The Story from American Public Media

Confronting History II

Thursday, February 08 2007 | Send to a friend

Confronting History II

John Hope Franklin in his greenhouse

Twenty-six years ago, historian John Hope Franklin left his teaching post at the University of Chicago and moved back to Durham, N.C. His wife, Aurelia, grew up in North Carolina, and Dr. Franklin's first real teaching job had been in Raleigh.

Dr. Franklin and Aurelia were happy to return to warmer weather, and thrilled to move into a home where they had the space to build the greenhouse they had longed dreamed of. The couple had fallen in love with orchids during a stay in Hawaii in 1959.

An orchid in bloom

Yesterday, Dick Gordon talked with Dr. Franklin about his personal experiences with the racism persistent in American history. He also heard the story of Dr. Franklin's brother Buck, who succumbed to that racism in the years after World War II.

Today, Dick visits Dr. Franklin's greenhouse of orchids.

Dr. Franklin also tells Dick a few more stories of strength and resilience. In the 1930s, Dr. Franklin's study of African American cotton farmers in Mississippi nearly put his life in danger. It was one of several incidents that taught Dr. Franklin how to counteract the emotional damage that racism can cause: with truth, forthrightness, and self discipline.

• Walk through John Hope Franklin's greenhouse
• Hear yesterday's interview with John Hope Franklin
  

All Work and No Life

Randy Moser

March 20, 2002. I was taken out of the corporate headquarters in an ambulance. When I asked, "Am I dying?" the paramedic responded, "I don't know." The doctors were fooled, thinking I was having a heart attack. The ending? Anxiety and stress-induced symptoms. That was my tipping point. I promised myself and God that if I did not die that day, I would do something that has significance, and not at the expense  of my family, relationships, work, or myself.

Dick talks to Randy Moser about how he went from the life of a workaholic, "living, sleeping and drinking" corporate life, to training businesses how to take care of their employees.