Monday, January 17, 2005
Jack Johnson fought his way through oppression in the Jim Crow South to become the first black heavyweight boxing champion. In a new documentary, filmmaker Ken Burns examines Johnson's struggle for equality, both in and out of the ring.

The audio for this program will be available at approximately 10AM ET, 7AM PT.

Friday, January 14, 2005
Ten years ago, Newt Gingrich, then head of a new Republican majority in Congress, stood at the Capitol and announced the "Contract with America," and initiative meant to be a first step towards "renewing American civilization." We have a look back.

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'Unforgivable Blackness': Jack Johnson's Saga
Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns returns to PBS with Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, a profile of the world's first African-American heavyweight boxing champ.
Monday, January 17, 2005

Classically Silly: 'Beethoven's Wig' Returns
Composer Richard Perlmutter again takes on some of the world's most famous classical tunes, and adds fun lyrics to the music. Beethoven's Wig 2, the sequel to the original, outrageous CD, has been nominated for a Grammy. NPR's Madeleine Brand talks to Perlmutter about his strategy for getting kids to have some serious fun with the classics.
Thursday, January 13, 2005

Dog-Sized Mammal Dined on Dinosaurs
Fossil hunters in China discover two skeletons of a dog-sized mammal that lived about 135 million years ago, a find that overturns the conventional wisdom that the earliest mammals were all rodent-sized and meek. One of the fossils was found with its last meal -- a young dinosaur -- still in its stomach.
Thursday, December 13, 2004

Powell Prepares to Exit State Department
Secretary of State Colin Powell's tenure at the State Department will end as soon as his replacement, Condoleezza Rice, is confirmed -- possibly within a week. NPR's Juan Williams spoke with Powell about his legacy and U.S. foreign policy.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Blackberry or Crackberry? A PDA Culture War
For many, the Blackberry is a must-have gadget, a wireless hand-held computer that can send e-mail and make phone calls. NPR's Frank Langfitt reports that as the device wins fans, it's making a cultural impact -- and drawing criticism.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005

In Sri Lanka Shock Wearing Off, Rebuilding Begins
In northern Sri Lanka, tsunami survivors are going back to their regular jobs, schools are reopening, and people are struggling to resume normal lives. And there are efforts to begin rebuilding towns and villages that were destroyed.
Friday, January 7, 2005

Dare Wright's 'Lonely Doll'
A new biography tells the story of Dare Wright, whose popular Lonely Doll children's books reflected her own troubled childhood. Jean Nathan discusses Dare's life with NPR's Steve Inskeep.
Wednesday, January 5, 2005

A Part-Time Job Becomes a Career
When Joseph Nga came to the United States from his native Cameroon in 1996, he was pursuing a career in ethnobiology. But two masters degrees later, he still found his ambitions frustrated. In the process, a new path emerged.
Wednesday, January 5, 2005

Little Big Cheese: Maytag's Growing Niche Market
It's not unusual to find small companies using old-world methods to make artisan cheeses. But that wasn't the case in 1941, when Maytag Farms in Newton, Iowa, became the first U.S. maker of blue cheese.
Tuesday, January 4, 2005

Alison Krauss and Union Station: Bluegrass Perfection
Alison Krauss and her band will start a tune again and again until it sounds as good as they imagine it. Krauss and members of Union Station perform at NPR and discuss their desire for perfection with NPR's Steve Inskeep.
Tuesday, January 4, 2005