On the Radio

A photo from the Florida Sentinel Bulletin dated Nov. 21, 1961. Courtesy of Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.
Race Matters: MLK, Freedom Riders and Bias in the Media

He was a familiar face and voice in the 1960s. On Nov. 19, 1961, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in Tampa. At the time of the speech, local resident Clarence Fort was a leader in the NAACP's student chapter. More than five decades later, Fort returned to the now-vacant armory for a conversation with curator Rodney Kite-Powell of the Tampa Bay History Center.

We'll also revisit the Freedom Riders and chat with Tampa Bay Times media critic Eric Deggans about his new book, Race-Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation.

Program Schedule

Radio - Tuesday at 6:30 PM | Sunday at 7:30 AM on WUSF 89.7 Friday at 7:00 PM on WSMR 89.1

Radio Guests

Clarence FortClarence FortCivil Rights Activist
Rodney Kite-PowellRodney Kite-PowellTampa Bay History Center
Sharon JeffersonSharon JeffersonJohnson Middle School
Eric DeggansEric DeggansAuthor, "Race-Baiter"

Photo Gallery

A photo from the Florida Sentinel Bulletin dated Nov. 21, 1961. Courtesy of Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.
A photo from the Florida Sentinel Bulletin dated Nov. 21, 1961. Courtesy of Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.
A copy of the program from Dr. King’s appearance at the armory. Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center Collection.
A copy of the program from Dr. King’s appearance at the armory. Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center Collection.
An article from the Tampa Times dated Nov. 20, 1961. Courtesy of Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.
An article from the Tampa Times dated Nov. 20, 1961. Courtesy of Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.

An article from the Tampa Tribune dated Nov. 20, 1961. Courtesy of Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.
An article from the Tampa Tribune dated Nov. 20, 1961. Courtesy of Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.
An article from the Florida Sentinel Bulletin dated Nov. 21, 1961. Courtesy of Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.
An article from the Florida Sentinel Bulletin dated Nov. 21, 1961. Courtesy of Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.
Clarence Fort, left, reminisces at the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory with Rodney Kite-Powell. Photo by Dalia Colón of WUSF.
Clarence Fort, left, reminisces at the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory with Rodney Kite-Powell. Photo by Dalia Colón of WUSF.

Historian Rodney Kite-Powell, left, speaks with civil rights activist Clarence Fort. Photo by Dalia Colón of WUSF.
Historian Rodney Kite-Powell, left, speaks with civil rights activist Clarence Fort. Photo by Dalia Colón of WUSF.
Fort Homer Hesterly Armory is being renovated by the Tampa Jewish Community Center and Federation. Photo by Dalia Colón of WUSF.
Fort Homer Hesterly Armory is being renovated by the Tampa Jewish Community Center and Federation. Photo by Dalia Colón of WUSF.

For more information

To listen to the entire conversation between Clarence Fort and Rodney Kite-Powell, click here.

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