book about the blacklisting of Hollywood actors during the McCarthy era. He talks about how the issue of nuclear proliferation is affecting the political right and left, and the difficulties journalists face when navigating copyright issues.
Ron Luciano worked as a baseball umpire before joining NBC as a sportscaster. He tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about the ins and outs of the game, what makes a great player, and his switch to television broadcasting.
Connie Francis took a seven-year hiatus from singing after surviving a rape, dealing with the murder of her brother, and battling several health problems. After so many tragedies, she feels like her old self again, and has begun performing once more.
The novelist has a new novel set in Alabama which features, among other characters, two memorable prostitutes. Brown has also started writing for television. She talks about the increasing presence of gay people in mass media, and her own experiences as an out lesbian.
Concert promoter George Wein credits his enduring festival for the successful career of several prominent jazz musicians, as well as the continued vitality of the genre.
