Front Porch Radio - History's Hook

Episode 7: Embattled President: Andrew Johnson 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 Tennessean...

Episode 6: Young Hickory: James K. Polk 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 in...

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...

Episode 7: Embattled President: Andrew Johnson 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 Tennessean...

Episode 3: Maury County’s Hidden Figures 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 sou...

Episode 40: Negro League Baseball 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 too...

Episode #45 and #46: The Big Read: Beloved 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.

Episode #45 and #46: The Big Read: Beloved 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.

Episode 26: Voices Long Gone: Tennessee Cemeteries 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 abse...

Episode 11: Path to Freedom 2: The Rosenwald School Initiative 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 w...

Episode 28: Voices of Vietnam: Bill McEwen This episode of History’s Hook features the Vietnam reminiscences of Mr. Bill McEwen. A native of Columbia, Tennessee, he graduated from Columbia Military Academy. He attended the University of Tennessee, where he holds both bachelor and master’s degrees. He joined the military in 1966 and after attending Officers Candidate School, was commissioned a 2nd...

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 time...

Episode #54: Eugene Heller, A Study in Leadership Eugene Heller was a businessman of note, working predominantly in the garment industry. He had several plants located in Chicago, Illinois, Columbia, TN, Lewisburg, TN, and Athens, Alabama. Besides being a leader in business, Mr. Heller will, perhaps, be most remembered as a community leader and philanthropist, whose impact upon his society will be...

Episode 39: The Clements of Tennessee: A Story of Politics Mr. Bob Clement was raised, in large part, at the governor’s residence, as he was the son of three-term Tennessee Governor Frank Clement. As such, he was at the center of Tennessee history-in-the-making, in the 1950’s and 60’s. Mr. Clement learned the value of public service at an early age. After graduating from the University of Tennesse...

Mr. Bob Clement was raised, in large part, at the governor’s residence, as he was the son of three-term Tennessee Governor Frank Clement. As such, he was at the center of Tennessee history-in-the-making, in the 1950’s and 60’s. Mr. Clement learned the value of public service at an early age. After graduating from the University of Tennessee as an ROTC student and the University of Memphis, Clement...

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...

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

Episode 31: Case Study in Leadership: Major General William Hickman On this episode, we look at the extraordinary life of a man who has found great success as a career military man. Major General William Hickman spent 36 years serving his country. Born and raised in Maury County, Gen. Hickman attended local schools before attending Vanderbilt University. As an ROTC student there, upon graduation,...

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’s hosts, Tom Price, Jo Ann McClellan and Dr. Barry Gidcomb introduce listeners to the premise of the show and talk about their backgrounds and interests and discuss what makes history important today.

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.”

Episode 36: For the Love of Community, Radio…and Cars: Blair Garner History’s Hook host, Tom Price, speaks to National and Country Music Radio Hall of Famer Blair Garner.  Blair is a Texas native who has been a radio personality since he was 17 years old.  Working in the radio business through college, his career took him to legendary stations in Washington, D.C., New York City, Houston and Los An...

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.  The Natchez Trace is a 444 mile route between Nashville, Tennessee a...

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...

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...