Radio Free Dixie-Robert F. Williams and His Wife, Mabel Broadcasting From Cuba
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Transcript of Radio Free Dixie-Robert F. Williams and His Wife, Mabel Broadcasting From Cuba
Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel from exile in Havana Cuba
RBG Robert F Williams on Black
Struggle LearningTeaching Collection
LET IT BURN - The Coming
Destruction of the USA
Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel Page 2 Radio Free Dixie
On Friday evenings at 1100
radio listeners from Key West to Seattle tuned in to ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo
an hour-long program broadcast to the United States by Robert F
Williams and his wife Mabel from exile in Havana Cuba
ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo created for blacks in the South included cutting-edge
music by African American artists news from the front lines of the black
freedom movement and fiery editorials by Rob Williams that railed
against ldquorump-licking Uncle Tomsrdquo and ldquoKu Klux
Klan savagesrdquo
Williams got permission from Fidel Castromdashwho
granted Williams and his family political asylum in
Cubamdashto begin the 50000-watt broadcast The radio
program not only kept African Americans in the South
in touch with Williams and his philosophy that blacks
should arm themselves against white racists it also
introduced listeners to new music including what
became known as ldquofreedom jazzrdquo for the songsrsquo thinly veiled appeals to ldquounity protest and
resistancerdquo
ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo drew listener mail from the coast of Washington State to the ghettoes of Los
Angeles to the shores of Long Island It was even heard on Radio Hanoi in Vietnam Eventually
CIA jamming and Cuban censorship crippled the broadcast but WBAI in New York City and
KPFA in Berkeley California often rebroadcast tapes of the shows Fans also circulated
bootlegs in Watts and Harlem ldquoEvery time I play my copyrdquo one listener wrote from Los
Angeles in 1962 ldquoI let someone else make another recording That way more people will hear
the story of Monroerdquo
Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel Page 3 Radio Free Dixie
From a recording studio in Havana Cuba Rob and Mabel Williams broadcast music of the African American freedom
movement and gave voice to the ongoing fight against racial oppression
Listen to songs and show excerpts from ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo below
httpwwwpbsorgindependentlensnegroeswithgunsradiofreedixie2html
Mabel introduces Rob who
delivers an editorial on
Americarsquos dangerous and
ldquoracist social junglerdquo (208)
September 11 1964
ldquoA Change is Gonna Comerdquo
(405)
Performed by Otis Redding
ldquoOld Jim Crow (Its All Over
Now)rdquo
Performed by Nina Simone
ldquoBallad of Old Monroerdquo (405)
Performed by Pete Seeger
ldquoMeeting Over Yonderrdquo (214)
Performed by The Impressions
ldquoChristo Redentorrdquo (317)
Performed by Donald Byrd
ldquoCrying Who Crying Yourdquo
(500)
Performed by Josh White
Mabel praises ldquoheprdquo musicians
who are ldquobecoming ever more
conscious of current universal
social problemsrdquo (300)
January 21 1966
Rob Williams reacts to the
ldquohollow victoryrdquo of President
Lyndon Johnsonrsquos
appointment of Robert C
Weaver the first African
American cabinet member
(311)
January 21 1966
Robrsquos ldquoFreedom Now or
Deathrdquo speech (233) July 30
1965
Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel Page 4 Radio Free Dixie
Check Out Photos of Robert Franklin Williams amp Mabel Williams Dar es Salaam 1968
Listen Brother
Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel Page 2 Radio Free Dixie
On Friday evenings at 1100
radio listeners from Key West to Seattle tuned in to ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo
an hour-long program broadcast to the United States by Robert F
Williams and his wife Mabel from exile in Havana Cuba
ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo created for blacks in the South included cutting-edge
music by African American artists news from the front lines of the black
freedom movement and fiery editorials by Rob Williams that railed
against ldquorump-licking Uncle Tomsrdquo and ldquoKu Klux
Klan savagesrdquo
Williams got permission from Fidel Castromdashwho
granted Williams and his family political asylum in
Cubamdashto begin the 50000-watt broadcast The radio
program not only kept African Americans in the South
in touch with Williams and his philosophy that blacks
should arm themselves against white racists it also
introduced listeners to new music including what
became known as ldquofreedom jazzrdquo for the songsrsquo thinly veiled appeals to ldquounity protest and
resistancerdquo
ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo drew listener mail from the coast of Washington State to the ghettoes of Los
Angeles to the shores of Long Island It was even heard on Radio Hanoi in Vietnam Eventually
CIA jamming and Cuban censorship crippled the broadcast but WBAI in New York City and
KPFA in Berkeley California often rebroadcast tapes of the shows Fans also circulated
bootlegs in Watts and Harlem ldquoEvery time I play my copyrdquo one listener wrote from Los
Angeles in 1962 ldquoI let someone else make another recording That way more people will hear
the story of Monroerdquo
Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel Page 3 Radio Free Dixie
From a recording studio in Havana Cuba Rob and Mabel Williams broadcast music of the African American freedom
movement and gave voice to the ongoing fight against racial oppression
Listen to songs and show excerpts from ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo below
httpwwwpbsorgindependentlensnegroeswithgunsradiofreedixie2html
Mabel introduces Rob who
delivers an editorial on
Americarsquos dangerous and
ldquoracist social junglerdquo (208)
September 11 1964
ldquoA Change is Gonna Comerdquo
(405)
Performed by Otis Redding
ldquoOld Jim Crow (Its All Over
Now)rdquo
Performed by Nina Simone
ldquoBallad of Old Monroerdquo (405)
Performed by Pete Seeger
ldquoMeeting Over Yonderrdquo (214)
Performed by The Impressions
ldquoChristo Redentorrdquo (317)
Performed by Donald Byrd
ldquoCrying Who Crying Yourdquo
(500)
Performed by Josh White
Mabel praises ldquoheprdquo musicians
who are ldquobecoming ever more
conscious of current universal
social problemsrdquo (300)
January 21 1966
Rob Williams reacts to the
ldquohollow victoryrdquo of President
Lyndon Johnsonrsquos
appointment of Robert C
Weaver the first African
American cabinet member
(311)
January 21 1966
Robrsquos ldquoFreedom Now or
Deathrdquo speech (233) July 30
1965
Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel Page 4 Radio Free Dixie
Check Out Photos of Robert Franklin Williams amp Mabel Williams Dar es Salaam 1968
Listen Brother
Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel Page 3 Radio Free Dixie
From a recording studio in Havana Cuba Rob and Mabel Williams broadcast music of the African American freedom
movement and gave voice to the ongoing fight against racial oppression
Listen to songs and show excerpts from ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo below
httpwwwpbsorgindependentlensnegroeswithgunsradiofreedixie2html
Mabel introduces Rob who
delivers an editorial on
Americarsquos dangerous and
ldquoracist social junglerdquo (208)
September 11 1964
ldquoA Change is Gonna Comerdquo
(405)
Performed by Otis Redding
ldquoOld Jim Crow (Its All Over
Now)rdquo
Performed by Nina Simone
ldquoBallad of Old Monroerdquo (405)
Performed by Pete Seeger
ldquoMeeting Over Yonderrdquo (214)
Performed by The Impressions
ldquoChristo Redentorrdquo (317)
Performed by Donald Byrd
ldquoCrying Who Crying Yourdquo
(500)
Performed by Josh White
Mabel praises ldquoheprdquo musicians
who are ldquobecoming ever more
conscious of current universal
social problemsrdquo (300)
January 21 1966
Rob Williams reacts to the
ldquohollow victoryrdquo of President
Lyndon Johnsonrsquos
appointment of Robert C
Weaver the first African
American cabinet member
(311)
January 21 1966
Robrsquos ldquoFreedom Now or
Deathrdquo speech (233) July 30
1965
Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel Page 4 Radio Free Dixie
Check Out Photos of Robert Franklin Williams amp Mabel Williams Dar es Salaam 1968
Listen Brother
Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel Page 4 Radio Free Dixie
Check Out Photos of Robert Franklin Williams amp Mabel Williams Dar es Salaam 1968
Listen Brother