Nov 21st, 2008 · Filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles' breakout hit Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song rattled the Hollywood status quo when it was released in 1971 with an "X" rating for adult content. Since then, Van Peebles has gone on to write, direct and act in many other projects, which has earned him upcoming tribute by the Gotham Indepedent Film Awards. Van Peebles discusses highlights of his career and addresses criticism of his work.
Sep 9th, 2008 · Fresh Air's jazz critic takes a fresh look at the reissue of the album Head On (Blue Note/EMI), a 1971 session led and recorded by Bobby Hutcherson.
Jul 4th, 2008 · When Carole King's album Tapestry came out in 1971, it became one of the best-selling albums of all time and marked her as one of pop's most talented songwriters. King's masterpiece has been reissued as a 2-disc Legacy Edition by Sony. Music historian Milo Miles takes a look at the landmark work.
Jun 12th, 2008 · The Nixon Presidential Library in California hosts a "pingpong diplomacy" rematch between Chinese and American players in honor of the historic 1971 and '72 matches. Those games helped to open relations between the United States and China and pave the way for President Nixon's visit to the communist nation. Co-host Renee Montagne talks with Margaret MacMillan, author of Nixon and Mao: The Week That Changed the World.
May 27th, 2008 · This 1971 debut novel by actor-turned-writer Thomas Tryon is a portrait of psychological decay and transference between identical twin boys born, incongruously, on different days (one before, the other just after midnight) and with different Zodiac signs.
May 3rd, 2008 · Robert Vesco was one of the world's most famous "white collar crooks" during the Watergate scandal. He fled the United States in 1971 and served time in Cuba for fraud and drug trafficking. The New York Times reports Saturday that Vesco died in November. His death was never reported to Cuban authorities. James Rosen, author of The Strong Man: John Mitchell and the Secrets of Watergate, talks with Andrea Seabrook.
Mar 16th, 2008 · Veterans of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq tell war stories at an event near Washington, D.C., sponsored by Iraq Veterans Against the War. The title -- "Winter Soldier" -- echoed a similar gathering by Vietnam vets in 1971.
Mar 6th, 2008 · The movie, based on an actual heist in London in 1971, opens Friday. Director Roger Donaldson discusses what he learned from the incredible robbery.