NPR AMERICAN CHRONICLES: CIVIL RIGHTS

This isn’t a narrative history but a series of National Public Radio reports, delivered by several correspondents, on some of the events and participants of the Civil Rights Movement. A combination of reportage, historical recordings, and interviews informs while making the history immediate and personal. Michele Norris is professionally suave and easy to listen to in her succinct introductions. A problem is that the reports are mostly undated, and when interviewees are asked about current circumstances, we don’t know when they’re speaking. That quibble aside, this program is an absorbing, informative, and often moving reminder of how bad things were and what it cost to change them. The program should be especially valuable for educational use. W.M. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2011]