Richard Durham
American radio show writer (1917–1984) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
American radio show writer (1917–1984) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Richard Isadore Durham (September 6, 1917 – April 27, 1984) was an African-American writer and radio producer.[1][2][3]
Richard Durham | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | September 6, 1917 |
| Died | April 27, 1984 (aged 66) New York City, New York |
| Resting place | Burr Oak Cemetery, Alsip, Illinois |
| Education | Hyde Park High School Northwestern University |
| Occupation(s) | Writer (radio and books) |
| Known for | Promotion of American civil rights |
| Notable work | Destination Freedom |
| Spouse | Clarice Davis |
| Children | Mark Durham |
| Awards | Radio Hall of Fame National Recording Registry (Library of Congress) Audie Award for Autobiography or Memoir |
Durham was born in Raymond, Hinds County, Mississippi,[2] and moved with his family to Chicago in 1921.[4] He attended Hyde Park High School and Northwestern University.[5]
Beginning in 1939, Durham worked on the Illinois Writer's Project (part of the Federal Writers' Project).[6][7] In 1940 he wrote two short radio dramas entitled The Story of Winslow Homer[8] and The Story of Auguste Rodin.[9] An essay, "The philosophical basis of Sterling McMurrin", was also published.[10]
Leaving the IWP in 1942, Durham worked as a freelance writer. Two national shows, The Lone Ranger and Ma Perkins, used his scripts.[6] Durham wrote for New Masses, the Chicago Defender, the Chicago Star and the Illinois Standard newspapers.[11][12] At the same time he joined the Communist Party, USA.[13]
His first radio series was Democracy – USA, sponsored by the Chicago Defender.[6] It aired in 1946 on Chicago's WBBM.[14] The next year he started the dramatic Black soap opera radio series Here Comes Tomorrow on WJJD.[14]
Following his early radio writings, Durham wrote and produced the radio drama Destination Freedom.[15] In cooperation with The Chicago Defender, he began this series over NBC Chicago outlet WMAQ in July 1948, with scripts emphasizing the progress of African-Americans from the days of slavery to the ongoing struggle for racial justice.[16] Two episodes – "A Garage in Gainesville" and "Execution Awaited" – are part of the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.[17]
After Destination Freedom Durham was the national program director of the United Packinghouse Workers of America. He resigned in 1958.[18] He then was a press agent for T. R. Howard during Howard's 1958 run for Congress.[citation needed]
In the 1960s Durham was the editor of Muhammad Speaks, a Nation of Islam newspaper in Chicago.[19]
While an editor of Muhammed Speaks Durham created a soap opera for Chicago's WTTW television station. Bird of the Iron Feather was the first all-Black television soap opera, and ran for 21 episodes, three times a week starting in January 1970. The show's title came from a speech by Frederick Douglass given in 1847.[20][21][22][23]
He had a supporting role in the 1972 film Sounder.[24][25] He also co-wrote The Greatest: My Own Story, the 1975 autobiography of Muhammad Ali. The book was adapted into a 1977 movie of the same name.[26] In 1980 Ali and Durham wrote the article "Why I Must Fight" for Umoja Sasa.[27]
Durham also wrote for the Illinois Writers Project, Here Comes Tomorrow (WJJD/Chicago) and Ebony Magazine.[1] His own short book of poetry, Night Windowpanes, was published in 1975.[28]
During Harold Washington's 1982 mayoral election Durham worked to improve Washington's political speeches.[4]
From at least the late 1940s until his death, Durham was married to fellow Northwestern alumnus and prominent Chicago educator Clarice Davis (1919–2018), with whom he had one child, a son, Mark.[29][30][31][32]
Durham died on April 27, 1984, of a heart attack while on a trip to New York City.[33]: 177 Following a memorial cemetery at A.A. Rayner and Sons mortuary, his cremated remains were interred at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.[33]: 2–7, 178
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