Front Porch Radio - History's Hook

Episode 29: Voices of Segregation: Lyman JohnsonHosts 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 chemist with the Environmental Protection Agency.  He now lives near Los Angeles, CaliforniaMr. Johnson's father Lyman T. Johnson was a leader in the American Civil Rights movement.  The first black man to be admitted to the University of Kentucky, after having to sue for the right to attend, he eventually was bestowed three honorary doctorates.  A building on the campus bears his name.  Our guest's grandfather Robert G. Johnson was a leader in the education of black students and served as a teacher and principal here in Columbia, TN.  Our guest's great-grandfather was born enslaved here in Maury County, and was able to purchase his freedom and that of his wife before becoming, himself, educated.  It's truly an inspiring American story.

Episode #48: Centenarian Cecil Whiteside, WWII Naval VeteranMr. 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 remarkable Tennessean.

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, Negro leagues were formed to allow for African Americans to play the sport, but various factors caused most of them to fail.  Players faced serious discrimination and some stadiums refused to let black teams play at their facilities.It all changed in 1920, when Rube Foster launched the Negro National League. Reformulated several times with new leagues and owners, Negro League baseball enjoyed periods of success in the early 1920s and again after the Great Depression. However, Jackie Robinson's integration of baseball in 1947 prompted a slow but irreversible influx of talent to the major leagues, and the remaining Negro League teams mostly folded by the 1960s.  Middle Tennessee fielded a number of great African American baseball players and Nashville hosted several Negro League teams.  Including the Villians, the Black Vols, the Elite Giants, and the Stars.On December 16, 2020, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred declared that the seven historic Negro leagues would be recognized as official major leagues, with their players' records and statistics counted in baseball's record books.Hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan speak to author Dr. Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton, author of several books and articles on women's sports and Negro League baseball including “Daddy's Scrapbook: Henry Kimbro of the Negro Baseball League, A Daughter's Perspective,” which she published in 2015.  In 2017, Dr. Kimbro-Hamilton was inducted into the Fisk University Sports Hall of Fame.

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 as a scientist for the Jordanian Governement, Dr. Naddy returned to the United States permanently and became the first Ph.D. professor at Columbia State Community College (the first community college in Tennessee.  He taught over 5000 students, many of whom went on to stellar careers in medicine.  His strong spiritual foundation has led him to great philanthropic pursuits, and he has started a number of scholarships and endowments for education.  Join hosts Tom Price and Father Chris Bowhay, as they learn about the life of Arab American, Dr. B.I. Naddy.

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

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.  More than 100 African Americans were jailed.  The subsequent court case featured some of the finest trial lawyers in the country.  The incident, remembered as the Columbia Race Riot, was the first such event following World War 2, and marked the first step in the American Civil Rights Movement.  Hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan are joined by historian Dr. Gail O'Brien, author of the book The Color of the Law which talks about his pivotal event in American History.

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.  More than 100 African Americans were jailed.  The subsequent court case featured some of the finest trial lawyers in the country.  The incident, remembered as the Columbia Race Riot, was the first such event following World War 2, and marked the first step in the American Civil Rights Movement.  Hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan are joined by historian Dr. Gail O'Brien, author of the book The Color of the Law which talks about his pivotal event in American History.

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 in the 1st Special Forces Group at the very beginning stages of the Vietnam War. Today, he is here to talk about his remarkable life and the lessons he has learned along the way.  Join Tom and new co-host Fred Stallcup as they interview Mr. Rushing.

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 incredible and inspiring story with hosts Tom Price and Chris Sockwell.

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 story in a short book titled, “Room 204: Story of a Cold War Spy.”   

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 leader of "We Are Here" Church in Columbia.  Join Tom Price and Lake Stallcup as they spend an hour with one of History's Hook's most fascinating guests.

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 establishment. The first president to be impeached, Johnson was also a brave leader who did his best to heal the nation following the Civil War. Kendra Hinkle, museum specialist at the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site in Greeneville, TN discusses the 17th President.

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, just outside of Nashville.

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 modern postal system, and the Independent Treasury System…none of which were his main goals…which he also accomplished in a promised single term of office.

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 Rev. Edmond Kelley, an enslaved man who was able to obtain his own freedom, then that of his wife and children by becoming one of the most influential preachers in the North, all prior to the Civil War. 

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 graduation, hewas commissioned into the army as a 2ndlieutenant in 1983. Over the next three decades, he rose through theranks holding various field and staff commands including company,battalion, and brigade commands with the 101stAirborne Division. Between 2003-2008, Gen. Hickman served threetours of duty in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Serving inover 30 countries, he joined the Central Command Staff as militaryassistant to General David Patraeus. He became commanding general ofthe JointReadiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, Deputy Commanderfor the U.S. Army in the Middle East, and finally, DeputyChief of Staff, Strategic Plans and Policy, NATO's Allied CommandTransformation. Retiring from the military in 2019 as a majorgeneral, Gen. Hickman is now senioradvisor at Compass Executives Group, assisting businesses in crisismanagement, strategic planning and decision-making, coaching andleader development, and supply chain management. Tom Price and Dr.Barry Gidcomb lead the discussion.

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 commissioned into the army as a 2ndlieutenant in 1983. Over the next three decades, he rose through theranks holding various field and staff commands including company,battalion, and brigade commands with the 101stAirborne Division. Between 2003-2008, Gen. Hickman served threetours of duty in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Serving inover 30 countries, he joined the Central Command Staff as militaryassistant to General David Patraeus. He became commanding general ofthe JointReadiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, Deputy Commanderfor the U.S. Army in the Middle East, and finally, DeputyChief of Staff, Strategic Plans and Policy, NATO's Allied CommandTransformation. Retiring from the military in 2019 as a majorgeneral, Gen. Hickman is now senioradvisor at Compass Executives Group, assisting businesses in crisismanagement, strategic planning and decision-making, coaching andleader development, and supply chain management. Tom Price and Dr.Barry Gidcomb lead the discussion.

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 after working for the “Father of the Nuclear Navy,” Admiral Hyman Rickover, he joined the submarine service.  He deployed aboard the attack submarines USS PUFFER (SSN-652) and USS SEAHORSE (SSN-669).  After six years on attack subs, he became the executive officer aboard the ballistic missile sub, USS FRANCIS SCOTT KEY (SSBN-657) before taking command of USS JOHN C. CALHOUN (SSBN-630).  After retiring from the navy, Cmdr. Ladd joined Raytheon Corporation, working on multi-branch detection systems.  After 21 years with Ratheon, he retired back to his family farm in Maury County, Tennessee.  Join host Tom Price, as he speaks with Mr. Ladd about his navy days.

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, featured beautiful sculptures and horticultural art. Yet during times of pandemic, cemeteries were places where disease and its victims gathered…kept separate from living spaces. These dichotomies both drew people to cemeteries and pushed them away. Join Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan as they interview Graham Perry, Historic Preservation Specialist with the Tennessee Historical Commission.

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 discusses the Union occupation of Tennessee during the Civil War.

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 Price and Jo Ann McClellan as they learn lessons in leadership from Columbia, Tennessee's own Admiral Stephen Barnett.

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 incredible and inspiring story with hosts Tom Price and Chris Sockwell.

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 than 600,000 African American children. Join hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan with special guest Dr. Mary Hoffschwelle, professor of history at Middle Tennessee State University.

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 suffering refugees and freedmen and their wives and children." Over the next several years, the Freedmen's Bureau's purpose would greatly expand to serve the needs of the African American community. One of the bureau's most successful endeavors was in the area of education. Freedmen's schools cropped up all over the south, allowing African Americans to gain an education for the first time. History's Hook hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan, with special guest Dr. Antoinette van Zelm, explore the Freedmen's Bureau and Freedmen's Schools in Tennessee.

Born into slavery in Davidson County, Tennessee to an enslaved mother and her white owner, Jermain Wesley Loguen would eventually be moved to Maury County, Tennessee before he finally made his escape from slavery to the North. He eventually settled in Upstate New York, where his efforts to assist the enslaved out of bondage, made him known as the “King of the Underground Railroad.” Recent scholarship is leading Loguen to becoming one of the great names associated with early Civil Rights in America. Join hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan as they speak with Texas State University Professor Dr. Angela Murphy about Loguen's remarkable life.

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 leader of "We Are Here" Church in Columbia.  Join Tom Price and Lake Stallcup as they spend an hour with one of History's Hook's most fascinating guests.

History's Hook Episode #58: J.E.R. Carpenter, Father of the Luxury High-RiseBorn and raised in Columbia, Tennessee, James Edwin Ruthven Carpenter attended MIT and the Ecole des Beaux Arts before becoming one of America's premier architects.  Remembered in his home state for such buildings as The Hermitage Hotel and The Stahlman Building in Nashville, he also built the Maury County Courthouse, Carpenter would arrive in New York City just as mansions on Millionaires Row were being torn down.  Knowing the wealthiest in the city still needed places to live that befit their economic and social station, Carpenter devised the idea of building luxury apartments where each floor was a mansion.  This appealed to the "1%'ers" and even today, Carpenter's apartments are highly sought after or the craftsmanship and attention to detail.Tom Price interviews Tom Vickstrom, the historian of the Hermitage Hotel, author and architectural historian Andrew Alpern, and Carpenter's great grand-daughter Leslie Doyle.

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 of the Korean War. Today she is going to tell us about growing up in Columbia, her experiences in the military, and her thoughts on life today.

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 incredible and inspiring story with hosts Tom Price and Chris Sockwell.

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 about the life of Justice Holly Kirby.

August 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution which allowed women the right to vote. Tennessee played a pivotal role as it was the 36th and final state needed to make the 19th amendment the law of the land. Although Tennessee can make the claim of being the state that made this important change in American History happen, it belies the fact that Tennessee and the South was late in embracing the suffrage movement. In truth, it took decades of hard fighting by women across the nation to claim this most basic of rights. The suffrage movement is a case-study in grass-roots politics. Small towns across the state and nation organized local suffrage groups to help further the initiative. In the end, the 19th amendment did not, in fact, claim for all women the right to vote. For African-American women, many of whom contributed to the suffrage movement, it would take many more decades for them to secure the right to vote without stipulations. Today on History's Hook, we'll explore the history of woman suffrage in Tennessee. Join Tom Price, Jo Ann McClellan, Dr. Barry Gidcomb, and special guest Dr. Carol Bucy as they explore this important topic.

Hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan speak with Ms. Sandra Seaton. Ms. Seaton is an award winning author, playwright, and librettist. Her plays have been performed in cities throughout the country, including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and her libretto for the solo opera “From the Diary of Sally Hemings,” set to music by Pulitzer Prize, Grammy Award winning, 2007 composer of the year winner, William Bolcom, has been performed at such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco and the Rialto Performing Arts Center in Atlanta.  She received the Mark Twain Award from the Society for the study of Midwestern Literature in 2012. She taught creative writing and African-American Literature at Central Michigan University for 15 years as a professor of English.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifOF8LTYa_4&pp=ygUNU2FuZHJhIFNlYXRvbg%3D%3D

Learning the basic principles of engineering on a farm in Maury County, Tennessee, Mr. Rick Burt parlayed that experience into nuclear and aerospace engineering.  He worked his way up at NASA working on rocket systems, to become chief of testing and safety.  Today, he is Deputy Director of the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL, where he is working on the next generation of space vehicles that will propel man back to the moon and beyond.  Join Tom and guest co-host Judge Chris Sockwell as they discover what it takes to be a NASA engineer.

Sometimes a connection between two families takes decades to uncover. Join host Tom Price as he brings two families together over one of WWII's greatest tragedies. This story is 80 years in the making. It has all the elements of a best-selling book…a story first set in the 1930's in rural Tennessee, that tells of love, war, tragedy, loss, renewal and re-discovery.

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.

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 modern postal system, and the Independent Treasury System…none of which were his main goals…which he also accomplished in a promised single term of office.

Episode 20: The Second Great AwakeningOn this episode of History's Hook, hosts Tom Price and Dr. Barry Gidcomb discuss one of the great transformative movements in 19th century America…the Second Great Awakening. This movement brought about a serious upswing in religious thought in America following the Revolutionary War. From this religious awakening came a dramatic increase in membership to various church denominations as well as the genesis of a number of new denominations. The effects of the Second Great Awakening spanned the North American continent and crossed-over into new social and political reforms that helped shape American society. Tom and Barry are joined by Father Chris Bowhay, rector of St. Peter's Episcopal Church.

Episode 18: Reporting the News in the Volunteer State: The Finney/Kennedy Media FamilyFor four generations, the Finney/Kennedy family have been reporting the news in Tennessee. The editors of both local and state newspapers, they have also been involved in politics and radio reporting. Join History's Hook host Tom Price as he interviews Delk Kennedy and Elizabeth Blackstone about their family's ties to media and politics in Tennessee.

Episode 23: Flying General: Lieutenant General Spence Armstrong, Part 2Born and raised in Mt. Pleasant, Spence Armstrong went on to a stellar military career which began at the United States Naval Academy, before transferring to the Air Force to become a pilot. While serving, he became an aerospace engineer and test pilot, flying many different aircraft. By the time the Vietnam War started, Armstrong was a veteran pilot with 11 years flight experience. As a major, he flew 102 combat missions in F-105 Thunderchiefs in Southeast Asia in 1967-1968. Moving up the ranks, his commands took him around the world and across the United States and even to the stars, having served as deputy director of space systems and command, control, and communications at NASA. He retired from the Airforce as a Lieutenant General in 1990. General Armstrong spent eleven more years as a senior executive at NASA leading the agency's human resources efforts and programs with academia. Join History's Hook host, Tom Price in part 2 of his interview Maury County's highest ranking military officer.

Episode 22: Flying General: Lieutenant General Spence ArmstrongBorn and raised in Mt. Pleasant, Spence Armstrong went on to a stellar military career which began at the United States Naval Academy, before transferring to the Air Force to become a pilot. While serving, he became an aerospace engineer and test pilot, flying many different aircraft. By the time the Vietnam War started, Armstrong was a veteran pilot with 11 years flight experience. As a major, he flew 102 combat missions in F-105 Thunderchiefs in Southeast Asia in 1967-1968. Moving up the ranks, his commands took him around the world and across the United States and even to the stars, having served as deputy director of space systems and command, control, and communications at NASA. He retired from the Airforce as a Lieutenant General in 1990. General Armstrong spent eleven more years as a senior executive at NASA leading the agency's human resources efforts and programs with academia. Join History's Hook host, Tom Price as he interviews Maury County's highest ranking military officer. 

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

Episode 19: The Columbia Race Riot of 1946, Part 2February 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. More than 100 African Americans were jailed. The subsequent court case featured some of the finest trial lawyers in the country. The incident, remembered as the Columbia Race Riot, was the first such event following World War 2, and marked the first step in the American Civil Rights Movement. Hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan are joined by historian Dr. Gail O'Brien, author of the book The Color of the Law which talks about his pivotal event in American History.

Episode 17: The Columbia Race Riot of 1946 Part 1 of 2February 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. More than 100 African Americans were jailed. The subsequent court case featured some of the finest trial lawyers in the country. The incident, remembered as the Columbia Race Riot, was the first such event following World War 2, and marked the first step in the American Civil Rights Movement. Hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan are joined by historian Dr. Gail O'Brien, author of the book The Color of the Law which talks about his pivotal event in American History.

Episode 40: Negro League BaseballBaseball 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, Negro leagues were formed to allow for African Americans to play the sport, but various factors caused most of them to fail. Players faced serious discrimination and some stadiums refused to let black teams play at their facilities.It all changed in 1920, when Rube Foster launched the Negro National League. Reformulated several times with new leagues and owners, Negro League baseball enjoyed periods of success in the early 1920s and again after the Great Depression. However, Jackie Robinson's integration of baseball in 1947 prompted a slow but irreversible influx of talent to the major leagues, and the remaining Negro League teams mostly folded by the 1960s.Middle Tennessee fielded a number of great African American baseball players and Nashville hosted several Negro League teams. Including the Villians, the Black Vols, the Elite Giants, and the Stars.On December 16, 2020, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred declared that the seven historic Negro leagues would be recognized as official major leagues, with their players' records and statistics counted in baseball's record books.Hosts Tom Price and Jo Ann McClellan speak to author Dr. Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton, author of several books and articles on women's sports and Negro League baseball including “Daddy's Scrapbook: Henry Kimbro of the Negro Baseball League, A Daughter's Perspective,” which she published in 2015. In 2017, Dr. Kimbro-Hamilton was inducted into the Fisk University Sports Hall of Fame.

Episode 3: Maury County's Hidden FiguresHistory'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 Rev. Edmond Kelley, an enslaved man who was able to obtain his own freedom, then that of his wife and children by becoming one of the most influential preachers in the North, all prior to the Civil War.

Episode 28: Voices of Vietnam: Bill McEwenThis 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 lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He served in Vietnam from July 7, 1967 to July 21, 1968 in Marine Air Support Squadron 3, taking part in one of the largest engagements of the war at Khe Sanh.

Episode 12: Voices of Vietnam: Dr. Bill AndrewsThe Vietnam War was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam, backed by its communist allies against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The conflict was intensified by the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. More than 3 million people (including over 58,000 Americans) were killed in the Vietnam War, and more than half of the dead were Vietnamese civilians. Join special guest, Dr. Bill Andrews as he talks about his experiences as a young officer in Vietnam.This episode was originally aired in January of 2020 and it is dedicated in loving memory to our special guest, Dr. Bill Andrews.

Episode 13: Old Hickory: Andrew JacksonAs 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, just outside of Nashville.