Peace Talks Radio: Peacemaking Elders (59:00 / 54:00)

On this edition of Peace Talks Radio, conversations with three octogenarian peace advocates who have each found ways to stay active, working for peace well into their eighties.   They each bring the perspective of over eight decades of history to the table as they crusade in their own way for nonviolence. 

First, Juanita Morrow Nelson.  In the mid-1940’s, Juanita Morrow was a young reporter for a Cleveland African-American newspaper.  She was assigned to interview several conscientious objectors who were in jail awaiting appeal of their 5 year sentence for refusing military service in World War 2 because they didn’t feel they should be required to kill.    Ms. Morrow became intrigued with one of the men – Wally Nelson.   Not long after Nelson was released in 1946 after serving 33 months of his sentence, he and Juanita began a relationship that was built around their common commitment to non-violence in all parts of their lives.   The Nelsons were among the first to take the step of refusing to pay taxes to the government because they did not want their tax dollars to go to military spending.  For decades they lived simply below the taxable income line and were active in civil rights and social justice movements.   Wally Nelson died in 2002 at the age of 93.  Juanita Nelson, 85 at the time of our interview, was continuing on her own, living in the house she and Wally Nelson built together from salvaged material.  No electricity, no plumbing, growing their own food on a small tract of land in western Massachusetts.

Next, Ruth Imber.  If you lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and ever attended an event that promoted peacemaking, you’d find a little bespectacled grey haired woman named Ruth Imber there for sure.   In fact, it wouldn’t be unusual for Ruth to slowly climb on to the stage, and grab a microphone to recite an original peace poem or song.  Social justice and peace activism has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember, which, she admits is going back pretty far – to her 1920’s and 30’s childhood in New York City where she grew up.  Ruth Imber, 83 at the time of her interview with Carol Boss, is also a member of the "Raging Grannies."

Finally, Dr. Bernard Lown, who, at 87, wrote the book Prescription for Survival, recounting his path to a Nobel Peace Prize in 1985.  Bernard Lown is a doctor who is known as the original developer of the cardiac difibrilator around 1960.   But Lown also became deeply involved in the drive to reduce nuclear weapon arsenals, forming Physicians for Social Responsibility and the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. 

If your station can better utilize 29:00 programs, this content has been divided into two discrete half hours also at PRX:

PART ONE: http://www.prx.org/pieces/33384-peace-talks-radio-peace-elders-part-1-juanita-n

PART TWO: http://www.prx.org/pieces/33382-peace-talks-radio-peace-elders-part-2-dr-berna

On this edition of Peace Talks Radio, conversations with three octogenarian peace advocates who have each found ways to stay active, working for peace well into their eighties.   They each bring the perspective of over eight decades of history to the table as they crusade in their own way for nonviolence. 

First, Juanita Morrow Nelson.  In the mid-1940’s, Juanita Morrow was a young reporter for a Cleveland African-American newspaper.  She was assigned to interview several conscientious objectors who were in jail awaiting appeal of their 5 year sentence for refusing military service in World War 2 because they didn’t feel they should be required to kill.    Ms. Morrow became intrigued with one of the men – Wally Nelson.   Not long after Nelson was released in 1946 after serving 33 months of his sentence, he and Juanita began a relationship that was built around their common commitment to non-violence in all parts of their lives.   The Nelsons were among the first to take the step of refusing to pay taxes to the government because they did not want their tax dollars to go to military spending.  For decades they lived simply below the taxable income line and were active in civil rights and social justice movements.   Wally Nelson died in 2002 at the age of 93.  Juanita Nelson, 85 at the time of our interview, was continuing on her own, living in the house she and Wally Nelson built together from salvaged material.  No electricity, no plumbing, growing their own food on a small tract of land in western Massachusetts.

Next, Ruth Imber.  If you lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and ever attended an event that promoted peacemaking, you’d find a little bespectacled grey haired woman named Ruth Imber there for sure.   In fact, it wouldn’t be unusual for Ruth to slowly climb on to the stage, and grab a microphone to recite an original peace poem or song.  Social justice and peace activism has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember, which, she admits is going back pretty far – to her 1920’s and 30’s childhood in New York City where she grew up.  Ruth Imber, 83 at the time of her interview with Carol Boss, is also a member of the "Raging Grannies."

Finally, Dr. Bernard Lown, who, at 87, wrote the book Prescription for Survival, recounting his path to a Nobel Peace Prize in 1985.  Bernard Lown is a doctor who is known as the original developer of the cardiac difibrilator around 1960.   But Lown also became deeply involved in the drive to reduce nuclear weapon arsenals, forming Physicians for Social Responsibility and the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. 

If your station can better utilize 29:00 programs, this content has been divided into two discrete half hours also at PRX:

PART ONE: http://www.prx.org/pieces/33384-peace-talks-radio-peace-elders-part-1-juanita-n

PART TWO: http://www.prx.org/pieces/33382-peace-talks-radio-peace-elders-part-2-dr-berna

On this edition of Peace Talks Radio, conversations with three octogenarian peace advocates who have each found ways to stay active, working for peace well into their eighties.   They each bring the perspective of over eight decades of history to the table as they crusade in their own way for nonviolence. 

First, Juanita Morrow Nelson.  In the mid-1940’s, Juanita Morrow was a young reporter for a Cleveland African-American newspaper.  She was assigned to interview several conscientious objectors who were in jail awaiting appeal of their 5 year sentence for refusing military service in World War 2 because they didn’t feel they should be required to kill.    Ms. Morrow became intrigued with one of the men – Wally Nelson.   Not long after Nelson was released in 1946 after serving 33 months of his sentence, he and Juanita began a relationship that was built around their common commitment to non-violence in all parts of their lives.   The Nelsons were among the first to take the step of refusing to pay taxes to the government because they did not want their tax dollars to go to military spending.  For decades they lived simply below the taxable income line and were active in civil rights and social justice movements.   Wally Nelson died in 2002 at the age of 93.  Juanita Nelson, 85 at the time of our interview, was continuing on her own, living in the house she and Wally Nelson built together from salvaged material.  No electricity, no plumbing, growing their own food on a small tract of land in western Massachusetts.

Next, Ruth Imber.  If you lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and ever attended an event that promoted peacemaking, you’d find a little bespectacled grey haired woman named Ruth Imber there for sure.   In fact, it wouldn’t be unusual for Ruth to slowly climb on to the stage, and grab a microphone to recite an original peace poem or song.  Social justice and peace activism has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember, which, she admits is going back pretty far – to her 1920’s and 30’s childhood in New York City where she grew up.  Ruth Imber, 83 at the time of her interview with Carol Boss, is also a member of the "Raging Grannies."

Finally, Dr. Bernard Lown, who, at 87, wrote the book Prescription for Survival, recounting his path to a Nobel Peace Prize in 1985.  Bernard Lown is a doctor who is known as the original developer of the cardiac difibrilator around 1960.   But Lown also became deeply involved in the drive to reduce nuclear weapon arsenals, forming Physicians for Social Responsibility and the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. 

If your station can better utilize 29:00 programs, this content has been divided into two discrete half hours also at PRX:

PART ONE: http://www.prx.org/pieces/33384-peace-talks-radio-peace-elders-part-1-juanita-n

PART TWO: http://www.prx.org/pieces/33382-peace-talks-radio-peace-elders-part-2-dr-berna