Today’s episode is all about waterfront history. The first segment covers the only Black whaling Captain in California history: William Shorey. The media called him “Black Ahab” and his adventures made him an Oakland hero. He was one of the most powerful men of color in California—but there’s a complicated side to his story that’s … Continued
East Bay Yesterday
1 pm to 2 pm
This series explores stories of culture, politics and nature from Oakland, Berkeley and other towns throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
Today’s episode features two segments about the history of West Oakland. The first segment explores how Oakland’s Black population nearly quintupled during the 1940s when tens of thousands of African Americans fled the Jim Crow-era South to work in East Bay shipyards like Moore Dry Dock Company. The backlash to this boom laid the foundation … Continued
Fred Korematsu’s story of resistance against the mass incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II isn’t just a fascinating chapter of history – there’s still so much to learn from this shameful era. In the first segment of today’s episode, Berkeley-based author Laura Atkins discusses her book “Fred Korematsu Speaks Up.” Published by Heyday Books, … Continued
The first part of this episode features a one-on-one interview with Cheryl Fabio, the director of “Evolutionary Blues: West Oakland’s Music Legacy.” Cheryl discusses local blues history, the legendary 7th street music scene, and her event series “Resistance, Resilience & Anticipation: A fresh look at the Black Arts Movement in Oakland.” For more about those … Continued
Although rarely credited, Berkeley became America’s first sanctuary city on November 8, 1971. This episode explores how an ancient idea was revived in protest of the Vietnam War and again to support Central American refugees during the 1980s. With sanctuary cities under attack by the Trump administration, learn how the sanctuary movement started—and triumphed over … Continued
Segment 1: Although Oakland has one of the highest concentrations of lesbians in the country, the history—and impact—of this community is relatively unknown. Lenn Keller is trying to change that with the upcoming launch of the Bay Area Lesbian Archives, a wide-ranging collection of photographs, activist materials, meeting notes, videos and more. In this episode, … Continued
North Oakland’s Golden Gate neighborhood has undergone a rapid demographic shift over the past decade as many longtime Black residents have moved out and wealthier, younger white people have moved in. The first segment of this episode features five stories that explore how folks are navigating these changes. The second segment of this episode features … Continued
The first segment of this episode explores the Richard Pryor’s time living in Berkeley: Richard Pryor was one of the most influential comedians of all time, but when he first arrived in the East Bay, he said: “I don’t think I have a style yet.” This episode explores how living in Berkeley during an era … Continued
East Bay Yesterday – October 10, 2018
This series explores stories of culture, politics and nature from Oakland, Berkeley and other towns throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
The first segment of this episode explores the history of Emeryville’s legendary mudflat sculptures: For decades, millions of drivers passing through Emeryville saw an ever-changing array of giant statues along the bayshore. In addition to the towering wooden vikings, dragons and other whimsical creatures, activists used driftwood and trash to build monumental projects responding to … Continued