Front Porch Radio - History's Hook

Episode #48: 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...

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...

Dr. BI Naddy, Arab American, Doctor, Teacher, Philanthropist   Dr. B.I. Naddy has lived a life of service.  Born in Haifa when it was a port city in Palestine in 1933, He was one of 750,000 Arabs forced to leave during the Arab-Israeli War in 1948, settling in Amman, Jordan.  A brilliant student, he received a Fulbright Scholarship to study Chemistry in the United States.  Following a brief time a...

Episode #50: Maury or Murry?: Commander Matthew Fontaine Maury, Pathfinder of the Seas 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. Russel...

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....

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....

Jefferson Street in Nashville was a nexus of African American culture, education, and entrepreneurship.  The music that emanated from that space from 1950-1970 forever changed American music.  Join Tom and Jo Ann as they speak to the curator of the Jefferson Street Sound Museum, Lorenzo Washington.

Mr. James Rushing is an accomplished songwriter.  He has written hit songs in the genres of country, bluegrass and gospel music.  His songs have been recorded by such artists as Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Ricky Scaggs, Charlie Pride, and many others.  Mr. Rushing was nominated to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in both 2017 and 2018.  Mr. Rushing is also a military veteran, having served i...

Every boy at some point wishes and pretends that he could play professional football and make it all the way to the Superbowl.  This guest actually lived it!  Dave Hathcock started football “late” in his life, playing in Memphis.  He was pretty good…and was signed to the legendary Green Bay Packers under Coach Vince Lombardi.  His rookie year saw him playing in Super Bowl I!  Listen to Dave Hathco...

In 1954, Mr. Bob Jones was just 21 years old, but already an experienced spy for the American National Security Agency.  One of the very first NSA field agents, his missions frequently brought him to Europe where he was tasked with gathering information about America’s allies as well as its enemies.  His is a story full of intrigue, violence, and espionage.  Mr. Jones has recorded his incredible s...

Dez Dickerson was a guitar prodigy.  In 1979, he earned the spot of lead guitarist for Prince and was a founding member of Prince and the Revolution.  His solo in the song "Little Red Corvette" is considered by Guitar World Magazine to be the 64th greatest of all time.  Leaving Prince and the Revolution, he continued his musical career while also following a pathway to religion.  Today, he is the...

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 establishmen...

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, ju...

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...

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...

Episode#32: Study in Leadership: Major General William Hickman, Part 2Onthis episode, we continue our look at the extraordinary life of a manwho has found great success as a career military man. Major GeneralWilliam Hickman spent 36 years serving his country. Born and raisedin Maury County, Gen. Hickman attended local schools before attendingVanderbilt University. As an ROTC student there, upon gr...

Episode31: Case Study in Leadership: Major General William HickmanOnthis episode, we look at the extraordinary life of a man who hasfound great success as a career military man. Major General WilliamHickman spent 36 years serving his country. Born and raised in MauryCounty, Gen. Hickman attended local schools before attendingVanderbilt University. As an ROTC student there, upon graduation, hewas c...

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...

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 gardens,...

Join Tom, Jo Ann McClellan, and Dr. Barry Gidcomb as they collaborate with Columbia State Community College and discuss the award-winning book Beloved by Toni Morrison. Listen as the hosts and guests break down the literary and historical importance of this critically acclaimed book about the effects of enslavement.

Join Tom, Jo Ann McClellan, and Dr. Barry Gidcomb as they collaborate with Columbia State Community College and discuss the award-winning book Beloved by Toni Morrison. Listen as the hosts and guests break down the literary and historical importance of this critically acclaimed book about the effects of enslavement.

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 di...

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...

Every boy at some point wishes and pretends that he could play professional football and make it all the way to the Superbowl. This guest actually lived it! Dave Hathcock started football “late” in his life, playing in Memphis. He was pretty good…and was signed to the legendary Green Bay Packers under Coach Vince Lombardi. His rookie year saw him playing in Super Bowl I! Listen to Dave Hathcock’s...

In 1912, Booker T. Washington of the Tuskegee Institute and Julius Rosenwald, philanthropist and president of Sears Roebuck, built state-of-the art schools for African-American children across the South. The effort has been called the most important initiative to advance black education in the early 20th century. At its height, there were some 5300 Rosenwald schools in 15 states that educated more...