NORMAN CORWIN'S WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS (RADIO)
Summary
This program celebrates the bicentennial anniversary of
the ratification of the Bill of Rights. A Citizen
(Richard Dysart) visits with people from the past in
order to learn more about the history of the Bill of
Rights. Specifically, this program focuses on the
ratification of the Constitution, the demands made on
Congress to add a Bill of Rights, and individual
amendments. During the Citizen's historical revue, he
witnesses the following events, among others: the
public's reaction to the ratification of the
Constitution; an actor reading a speech about the
importance of freedom and the amendments of the Bill of
Rights; a singer performing a song in support of Thomas
Jefferson; a session of the United States Senate in 1798
during which the Alien and Sedition Act is passed;
Thomas Jefferson explaining how best to protect the
rights of the citizens of the United States of America;
a teacher instructing her students about the Bill of
Rights; the outbreak of the Civil War; Frederick
Douglass, a former slave, giving a speech about the
hypocrisy of Independence Day; Elijah Lovejoy, who runs
a printing press, declaring his decision to lay down his
life in order to abolish slavery; and Red Jacket, the
Seneca Chief, explaining to a government agent why it is
wrong for him to demand land from Native Americans. In
addition, the Citizen meets with Congressman Lyons, a
reporter, and a clergyman who were all imprisoned
during the presidency of John Adams for speaking out
against the government. During the last section of the
program, the Citizen meets up with Carrie Chapman Catt,
who defines due process, talks about the Ninth
Amendment, introduces him to various figures from
history, and teaches him about women's rights. Chapman
takes the Citizen on a tour of "exhibits" that relate
specific information about the historical events
surrounding the creation of amendments not originally
found in the Bill of Rights. During this tour, the
Citizen talks with Yick Wo, who explains how his
Supreme Court case helped to create the Fourteenth
Amendment; hears the "recorded" words of Aaron Burr,
who relates his opinion about women, and a female slave,
who defends the ability of women; and visits a shrine
created to honor all of those who have fought and died
for civil rights including the civil rights workers of
the 1960s. At the end of the program, the Citizen
explains why freedom must be boisterous, and Supreme
Court Chief Justice Warren Burger comments on the
freedoms offered by the Bill of Rights.
(This is a 1992 re-broadcast of a program that
originally aired on December 14, 1991.)
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WETA Washington, D.C.
- DATE: November 30, 1991
- RUNNING TIME: 1:06:35
- COLOR/B&W: N/A
- CATALOG ID: R:14785
- GENRE: Radio - Docudrama; Radio - Education/Information
- SUBJECT HEADING: Docudrama; Education/Information; United States - Constitution - Amendments; United States - History; Asian American Pacific Islanders Collection
- SERIES RUN: APR - Radio, 1992
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Mary Beth Kirchner … Executive Producer
- Judith Walcutt … Executive Producer
- Richard Fish … Associate Producer
- David Ossman … Director
- Norman Corwin … Writer
- Libby Larsen … Composer, Conductor
- Richard Dysart … Cast, the Citizen, Voice
- James Earl Jones … Cast, the Actor, Voice
- Jill Eikenberry … Cast, Carrie Chapman Catt , Voice
- Esther Rolle … Cast, the Speaker, Voice
- Lloyd Bridges … Cast, Reader of the Preamble to the Constitution, Voice
- Brenda Vaccaro … Cast, Mercy Warren, Voice
- Rene Auberjonois … Cast, Thomas Jefferson, Voice
- Harry Hamlin … Cast, a Blacksmith, Voice
- Jesse White … Cast, a Farmer, Voice
- Nan Martin … Cast, a Widow, Voice
- Edward Asner … Cast, the Editor, Voice
- Richard Masur … Cast, Alexander Hamilton, Voice
- Pat Carroll … Cast, Mrs. Divine, Voice
- Tom Bosley … Cast, Jephthah
- Fess Parker … Cast, a Virginian, Voice
- Melanie Chartoff … Cast, the Singer, Voice
- Dan O'Herlihy … Cast, Mike, Voice
- Richard Erdman … Cast, Shawn, Voice
- John Randolph … Cast, Mr. Lyon, Voice
- Studs Terkel … Cast, Reverend Haswell , Voice
- Stuart Whitman … Cast, Reverend Ogden, Voice
- Hector Elizondo … Cast, the Cellmate, Voice
- Joe Spano … Cast, Olson, Voice
- Melinda Peterson … Cast, Miss Kirchner, Voice
- Ray Bradbury … Cast, John Adams, Voice
- Robert Hooks … Cast, Frederick Douglass, Voice
- Larry Dobkin … Cast, Elijah Lovejoy, Voice
- Raye Birk … Cast, Booth, Voice
- James Hong … Cast, Yick Wo, Voice
- R.J. Johnson … Cast, Marci, Voice
- American Horse, George … Cast, Red Jacket, Voice
- Rod McKuen … Cast, Stephen Vincent BenŽt, Voice
- Warren Burger … Cast, himself, Voice
- Remy Auberjonois … Cast
- Steven Bochco … Cast
- Sabrina Harper … Cast
- Norman Lear … Cast
- Marnie Patterson … Cast
- Tom Price … Cast
- Philip Proctor … Cast
- George Tirebiter … Cast
- Ben Vereen … Cast
- Danny Wilson … Cast
- Anderson Wong … Cast