Way Back When

Jefferson Highway News - It's Happening in Oklahoma!

Celebrate Small Business Month (May) and National Travel & Tourism Week (May 19-25, 2024) with this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Historic Jefferson Highway" Show that focuses on the Jefferson Highway Association's efforts in Oklahoma which includes new road signage, the first state chapter, and the upcoming 2025 Conference in McAlester (June 4-7, 2025). 
FEATURED GUESTS:- ROGER BELL, President of the Jefferson Highway Association. Info: https://jeffersonhighway.org/  - DELAINA STEVENS - President of the Oklahoma Chapter of the Jefferson Highway.- BILLY SUMNER - McAlester Tourism Manager & Vice President of the Oklahoma Chapter of the Jefferson Highway. More: http://www.travelmcalester.com/    
The Jefferson Highway Association originally founded the Jefferson Highway in 1915. This international highway is also known as "The Pines to the Palms Highway," that runs from Winnipeg, Canada to New Orleans, Louisiana. This Big Blend Radio "Historic Jefferson Highway" Podcast airs every 4th Thursday at 6pm CST. Follow the show here: https://jefferson-highway.podbean.com/ 

Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches

With the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Celebrations coming up (June 20-22, 2024), this episode of Big Blend Radio's 3rd Tuesday "Go to Natchitoches" show is all about the sports history, culture, and impressive athletes of Natchitoches and the state of Louisiana. Featured guests are K. Nicole Connell, Communication Manager of Natchitoches Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Doug Ireland - Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame is an impressive $23-million museum complex in the historic downtown district of Natchitoches. It's collection of portraits and memorabilia celebrate the achievements of more than 300 legendary Louisiana athletes, coaches and other sports figures. Other sports-themed exhibits and interactive media trace the history and importance of sports to life in Louisiana.  The complex is also home to the Northwest Louisiana History Museum. Info: https://lasportshall.com/  
Founded in 1714, Natchitoches is the original French Colony and oldest settlement in Louisiana. Celebrating a vibrant blend of French, Spanish, African, Native American, and Creole cultures, this charming city is part of the Cane River National Heritage Area and Louisiana’s No Man’s Land. More about Natchitoches and its current events at https://natchitoches.com/  
Follow Big Blend Radio's "Go to Natchitoches" show here:  https://natchitoches-louisiana.podbean.com/ 

Author Anna Monardo - After Italy Memoir

This episode of Big Blend Radio features author Anna Monardo who discusses her new and award-winning memoir, "After Italy: A Family Memoir of Arranged Marriage" (Bordighera Press, May 14, 2024).
Author of "The Courtyard of Dreams" and "Falling in Love with Natassia," Anna pivots from her career as an established fictional author to reveal the truths she discovered while investigating her family’s story. Starting in Southern Italy, 1948 leading to the U.S. and igniting a family feud so volatile it leads to separation, domestic violence, and an inescapable legacy of fractured love. At 39, caught in her own failing “marriage of convenience,” Anna looks to her family’s immigration history as she charts her personal path to self-discovery and the adoption of her son.
Anna’s story speaks to those breaking the cycle of family trauma, the cultural conflicts among immigrant families, and the risks we take when going against family expectations. More: https://annamonardo.com/

Jo Clark - Experiencing Gettysburg in the Footsteps of Ancestors

On this episode of Big Blend Radio's JO GOES EVERYWHERE! Podcast with travel writer and photographer Jo Clark, we hear about her roots travel experiences in Gettysburg, where she literally stepped in the footsteps of her ancestors. Read her article about it here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/gettysburg-in-the-footsteps-of-ancestors/
Jo Clark is a travel writer and photographer based on South Carolina’s Grand Strand. She has a thirst for knowledge, history, great food, and wine! Her Big Blend Radio podcast "Jo Goes Everywhere!" airs every 2nd Sunday at 7pm EST. Follow the show on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/yfkjm8sd

Marni Patterson - A Walk Through Ancient & Modern History in Northern Greece

On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Food, Wine & Travel" Show with IFWTWA, travel writer Marni Patterson talks about her 10-day experience in Northern Greece where she traveled through centuries of history.  
Hear how she walked in the footsteps of Alexander the Great and Paul the Apostle, saw monasteries that date back to the 11th century, monuments to World War I, met revolutionary heroes, and saw tragic reminders of Nazi occupation. She also discovered some fascinating women's history. You can read her article about it all here: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/ancient-northern-greece/ 
Marni Patterson is a freelance travel writer, photographer and videographer in Phoenix, AZ who writes about destination travel, local customs and cultures, and history. Keep up with her at https://mptravelwriting.com 
Learn more about the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) at https://www.ifwtwa.org/ 
Follow this podcast: https://food-wine-travel.podbean.com/ 

Filmmaker Jennifer Takaki - Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, this episode of Big Blend Radio features filmmaker Jennifer Takaki who discusses the making of the documentary, "Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story," and how photographer Corky Lee influenced her work. For 50 years, Chinese American photographer Corky Lee documented the celebrations, struggles, and daily lives of Asian American Pacific Islanders with epic focus. Determined to push mainstream media to include AAPI culture in the visual record of American history, Lee produced an astonishing archive of nearly a million compelling photographs. His work takes on new urgency with the alarming rise in anti-Asian attacks during the Covid pandemic. Jennifer Takaki’s intimate portrait reveals the triumphs and tragedies of the man behind the lens. Learn more at: https://photographicjustice.com/The film will have a nationwide US television release, premiering Monday, May 13 at 10/9C on PBS (check local listings) and on PBS apps to follow. More at: https://www.pbs.org/show/photographic-justice-the-corky-lee-story/ Filmmaker Jennifer Takaki is a fourth generation Japanese American from Colorado. She began her career in journalism at a Denver TV station and later moved to Hong Kong to work with Encore International. In Hong Kong she produced English-based news programming broadcast in China, India, and the Middle East via Rupert Murdoch’s STAR-TV. In New York, she produced and directed “Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story” which premiered at DOC NYC and was supported by the Ford Foundation and The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM). She was awarded the prestigious Better Angels Lavine Fellowship in 2023. 

Mike Guardia - Medics and Nurses in Combat

In honor of National Nurses Day (May 6, 2024) and National Nurses Week (May 6-12, 2024), this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Military Monday" Show with award-winning military historian and author Mike Guardia, focuses on medics and nurses in combat. Hear about WWII combat nurse Lt. Avis Schorer (nee Dagit) who served with an evacuation hospital in North Africa and Italy; and Alfred Velazquez Rascon, a retired US Army lieutenant colonel who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions as a medic near Long Khánh Province during the Vietnam War.
Mike Guardia is the author of over 20 other military history books including "The Combat Diaries: True Stories from the Frontlines of World War II." His latest book is the Amazon best-seller, “Fire in the Hole: Tales of Combat with the 1st Engineer Battalion in Vietnam.” More: https://mikeguardia.com/  
Mike Guardia appears on Big Blend Radio's military history shows every 1st Monday. Follow his podcast here: https://mike-guardia-military-monday.podbean.com/

Rick San Nicolas - Master of Hawaiian Featherwork of Old Hawai‘i

This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Toast to The Arts & Parks" Show features Rick Makanaaloha Kia'imeaokekanaka San Nicolas (Kanaka Maoli) who returned for the fifth time as the National Parks Arts Foundation artist-in-residence at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. 
Recognized as Ke Kumu Hulu Nui, meaning "Master of Hawaiian Featherwork of Old Hawai‘i," San Nicolas is dedicated to preserving and perpetuating this art form. Through his expertise and passion, he ensures that the traditions of feather lei making continue for generations to come. San Nicolas draws inspiration directly from the landscape of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, feeling a deep connection to the environment and its historical significance. He finds inspiration in the ancient Hawaiian featherwork tradition, particularly in the regalia worn by Hawaiian Royalty and warriors.
This year Rick travels to Washington D.C. to present his featherwork for inclusion in the collection of the Museum of the Department of Interior as well as having it on display in the office of Secretary Deborah Haaland (Laguna Pueblo). He is also a consulting advisor in historical featherwork on the upcoming TV Series "Chief of War," starring Jason Momoa. More at: https://www.hawaiianfeathers.com/  
Learn more about the National Parks Arts Foundation's unique artist residency programs in parks across the country at https://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/