On January 12, 1926, the two-man comedy series “Sam ‘n’
Henry” debuted on Chicago  radio station WGN. Two years
later, after changing its name to “Amos ‘n’ Andy,” the show
became one of the most popular radio programs in American
history.

Though the creators and the stars of the new radio program,
Freeman Gosden and Charles Carrell, were both white, the
characters they played were two Black men from the Deep
South who moved to Chicago to seek their fortunes.

By that time, white actors performing in dark stage makeup—
or “blackface”—had been a significant tradition in American
theater for over 100 years.

Gosden and Carrell, both vaudeville performers, were doing
a Chicago comedy act in blackface when an employee at the
Chicago Tribune suggested they create a radio show.

SANDY KOZEL

The crew of the Apollo 8 (from left): Frank Borman, William Anders and James Lovell Jr. (AP Photo) 

 

Borman announced that the crew had a final message for
the people of Earth as each man took turns reading the 
first 10 verses of the book of Genesis from the Bible.

The Apollo 8 mission paved the way for Apollo 11, fulfilling
President John F. Kennedy’s goal of landing a man on the
moon before the end of the decade.

Apollo 8 command module in the Museum of
Science and Industry.

Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929 – April 18, 2012)

Dick Clark was a television and radio personality and producer
who hosted American Bandstand from 1956 to 1989.

He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid game show from
1973 to 1988 and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, which
broadcast New Year’s Eve celebrations in New York City’s Times
Square.

Dick Clark hosting the New Year’s eve special from New
York’s Times Square.

Brian Wheeler, known by the nickname "Wheels", was a
radio announcer and host best known for his work as the 
the play-by-play radio announcer for the Portland Trail
Blazers of the National Basketball Association from 1998
to 2019.

Wheeler had reportedly been in poor health for some time. He
died today at age 62.

Arthur W. Ferguson

At age 16, Tuna began working at his hometown radio
station, KGFW in Kearney, Nebraska.

Tuna received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
(as "Charlie Tuna") in January 1990, and was inducted
into the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Hall of
Fame in 1999. On July 18, 2008, he was voted into the
National Radio Hall of Fame.

Star-Kist 1970 Charlie the Tuna transistor radio.