Witness History: Archive 2011

In November 1960, Ruby Bridges became one of the first black children in New Orleans to be educated at a white elementary school. It began the desegregation of the education system in the Southern States. She was just six years old, and she had to be accompanied to school by US Marshals. *** Listeners should be aware that some of the language in this programme reflects the historical context of the time. *** Image: Associated Press

In 1958, a mixed-race couple, Mildred and Richard Loving, were arrested and then banished from the US state of Virginia for breaking its laws against inter-racial marriage. Nine years later, Mildred and Richard Loving won a ruling at the Supreme Court declaring this sort of legislation unconstitutional. Witness speaks to the Lovings' lawyer, Bernie Cohen. Image: Mildred and Richard Loving, pictured in 1967 (Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images)

On 1 February 1960, four young black men began a protest in Greensboro, North Carolina against the racial segregation of shops and restaurants in the US southern states. The men, who became known as the Greensboro Four, asked to be served at a lunch counter in Woolworths. When they were refused service they stayed until closing time. And went back the next day, and the next. Over the following days and months, this non-violent form of protest spread and many more people staged sit-ins at shops and restaurants. Witness hears from one of the four men, Franklin McCain.

The Freedom Riders were civil rights activists who rode on buses, testing out whether bus stations were complying with the Supreme Court ruling that banned segregation. Listen to Bernard Lafayette Junior, an eyewitness to how Martin Luther King managed to prevent inter-ethnic bloodshed on a night of extreme tension during the battle against segregation in the American South. Picture: A group of Black Americans get off the 'Freedom Bus' at Jackson, Mississippi, Credit: William Lovelace/Express/Getty Images

*** This programme was first broadcast on 25 October, 2011 *** In the mid 1970s Nelson Mandela began writing his autobiography in prison, on Robben Island. Mac Maharaj was one of the prisoners who helped edit and conceal the manuscript. Photo: Associated Press, Nelson Mandela before he was imprisoned.

The armed wing of the ANC party took its first violent action in 1961, when a bomb was planted at municipal offices in Durban. Ronnie Kasrils explained what happened that day. (Image: Ronnie Kasrils in 1961. Credit: Ronnie Kasrils)

A snapshot of the attitudes and emotions on both sides of the racial divide as the South Africa authorites cemented the foundations of Apartheid in 1957.

In 1948 nearly 500 pioneers travelled from the Caribbean on the Empire Windrush. The passage cost £28, 10 shillings. Passenger Sam King describes the conditions on board and the concerns people had about finding a job in England - and what life was like in their adopted country once they arrived.

In April 1981 the streets of Brixton, south London, erupted into violence. The fighting took part between young members of the black community and the Metropolitan police. A former rioter, Sheldon Thomas, and a former policeman, Brian Paddick, tell their side of the story. This programme was first broadcast last year. Photo: Press Association

US troops left Iraq earlier this month, well before their deadline of 31 December. We hear from one American soldier who remembers when they first invaded the country, almost nine years ago. Photo: John Crawford and a colleague in Iraq.

In 1984 one of the most popular computer games ever was invented in Moscow. Hear from Alexey Pajitnov, the Russian who created it, and Henk Rogers, the American who helped to sell it around the world. Photo: Henk and Alexey.

The children's writer Enid Blyton, was one of the most popular authors of the 20th Century. Books such as her Famous Five series were read by millions across the world. But Blyton was reviled by some senior managers at the BBC, who effectively banned her work between the 1930s and 1950s. Simon Watts uses audio and written archive to chart the difficult relationship between the author and the national broadcaster. PHOTO: Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

In December 1986 the Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov was allowed to return to Moscow. He had spent seven years in internal exile. His release had been ordered by the reforming Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

She was one of Germany's greatest battleships during World War II. But on Boxing Day 1943 she was sunk in the freezing waters of the Arctic. Norman Scarth is a Witness listener who was on board a British ship and watched her go down. Photo: Norman Scarth the young sailor.

On Christmas Eve 1914, during World War I, British and German soldiers stopped fighting. Many of them left their trenches and started to talk and exchange gifts. But after a few hours of peace they were ordered back to their guns. Photo: Associated Press

As we approach Christmas we look back at the turning point in the career of the world's most famous evangelist - Billy Graham. He's preached the gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history - more than 200 million around the world - and it all began in north London in 1954. Claire Bowes has been speaking to the man who Mr Graham describes as the architect of international evangelism. PHOTO: Jerry Beavan and Billy Graham in the 1950s.

In 1971 the first big rock benefit gig was organised by former Beatle, George Harrison. He did it to raise money for refugees from the Bangladesh War of Independence. Hear from a friend, and a musician who were there. Photo: Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Christmas 1984 was a difficult time for British miners who had been on strike for nine months. They had taken industrial action to try to save their coal mines from government closure. Listen to one miner's wife tell how her family made it through the anger and deprivation of that time. Photo: BBC

In 1996 the Spice Girls were at the top of the charts. Their brand of cheeky British pop had taken the world by storm - they called it 'Girl Power'. We hear from two Spice Girls insiders about the early days when Baby, Sporty, Posh, Scary and Ginger were complete unknowns who used to travel by bus. PHOTO: Spice Girls at an awards ceremony in December 1996.

In 1971, Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan after nine months of war. Kamal Hossain, a leading political figure, was jailed during the conflict and only released shortly after Bangladeshi independence. Kamal Hossain describes his feelings as his country won its freedom. PHOTO: Kamal Hossain (l) with the founder of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

In December 1986 Kazakhs began protesting against Moscow's rule. The young demonstrators were objecting to a Kremlin decision to put a Russian in charge of their country. Hear how one 16 year old girl had her first taste of freedom.

As the former leader of Panama, Manuel Noriega faces charges of murder in his home country we take you back over 20 years to the moment he was removed from power by the USA. Manuel Noriega hid out in the Papal embassy - we hear from a man who found himself sleeping in the room next door to him. PHOTO: US Army in Panama City (Reuters)

We take you back to the early days of the European project when six countries established the European Economic Community. Photo: Keystone/Getty Images

In December 1981 hundreds of peasants were killed by the army in El Salvador. Men, women and children from the village of El Mozote were shot. Only one woman, Rufina Amaya, is known to have survived. Photo: Rufina Amaya at a funeral for the victims held in 2001. Credit AFP/Getty images

It is 10 years since the height of the financial crisis in Argentina. Bank accounts were frozen and tens of thousands of ordinary people took to the streets in protest. Photo: Demonstrators climb the gates of Government House in Buenos Aires. Credit: Associated Press.

It is 70 years since Japanese planes attacked the US Navy base in Hawaii. The action forced the USA into World War II. Jack Hammett, was a young naval medic who survived the carnage. Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

The story of the Bermuda Triangle began when five US Navy planes went missing in 1945. No trace of the bombers was ever found - and since then - other ships and planes have diappeared in the same area of the Atlantic Ocean. Witness hears from one man who took part in the original search for Flight 19.

"The idea that you could take a pill, that meant that you wouldn't get pregnant and you could enjoy sex. That had a magic feel to it." On 4 December 1961 the contraceptive pill became widely available for free in the UK, through the National Health Service. For married women this form of birth control meant reliable, convenient family planning - for unmarried women it meant sexual freedom. Hear from the writer Michelene Wandor was a student at Cambridge University at the time. Photo: The Pill, Credit: Getty Images

To mark World Aids Day Louise Hidalgo reports on the story of Ryan White. He was a haemophiliac who was banned from school after testing HIV positive. His death from Aids, changed attitudes towards the disease in the USA. PHOTO: Associated Press

In 1979 British public sector workers went on strike over pay. Among those taking industrial action were grave-diggers. But the media, politicians, and even their own families turned against them at the thought of bodies being left unburied.

In November 1999 police battled with anti-globalisation protestors for control of the streets of Seattle. The demonstrators were protesting against World Trade Organisation talks taking place in the US city. Norm Stamper was the Chief of Police in Seattle at the time. Photo: AP

In November 2001 a group of British tourists were arrested and put on trial for spying in Greece. They were not spies, but aircraft enthusiasts. Hear how their British hobby resulted in suspicion, and ultimately jail. Paul Coppin with Greek police. Photo AP News.

Fifty years ago, the sedative drug thalidomide was withdrawn from sale in Germany and the UK. It became clear that, if taken by women in early pregnancy, it can cause serious - in many cases, fatal - damage to the unborn child. Photo: Getty Images

Ned Kelly, the infamous Australian outlaw was captured in the remote settlement of Glenrowan in 1880. In a dramatic last stand, Kelly and his gang took hostages and tried to derail a police train. Kelly was hanged a few months after his capture. The rest of the gang were killed. Witness brings together eye-witness accounts of the last stand. The programme also hears from the Australian historian Professor Carl Bridge. PICTURE: Ned Kelly is shot and captured while wearing his armour (HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES).

Of the "Big Men" who ruled Africa after independence, few were as notorious as Mobutu Sese Seko. During his 32 years in power, Mobutu renamed Congo as Zaire and stole many millions of dollars. As the people of Congo prepare to vote for a new president, a former advisor to Mobutu remembers his years in power. Witness also hears from Michaela Wrong, author of "In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz". PHOTO: Mobutu shares a joke with a foreign visitor (HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES)

In November 2003 a popular uprising unseated the government of Georgia. Demonstrators waving roses burst into Parliament and Eduard Shevardnadze was forced to stand down. Hear from one of the people on the streets of Tbilisi that day.

In 1977, Anwar Sadat became the first Egyptian president to visit Israel and address the Israeli parliament, or Knesset. At the time, Egypt was still formally at war with Israel - a country which no Arab nation then recognised. Sadat's visit led to a formal peace treaty betweem the two countries. Louise Hidalgo talks to the Egyptian cameraman, Mohamed Gohar - a favourite of Sadat's. PHOTO: Sadat addressing the Knesset (AFP/Getty Images)

The diminutive weight-lifter, Precious McKenzie, was a prodigious talent, but apartheid prevented him from competing for South Africa. Precious had to move to Britain and work in a factory in Northampton. While doing so, he finally achieved international success at the 1966 Commonwealth Games. Precious went on to become a familiar figure on British TV in the 1970s. Emily Williams talks to him for Sporting Witness. PHOTO: Precious McKenzie shows off his medal collection (Hulton Archive/Getty Images).

He was one of the great pioneers of electrical power. In November 1915 the New York Times announced that he and his rival, Thomas Edison, would share the Nobel Prize for Physics. But the two men never received the prize. Image: A statue of Nikola Tesla in his home village of Smiljan. Credit: AFP/Getty Images.

How a Soviet agent managed to fool the British intelligence service for years. Even after he'd been identified as a spy by the Americans, Kim Philby was allowed to stay in Britain. Photo: Kim Philby (right) protesting his innocence to the media. Credit: Getty Images.

It is 45 years since a BBC TV drama changed British ideas about homelessness. The hardhitting film, directed by Ken Loach, told the story of a young woman who fell on hard times and lost her home, her husband and then her children.

On All Saints Day 1755, the Portuguese city of Lisbon was hit by a triple disaster - an earthquake, followed by a tsunami and a fire. One of the most splendid cities in Europe suffered massive damage and thousands of people were killed. The disaster also led to debate across Europe about whether earthquakes were a natural phenomenon or a message from God. Witness brings together accounts by British survivors of the earthquake, and hears from Edward Paice, author of Wrath of God - the Great Lisbon Earthquake. Image: Lisbon before the earthquake (Hulton Archive/Getty Images).