Confronting History I
Wednesday, February 07 2007
Confronting History I
John Hope Franklin
John Hope Franklin was born in 1915 to an America still divided by race. Throughout his childhood and early education, his mother and father taught him the value of service, discipline, and hard work as the best way to rise above discrimination. He grew up to become one of this nation's most respected African American scholars.
Today, Dick Gordon talks with John Hope Franklin about the stories that have shaped him as a person and influenced his views of American history.
At the start of World War II, Dr. Franklin was turned away at a Navy recruitment center for being the wrong color. His brother, Buck, was drafted and endured debilitating racism in the Army. Looking back, Dr. Franklin sees how experiences like these have made him ambivalent about his country. In the end, he believes that American society will grow only if it learns to confront its past.
- Hear the second part of Dick's interview with John Hope Franklin
- See a documentary made about Dr. Franklin and memory
- Learn more about the John Hope Franklin Center at Duke University
Music in the show is from the opera "Mignon" by Ambroise Thomas
FAMILY HISTORY MYSTERY
Mark Dessauer
The Story is always interested in tales from our listeners. Mark Dessauer wrote to us about his discovery.
Mark knew his dad had served in the Hitler Youth. What he didn’t know was that his dad was Jewish.
Mark's dad in his "Hitler Youth" uniform
- Read Mark Dessauer's letter to The Story
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