radio free dixie-robert f. williams and his wife, mabel broadcasting from cuba

Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel from exile in Havana Cuba

RBG Robert F Williams on Black

Struggle LearningTeaching Collection

LET IT BURN - The Coming

Destruction of the USA

Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel Page 2 Radio Free Dixie

On Friday evenings at 1100

radio listeners from Key West to Seattle tuned in to ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo

an hour-long program broadcast to the United States by Robert F

Williams and his wife Mabel from exile in Havana Cuba

ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo created for blacks in the South included cutting-edge

music by African American artists news from the front lines of the black

freedom movement and fiery editorials by Rob Williams that railed

against ldquorump-licking Uncle Tomsrdquo and ldquoKu Klux

Klan savagesrdquo

Williams got permission from Fidel Castromdashwho

granted Williams and his family political asylum in

Cubamdashto begin the 50000-watt broadcast The radio

program not only kept African Americans in the South

in touch with Williams and his philosophy that blacks

should arm themselves against white racists it also

introduced listeners to new music including what

became known as ldquofreedom jazzrdquo for the songsrsquo thinly veiled appeals to ldquounity protest and

resistancerdquo

ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo drew listener mail from the coast of Washington State to the ghettoes of Los

Angeles to the shores of Long Island It was even heard on Radio Hanoi in Vietnam Eventually

CIA jamming and Cuban censorship crippled the broadcast but WBAI in New York City and

KPFA in Berkeley California often rebroadcast tapes of the shows Fans also circulated

bootlegs in Watts and Harlem ldquoEvery time I play my copyrdquo one listener wrote from Los

Angeles in 1962 ldquoI let someone else make another recording That way more people will hear

the story of Monroerdquo


From a recording studio in Havana Cuba Rob and Mabel Williams broadcast music of the African American freedom

movement and gave voice to the ongoing fight against racial oppression

Listen to songs and show excerpts from ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo below

httpwwwpbsorgindependentlensnegroeswithgunsradiofreedixie2html

Mabel introduces Rob who

delivers an editorial on

Americarsquos dangerous and

ldquoracist social junglerdquo (208)

September 11 1964

ldquoA Change is Gonna Comerdquo

(405)

Performed by Otis Redding

ldquoOld Jim Crow (Its All Over

Now)rdquo

Performed by Nina Simone

ldquoBallad of Old Monroerdquo (405)

Performed by Pete Seeger

ldquoMeeting Over Yonderrdquo (214)

Performed by The Impressions

ldquoChristo Redentorrdquo (317)

Performed by Donald Byrd

ldquoCrying Who Crying Yourdquo

(500)

Performed by Josh White

Mabel praises ldquoheprdquo musicians

who are ldquobecoming ever more

conscious of current universal

social problemsrdquo (300)

January 21 1966

Rob Williams reacts to the

ldquohollow victoryrdquo of President

Lyndon Johnsonrsquos

appointment of Robert C

Weaver the first African

American cabinet member

(311)

January 21 1966

Robrsquos ldquoFreedom Now or

Deathrdquo speech (233) July 30

1965


Check Out Photos of Robert Franklin Williams amp Mabel Williams Dar es Salaam 1968

Listen Brother

Robert F Williams and his wife Mabel Radio Free Dixie

On Friday evenings at 1100

radio listeners from Key West to Seattle tuned in to ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo

an hour-long program broadcast to the United States by Robert F

Williams and his wife Mabel from exile in Havana Cuba

ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo created for blacks in the South included cutting-edge

music by African American artists news from the front lines of the black

freedom movement and fiery editorials by Rob Williams that railed

against ldquorump-licking Uncle Tomsrdquo and ldquoKu Klux

Klan savagesrdquo

Williams got permission from Fidel Castromdashwho

granted Williams and his family political asylum in

Cubamdashto begin the 50000-watt broadcast The radio

program not only kept African Americans in the South

in touch with Williams and his philosophy that blacks

should arm themselves against white racists it also

introduced listeners to new music including what

became known as ldquofreedom jazzrdquo for the songsrsquo thinly veiled appeals to ldquounity protest and

resistancerdquo

ldquoRadio Free Dixierdquo drew listener mail from the coast of Washington State to the ghettoes of Los

Angeles to the shores of Long Island It was even heard on Radio Hanoi in Vietnam Eventually

CIA jamming and Cuban censorship crippled the broadcast but WBAI in New York City and

KPFA in Berkeley California often rebroadcast tapes of the shows Fans also circulated

bootlegs in Watts and Harlem ldquoEvery time I play my copyrdquo one listener wrote from Los

Angeles in 1962 ldquoI let someone else make another recording That way more people will hear

the story of Monroerdquo










September 11 1964


(405)



Now)rdquo









(500)






January 21 1966







(311)

January 21 1966



1965



Listen Brother










September 11 1964


(405)



Now)rdquo









(500)






January 21 1966







(311)

January 21 1966



1965



Listen Brother



Listen Brother

radio free dixie-robert f. williams and his wife, mabel broadcasting from cuba

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