University of the Air

Jazz has been called "the coolest, freest, and yet deepest music humans have ever made," an indigenous art form that seems to defy categorization. We explore the definition of jazz with the help of numerous musical examples.

"My dad's in jail and I don't like to talk about it," says Alex, a character on Sesame Street. In this hour, UW Professor of Human Ecology Julie Poehlmann discusses her research and her work with Sesame Street on its initiative designed for millions of children with incarcerated parents.

The Caribbean triangle trade of sugar, molasses, and rum was a big part of the colonial economy. Not so well known was the salt industry, which flourished in large measure because of slave labor. Mary Prince was one of the slaves who worked in the salt ponds of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Cherene Sherrard-Johnson will give us the background of the Caribbean salt trade and tell us about the remarkable account that Mary Prince left about her experiences as a slave working and traveling through the Caribbean in the early years of the nineteenth century.

Why do so many people hate grammar? Find out which grammar "rules" are prescriptive gobbledygook with the Chair of the UW English Department

From an escaped slave to one of America's great orators and political activists, Frederick Douglass was a major force at a turning point in American history. What were the factors that enabled Douglass to prevail in violent times? Biographer Greg Lampe will take us into the life and times of a man who became the conscience of America.

Dexter Gordon’s widow, Maxine Gordon, explores her award-winning biography Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon.

His upbringing was unlikely to produce a writer with an international reputation. His education was limited and traumatic. But Hans Christian Andersen became known throughout Europe for stories such as The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, and The Snow Queen. How was he able to turn simple ideas into stories for the ages? And were those stories, so popular in Disney films, really for children? Andersen expert Scott Mellor will tell us about the breaks, good and bad, that elevated Andersen to the ranks of celebrated authors.

In this hour, we sample the rapidly changing, turbulent sixties, from JFK to LBJ, from Martin Luther King to the Black Panthers, from the Beatles to the Rolling Stones, from hippies to Reagan conservatives.

Veiled in clouds, Venus is one of earth's most mysterious neighbors, and yet those studying the planet continue to make discoveries about it. Is life possible on Venus? If not, was it ever possible? And what does it tell us about the future of earth? Astronomer Sanjay Limaye will share some answers.

David Walker, Maria Stewart, and Frederick Douglass were revolutionary black abolitionists in the 19 th century who raised their voices to try to end slavery. Professor Christy Clark Pujara introduces these figures and their turbulent times. Two graduates of the UW Odyssey Project (Tosumba Welch and Molinda Henry) read eloquent passages from the writings of abolitionists.

It's a record that many a songwriter would envy--2000 songs recorded, many of them covered by prominent performers including Ray Charles, Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, James Taylor, Alison Kraus and the Everly Brothers. Boudleaux and Felice Bryant had a major impact on country and popular music. Bill and Bobbie Malone will tell us how an unlikely couple developed into a songwriting powerhouse.

We take a look at the US Constitution from the standpoint of America's founding father of the Supreme Court.

How did the Christian and Jewish bibles take their present shape, and how can knowing their historical context help Jews and Christians (and others) think about each other's scriptures differently? Historian Charles Cohen will give us insights.

Revolutionary medieval mystic Julian of Norwich penned what’s thought to be the first book in English written by a woman. She dared to suggest that God was both father and mother. Professor Sherry Reames explores the life, writings, and legacy of a courageous medieval anchoress and author.

By the end of nineteenth century, food in America could be ownright deadly. Sustances added to extend the shelf life of food often shortened the life of the person who ate it. But American corporations blocked even modest food safety egulations. Then, in 1883, chemist Harvey Washington Wiley was named chief chemist of the agriculture department, and the agency began methodically analyzing food and drink, resorting to somtimes shocking methods. Pulitzer Prize-winning science journalist Deborah Blum will tell us about the long and dangerous conflict behind making food safe.