Archives Rewind Vol. 5

Welcome back! It’s that time again — more highlights from rewinding our “Archives on the Air” series.

black and white image with yellow text. image is of old TV, VHS tapes, records, and music amplifiers.

Let’s get Volume 5 on rewind…

Episode 163 – Wyoming Defends Woman’s Suffrage – Morton E. Post Famly Papers 

Women’s Suffrage has been a hot topic as of late, particularly in Wyoming. You see, we’re celebrating 150 years of women voting here — 50 years before the 19th Amendment.

Also relevant — check out this recent article in the Smithsonian Magazine about how Wyoming is celebrating this anniversary.

hallway with shelves full of boxes on both sides

Boxes filled with archival collection material in one of the storage rooms at the American Heritage Center. Photo by Rick Walters.


Episode 72 – The Early Byrd – First African American in Wyoming State Senate

Speaking of women and politics — Harriett Elizabeth Byrd was the first African American legislator in Wyoming. She served in the Wyoming House for 8 years, and Wyoming Senate for 4 years. She was the primary sponsor for legislation that created Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Wyoming.

byrd

Harriet Elizabeth Byrd and her husband James W. Byrd (the first African American chief of police in WY.), Various dates. Box 10, Harriet Elizabeth Byrd Family papers.


Episode 153 – Escape from Bolivia – Gale McGee Papers

And yet another politician from Wyoming — Gale McGee, who served as a U.S. Senator from 1959-77 — found himself in the middle of a coup in Bolivia in 1979.

From perspective of sitting in back seat of a car. Two people in front seat; can see one person in rear view mirror. In the street are a car and a military tank. There are several brick buildings on the right side of the street.

The scene as viewed from the backseat of the McGees’ vehicle, October 1979. Box 25A, Gale McGee papers.


Episode 64 – Communists In Your Neighborhood: Sesame Street’s Mr. Hooper & The Red Scare

Before staring as grocer Mr. Hooper in Sesame Street, Will Lee was blacklisted from acted because he was suspected of being a communist during the McCarthyism era.

man standing behind table/bar inside and holding a glass and towel.

Will Lee as Mr. Hooper on the set of Sesame Street, 1970s. Box 1, Will Lee papers.

 


The purpose of the Archives Rewind series is to highlight episodes from our “Archives on the Air” segment that airs on Wyoming Public Media.

“Archives on the Air” can be heard on Wyoming Public Radio Monday through Friday at 8:50 am, 11:50 am, and 6:50 pm or online on Wyoming Public Media’s website.

#AlwaysArchiving

 

This entry was posted in African American history, Archives on the Air, Blacklisting, Bolivian history, Communism, Gale McGee, Local history, Martin Luther King Jr., Motion picture actors and actresses, Politics, Suffrage -- United States, Women -- suffrage, women's history, Wyoming, Wyoming history and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

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