Carlotta Walls LaNier is one of the Little Rock Nine — one of the first nine Black students to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in September of 1957. Leona Tate is one of the McDonogh Three — one of the first three Black students at McDonogh elementary in New Orleans in 1960.
Both women and their families endured harassment, threats and violence. School segregation became illegal in the United States following the Supreme Court's Brown vs. The Board of Education decision in 1954, but many southern states broke the law and resisted the movement to integrate. On this episode, we talk with Walls LaNier and Tate, who are speaking in Iowa this week. They will be speaking together at Plymouth Church in Des Moines at 6 p.m. on Oct. 2, and Tate will be speaking in Algona at the First Congregational United Church of Christ at 5 p.m. on Oct. 3.
Then, actor Tony Danza is best known for his starring roles in the TV shows Who’s the Boss? and Taxi. Now, he is touring in his latest act 'Tony Danza: Standards and Stories,' coming to Mason City. Arts and culture reporter Nicole Baxter spoke with Danza about his switch from boxing to acting, his upcoming performance and his ukulele, Lucy. He'll perform at the North Iowa Community Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3.
Tony Danza's performance is part of the NIACC Performing Arts and Leadership Series which is an underwriter of IPR.
Guests:
- Carlotta Walls LaNier, real estate broker, author, one of the Little Rock Nine
- Dr. Leona Tate, founder of Leona Tate Foundation for Change (LTFC), one of the McDonogh Three
- Tony Danza, actor
