Front Porch Radio - History's Hook

Centenarian Cecil Whiteside, WWII Naval Veteran Mr. Cecil Whiteside has spent most of his life in Hampshire, Tennessee with the exception of the years 1942-1945, when he was a member of the Navy Armed Guards, protecting cargo ships as they transported men and materiel all over the world.  Join Tom and Dr. Gidcomb as they speak to Mr. Whiteside and his son Jeff, who has documented the life of a rem...

In the summer of 1977, forty-two people perished in the worst jail fire in Tennessee’s history. The tragedy garnered national news attention and led to many new laws pertaining to jail safety. Author Cindy Tinsley talks about the tragedy, heroism, and how her research culminated in a book, “Tragedy in Small Town Tennessee.”

He wasn’t born near the sea.  He didn’t attend the United States Naval Academy, yet Rear Admiral Stephen Barnett has had a stellar naval career.  From piloting P-3’s during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he held several staff positions before taking command of several Navy Regions.  Now in charge of thousands of sailors and trillions of dollars in naval assets, he commands Navy Region Hawaii.  Join Tom...

History’s Hook hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan discuss the lives of several African-Americans who started life in Maury County, Tennessee and went on to national acclaim in various pursuits. Included are the stories of renowned chef to the rich and famous, Rufus Estes; Moses McKissack, a brick maker whose descendants include some of the most highly sought-after architects in the world; and Re...

Commander Matthew Fontaine Maury, although raised in Tennessee in the early 19th century, had a calling for the sea. His scientific approach to the navy led to him earning the nicknames “Pathfinder of the Seas” and the “Father of Oceanography.” Learn all about this important American from an expert, Mr. Russell Hooper, the collector of the Pathfinder Papers.

Elias Polk was born into slavery North Carolina, but grew up in Tennessee.  The majority of his life was spent serving James K. Polk who would eventually become the 11th President.  His life, however, spanned some eighty years, through emancipation, where Elias became politically active in Tennessee.  Join Tom, Barry, and Jo Ann and listen to Elias’ story as told by author and historian Zacharie K...

Baseball is the quintessential American sport.  Its long history dates back to the mid-19th century.  But the sport has had a fractious history when it came to race relations.  Despite quite a large number of African Americans playing in various leagues along-side white players in the early years of the sport, by the turn of the 20th century, complete segregation took hold.  A number of quote, Neg...

February 25, 1946 was a pivotal day in the history of the country, but no one knew it at the time. Gladys Stephenson and her son James had a disagreement with a local store over their treatment, and an altercation ensued that sparked a serious racial conflict in a community that had a history of strained race relations. The governor called out the National Guard, blood was shed, and people died. M...

February 25, 1946 was a pivotal day in the history of the country, but no one knew it at the time.  Gladys Stephenson and her son James had a disagreement with a local store over their treatment, and an altercation ensued that sparked a serious racial conflict in a community that had a history of strained race relations.  The governor called out the National Guard, blood was shed, and people died....

History’s Hook hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan discuss the lives of several African-Americans who started life in Maury County, Tennessee and went on to national acclaim in various pursuits. Included are the stories of renowned chef to the rich and famous, Rufus Estes; Moses McKissack, a brick maker whose descendants include some of the most highly sought-after architects in the world; and Re...

Starting life off from the humblest beginnings, Andrew Johnson rose from a simple tailor to a statesman.  The only Southerner to remain in the Senate following secession, Johnson was chosen by Abraham Lincoln as his vice-president in 1864.  Following Lincoln’s assassination a few months later, Johnson found himself hated by many of his fellow Tennesseans and distrusted by the Washington establishm...

Tennessee boasts three presidents. Host Tom Price begins his three part presidential series by interviewing the long-time director of the President James K. Polk Home and Museum, John Holtzapple. Polk is one of the least-known presidents in American history, but as you will hear, deserves to be remembered as one of the most successful. His accomplishments include starting the Naval Academy, the mo...

As part of the series on Tennessee’s three presidents, this episode of History’s Hook focuses on the first of them: Andrew Jackson.  Old Hickory, the first populist president changed the face of American politics.  Join hosts Tom Price and Dr. Barry Gidcomb as they speak with Marsha Mullin, Vice President of Collections and Research, and chief curator at the Hermitage, The Home of Andrew Jackson,...

Cemeteries as we know them today came about in the 1830’s.  Prior to that, the dead were typically buried in churchyards and backyards.  But with this change, the often elaborate planning of cemeteries resembled park settings, where people went to picnic, hunt, have races…and commune with the dead.  Cemeteries were filled with benches and in the absence of museums and galleries and botanical garde...

From 1861-1865 Tennessee was a battleground during the American Civil War.  For the majority of the war, much of Tennessee was occupied by Union troops. What was it like for Tennesseans to live in occupied territory?  Conversely, what was it like for Union troops to live in a seceded state?  In this episode, hosts Tom Price and Barry Gidcomb are joined by author and historian Dr. Thomas Flagel who...

History's Hook 09-06-2025 Episode 25: Voices of Segregation: Judge Randolph Baxter As part of a series on life in the segregation era, History’s Hook hosts, Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan interview Judge Randolph Baxter who graduated from Carver-Smith Highschool in 1963.  He attended Tuskegee University and the University of Akron School of Law.  While there he was an ROTC student, Mr. Baxter serv...

Episode 8:  Path to Freedom: Freedmen’s Bureau Schools in Tennessee To assist the formerly enslaved in their transition to freedom, the federal government inaugurated a program called the Freedmen’s Bureau.  Created in March of 1865, its initial purpose was to "direct… provisions, clothing, and fuel, as may be deemed needful for the immediate and temporary shelter and supply of destitute and suffe...

Elias Polk was born into slavery North Carolina, but grew up in Tennessee.  The majority of his life was spent serving James K. Polk who would eventually become the 11th President.  His life, however, spanned some eighty years, through emancipation, where Elias became politically active in Tennessee.  Join Tom, Barry, and Jo Ann and listen to Elias’ story as told by author and historian Zacharie K...

Episode 2: The Devil’s Backbone: The History of the Natchez Trace History’s Hook’s hosts, Tom Price and Dr. Barry Gidcomb welcome Tony Turnbow, author of “The Natchez Trace in the War of 1812” which was published in The Journal of Mississippi History and most recently, the full length book published by Time Tunnel Media titled, Hardened to Hickory: The Missing Chapter in Andrew Jackson’s Life.  Th...

In this episode Tom and Jo Ann speak to retired professional boxer Sammy Sparkman.  Born and raised in Columbia, TN, Mr. Sparkman began boxing when he was just seven years old.  Following some time away from the sport, Mr. Sparkman spent six years in amateur boxing before turning pro in 1997.  He fought in the ring all over the United States and the world including Poland, Canada, Denmark, Italy,...

Tennessee boasts three presidents.  Host Tom Price begins his three part presidential series by interviewing the long-time director of the President James K. Polk Home and Museum, John Holtzapple.  Polk is one of the least-known presidents in American history, but as you will hear, deserves to be remembered as one of the most successful.  His accomplishments include starting the Naval Academy, the...

The honorable Holly Kirby is a Tennessean that inspires. After earning degrees in engineering and law, she went on to practice law in Memphis before being appointed to the bench in the Tennessee Court of Appeals, the first woman to sit on that Court. After spending nearly 19 years there, she was sworn into the Tennessee Supreme Court in 2014. Join Tom and co-host Judge Chris Sockwell as they learn...

What does it feel like to be in control of enough firepower to obliterate a continent?  Join host Tom Price as he interviews former ballistic missile sub commander Ronald Ladd.  After growing up on a farm in rural Maury County, TN, Ron Ladd attended Rice University for math and engineering on a Navy ROTC scholarship.  Following his graduation, he was commissioned as an officer in the navy, where a...

History’s Hook explores the life of Mrs. Imogene Nelson.  Raised in Maury County, Mrs. Nelson grew up in Columbia in the 1930’s and 1940’s.  During WWII, three of her brothers served in the military, one of them, Shannon, a pilot, died when his plane crashed in Upstate NY.  Mrs. Nelson graduated from Columbia Central before entering the Women’s Army Corps.  She was stationed in Germany during the...

Episode 29: Voices of Segregation: Lyman Johnson Hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan are joined by Louisville, Kentucky native Lyman M. Johnson.  After attending the University of Louisville and spending time in the military, he also attended the University of Kentucky where he studied chemistry.  He spent his career as a chemist for Honeywell Corporation before working as an environmental chemis...