American Experience Presents

"American Experience Presents" brings a fresh take on the iconic stories told on TV’s most-watched history series. Launching with the rise and fall of Joseph McCarthy, the Republican senator from Wisconsin whose zealous anti-communist crusade in the 1950s tested American democracy. As a first-term senator, McCarthy gained national prominence by alleging widespread communist infiltration in the U.S. government, fueling an era of intense paranoia and persecution known as McCarthyism.Next, we explore the life of William Randolph Hearst, the American newspaper mogul whose immense wealth and power reshaped the media's role in politics and society. Hearst's prodigious appetites and vast media empire allowed him to mold public opinion and influence major events.Finally, there's Isaac Woodard, an Army sergeant and one of over a million African Americans who served bravely in World War II. Tragically, just hours after being honorably discharged, Woodard was pulled from a bus in rural South Carolina and brutally beaten by local police, leaving him permanently blind. His shocking case of racist police brutality gripped the nation in 1946 and transformed a white South Carolina judge into a civil rights champion. Woodard's quest for justice helped inspire President Truman to desegregate the military and challenge segregation in the South, changing the course of history before fading from public memory.This new GBH podcast examines how these three transformative figures shaped pivotal moments in 20th century America, bringing their stories to life for a new generation of listeners.-------------------------------------Credits:Lead Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsAssociate Producer: Meiqian HeScriptwriters: Galen Beebe and Andrew NewmanEditor: Devin Maverick RobinsEditorial Advisor: John BredarSound Designer: Jack PombriantNarrators: James Edwards and Cameo GeorgeExecutive Producer: Cameo George