Episodes
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The sugar-filled history and legacy of Necco, the beloved local candy company
This week on Under the Radar: New England Confectionery Company, or Necco, was the oldest continuously running candy company in the country up until its closure in 2018. The company, which was based in Revere, Massachusetts, produced Clark Bars, Mary Janes, Candy Buttons, Sky Bars, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Sweethearts, and — most notably — Necco Wafers. The New England Confectionery Company shaped the candy industry in our region and beyond, and its closure shocked sweettooths across the country. But the historic Necco candies are living on, produced by the Ohio-based Spangler Candy Company. We’re talking all things candy, confections and the future of our region’s sweets industry. GUEST: Darlene Lacey, an author and curator of The Candy Wrapper Museum. Her most recent books are “Necco: An Epic Candy Tale” and “Necco: The Archive Collection.” -
Three experts on tracking extreme heatwaves, wildfires and other worldwide climate crises
This week on Under the Radar: An unprecedented heatwave has swept Europe into a sweltering, deadly public health crisis. Here in the United States, President Joe Biden is soon expected to declare a climate emergency after he's spent months trying — and failing — to push his climate agenda through Capitol Hill. And a new survey shows that extreme weather disasters are taking a toll on Americans' personal finances. Those stories and more on our Environmental News Roundtable. GUESTS: Beth Daley, editor and general manager of The Conversation, U.S. Sam Payne, strategic communications manager for 350 Mass and Better Future Project, a Massachusetts-based grassroots climate-action organization. Dr. Aaron Bernstein, interim director of The Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, a pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital, and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. -
Puerto Rican Festival of Massachusetts gears up for its 55th annual celebration
This week on Under the Radar: There will be plenty of traditional music, food, dance troupes and parade floats at this weekend’s Puerto Rican Festival of Massachusetts, back for its 55th annual celebration. The three-day event kicks off on Friday, July 29 at Franklin Park. The fourth-largest Puerto Rican festival in the nation honors the history of the largest Latino group in the state. GUESTS: Marilyn Rivera, the Puerto Rican Festival of Massachusetts' board vice president and pageant director. Nimzay Vazquez, the Puerto Rican Festival of Massachusetts' 2022 Pageant Queen. Lorna Rivera, director of UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development & Public Policy. -
Book Club: Geraldine Brooks’ ‘Horse’
This week on Under the Radar: How is it possible that the bones of a champion racehorse were not too long ago consigned to the dusty attic of the Smithsonian? A horse whose stellar career and long pedigree were little known outside some racing circles? These real-life details intrigued bestselling author Geraldine Brooks. leading her to craft a fictional tale based on the documented history of that top racing horse named Lexington. Brooks’ simply titled novel “Horse” is a tale of the twinned histories of both Lexington and the people who admired her. It is a thrilling narrative stretching across centuries and set against a backdrop of racial turbulence, art history and scientific inquiry. “Horse” is our July selection for “Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club.” Geraldine Brooks is the author of six novels including her latest, “Horse.” The bestselling author won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in fiction for her book, “March.” Brooks, who is Australian-born, is also a former journalist and the author of three nonfiction books, including her memoir, “Foreign Correspondence: A Pen Pal’s Journey from Down Under to All Over.” -
LGBTQ News: How does Roe v. Wade reversal affect gay rights?
Immediately after the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, LGBTQ rights advocates sounded the alarm, saying the conservative court “won’t stop at Roe.” At least one justice — Clarence Thomas — has confirmed their fears, with his statement that the high court “should reconsider” its decision on Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Meanwhile, vandals smeared homophobic graffiti on the exterior of The Pryde, the LGBTQ senior housing complex under construction in Boston. And Hollywood’s latest rom-com is set among a group of vacationing gay men. “Fire Island” offers a fresh take on a summer romance which celebrates queerness. Those stories and more on our LGBTQ News Roundtable. GUESTS: Grace Sterling Stowell, executive director of the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth, or BAGLY Janson Wu, executive director of GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, or GLAD Sue O’Connell, commentator and host at New England Cable News, NBC 10 Boston and NBC LX; co-publisher of Bay Windows and The South End News -
'Quock Walker Day' could soon be a state holiday in Massachusetts
This week on Under the Radar: You might know that Massachusetts was the first state in the nation to abolish slavery, but you probably haven’t heard how a Black man named Quock Walker was instrumental in making that happen. Back in 1754, the state census counted 4,500 enslaved people in Massachusetts. Walker, born to enslaved Black people, was one of them. He self-emancipated at 28 years old. His punishment for leaving was a brutal beating by his former enslaver. Walker took his case to court where he won his freedom. The Walker legal victory became precedent leading to slavery's abolishment in the state. Fast forward to 2022, and Massachusetts is on track to make Quock Walker Day a state holiday, also known as Massachusetts Emancipation Day. Why has it taken so long to learn the story of emancipation in Massachusetts? And will Quock Walker become a household name? GUESTS: State Sen. Cindy Friedman, elected in 2017 to represent the Fourth Middlesex District, which includes Arlington, Billerica, Burlington, Woburn and precincts of Lexington. She filed the Quock Walker Day bill which passed the state senate in February. Sean Osborne, founder of the Association of Black Citizens of Lexington. On Saturday, July 9, 2022, the ABCL is hosting the second annual Quock Walker Day Hike for Freedom. Register here. -
Harvard confronts its historic ties to slavery
This week on Under the Radar: Harvard pubilshed its “Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery” report back in April, which detailed the institution's clear, historical ties to slavery. That included enslaved individuals on campus, funding from enslavers and dozens of faculty — including past Harvard presidents — who were enslavers themselves. This was back in the 18th century, but the commercial aspects of slavery is linked in multiple ways today. To begin redressing the university's past involvement with slavery, Harvard has pledged $100 million to create a “Legacy of Slavery Fund.” Other universities, notably Brown, have also been engaged in the work of identifying ties to slavery and how the university benefited. So how will higher education continue to investigate its slavery linked past? And will Harvard's admission move the conversation about higher education and systemic racism? GUESTS: Ruth Simmons, president of Prairie View A&M University in Texas. Previously, Simmons served as president of Smith College in Massachusetts and of Brown University in Rhode Island, where she was the first Black woman to preside over an Ivy League school. Simmons began Brown's ongoing research and redress related to its ties to slavery. Tomiko Brown-Nagin, dean of Harvard Radcliffe Institute, professor of constitutional law at Harvard Law School and professor of history at Harvard University. In 2019, she was appointed chair of the presidential committee on "Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery." Sven Beckert, Laird Bell Professor of History at Harvard University and a Harvard presidential committee member. -
How Juneteenth is commemorated across the Commonwealth
This week on Under the Radar: The country's recent racial reckoning has sparked a renewed interest in Juneteenth — nearly every state in the country recognizes the holiday, and this year many employers gave staffers the day off. But there is alarm that broader embrace of the holiday has sparked the worst kind of exploitive marketing and promotion. Local observances, however, are lifting up the meaning of Juneteenth and connecting the historic event to today’s racial reckoning. GUESTS: Kahina Van Dyke owner of Narragansett House, Dunmere By The Sea, and Inkwell Beach House in Oak Bluffs and creator of the Martha’s Vineyard Juneteenth Jubilee. Skip Finley, author, writer, and one of the organizers of Martha’s Vineyard Juneteenth Jubilee. He is also director of sales and marketing for the Vineyard Gazette Media Group. Nicole McClain, founder and president of the Northshore Juneteenth Association. -
The 24th Roxbury Film Festival celebrates films by, for and about people of color
This week on Under the Radar: The Boston-based Roxbury International Film Festival, or RoxFilm, is back for its 24th annual event. Festival organizers are once again offering a hybrid structure, allowing attendees to view screenings both online and in-person. All of the films spotlighted by the Roxbury Film Festival are curated to display the cinematic excellence of film professionals of color. This year’s schedule is packed with 80 films showcasing everything from documentaries to animation, along with panel discussions and live Q&As. All the fun kicks off next week and will run through July 2nd. GUESTS: Lisa Simmons, executive director of the Roxbury International Film Festival. Soren Sorensen, associate teaching professor of screen studies at Clark University and award-winning filmmaker. His second feature-length documentary, Omar Sosa’s 88 Well-Tuned Drums is showing at this year’s RoxFilm. -
Dishing with the author of Marvel's Black Panther: The Official Wakanda Cookbook
When authors and directors invite audiences into an imagined world, they know that food can’t be left off the table. And fans are feasting on a delicious genre: pop culture cookbooks. Recipes and imaginary narratives combine to bring cuisines from fictional universes to real life. A sprinkling of books from this genre have been around for decades. But in the past few years, demand from fandoms has grown, and publishers are all too willing to satiate their hunger. As part of our Summer Fun Series, we’re bringing you a show chock-full of fictional-turned-real recipes and the masterminds behind them. First up, the culinary delights of Marvel’s Wakanda! Guest: Nyanyika Banda, Malawian-American chef, writer, entrepreneur, and author of the newly released Marvel’s Black Panther: The Official Wakanda Cookbook. Nyanyika is based in Amherst, Mass.
