July 22, 2010

Free Liberal Speeches & Lectures

If you lean left with your politics, we’ve got a good selection of 15 free resources, featuring some of the top liberal and progressive thinkers in one place. Over the years we’ve featured hundreds of free audio & video resources as part of our Free Resource of the Day Emails, and from these, we’ve hand-selected a wide array of material, including historical recordings from John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and George McGovern, and archival audio from famous Democratic National Convention speeches. We also give plenty of space to modern liberal pundits, including Noam Chomsky, Bill Maher, Howard Zinn, and Cornel West, among many others. Get a thorough overview of American progressive thought by clicking the links below:

1. Howard Zinn with Special Guests: Lannan Readings & Conversations

In this recorded event from the Lannan Foundation, Howard Zinn introduces dramatic readings from Voices of a People’s History of the United States which is a companion to his A People’s History of the United States, and features speeches, letters, poems, songs, memoirs, and protests from voices of resistance throughout American history. This live event features Jane Fonda reading Susan B. Anthony, Marisa Tomei reading Emma Goldman, and many more reknowned actors reading from activists throughout American history. This recording is available on streaming audio & video. Lannan also offers it on as an Enhanced Podcast that contains photographs as well as Chapter Markers that allow you to jump directly to individual readings from this Lannan event.

2. 1960 Democratic National Convention Acceptance Address by John F. Kennedy

Listen to John F. Kennedy’s 1960 Democratic National Convention Acceptance Address delivered on July 15, 1960 at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. He addresses his Catholic faith and hopes that “no American, considering the really critical issues facing this country, will waste his franchise and throw away his vote by voting either for me or against me because of my religious affiliation.” Kennedy also contrasts his platform of change with the “old ways” of 1960 Republican presidential candidate Richard Nixon. Finally he addresses the “New Frontier” that America faced in the 1960 election. This speech is available on streaming audio and MP3 download from American Rhetoric.

3. Ralph Nader: The Good Fight

In this talk delivered at Cody’s Books in San Francisco, controversional presidential candidate and lifelong grassroots political activist Ralph Nader talks about the themes of his book The Good Fight: Declare Your Independence and Close the Democracy Gap. Delivered to a crowd of progressives, Nader tells them the best ways to directly influence their representatives and dismisses anyone who feels they cannot create change in the policies of their government. Naders talks about issues seldom mentioned by Republicans or Democrats, such as the United State’s bloated military budget, the confrontation of corporate crime, fraud, and abuse, and the concentration of the corporate mass media on the public airwaves. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download through FORA.tv.

4. Discourses on Iraq and the Middle East by Noam Chomsky

There’s so much going on in the Middle East right now and it is certainly causing a lot of controversy. In today’s free resource of the day, MIT professor and renowned author Noam Chomsky offers his opinions of what has recently transpired. Chomsky is a very sharp mind and while many disagree with him his perspective is decidely a valuable one. Check out our entire Noam Chomsky Audio & Video Resource.

5. HBO: Real Time with Bill Maher Podcast

One of the most popular podcasts in our podcast directory currently is HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher Podcast. Host and comedian Bill Maher features a panel of guests discussing current events in politics. There is a week-long delay on the audio podcast from when the show airs, and they currently feature the previous 7 episodes on the podcast feed, along with some extra material from each show that wasn’t aired on HBO.

6. Cornel West with Amy Goodman: Lannan Readings & Conversations

In this inspiring oration from the Lannan Foundation, African American intellectual Cornel West calls for revival in America’s democratic tradition which draws on our religious, philosophical, and literary history. This speech demonstrates West’s charismatic speaking talent in the tradition of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. This talk is available on streaming audio.

7. The Great Society by Lyndon Johnson

Today’s resource of the day is President Lyndon Johnson’s address in 1964 that put forth his vision of The Great Society: a society in which our prosperous nation eventually fulfills everyone’s basic needs and sees to it that everyone is given education and opportunity to live out their hopes and dreams. The ideas in this speech lay out the agenda of the Great Society program that Johnson initiated the next year. This speech is available from American Rhetoric on streaming audio.

8. Keeping the Faith in Difficult Times: Conversation with Studs Terkel

Author and radio broadcast personality Studs Terkel recently passed away at the age of 96. In this hour long streaming video interview, Conversations with History host Harry Kreisler interviews Studs later in his life. It is a fascinating and funny interview which covers much of Terkel’s life and his philosophy on life in America. He also openly expresses his opinions about the media and the politicians today. Although in his 90s at the time, Terkel lucidly reminisces about his life and the lessons he has learned from it. This video is available to stream through YouTube.

9. President Obama’s Weekly Radio Address

President Barack Obama gives a series of radio addresses to the country that are updated weekly. With these weekly speeches Obama lays out his strategy for tackling the big issues facing Americans today, including the financial crisis, the war in Iraq, climate change and more. A great way to learn more about Obama’s policies, this podcast is also a handy way to stay abreast of current events.

10. Message To The Grass Roots by Malcolm X

In his “Message To The Grass Roots” speech Malcolm X rallies African Americans to rise up for revolution against white people and form a black nation separate from the United States. He argues against the non-violent principles of the civil rights movement and sees self-defense and violence as central to the African American struggle in the U.S. This speech shows a different side of the black struggle for human rights in the 1960s. It’s available on streaming audio and MP3 download from American Rhetoric.

11. Emma Goldman Essays

From the folks at Audio Anarchy comes this collection of essays from one of history’s most well known anarchists and feminists: Emma Goldman. In these essays Goldman writes of what anarchism stands for, as well as essays about prisons, woman’s suffrage, and more. These essays are well read by Audio Anarchy’s narrators and available on MP3 Download.

12. 1988 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address by Ann Richards

Ann Richards was the former Governor of Texas and recently passed away at the age of 73. Listen to the speech which earned her national attention. At the 1988 Democratic National Convention she delivered a witty and heartfelt speech which conveyed traditional Democratic values. This speech is available from American Rhetoric on streaming audio and MP3 download.

13. The One Percent Doctrine: Deep Inside America’s Pursuit of its Enemies Since 9/11 by Ron Suskind

In this lecture from the University Channel, author and journalist Ron Suskind delivers a rousing lecture on his book The One Percent Doctrine: Deep Inside America’s Pursuit of its Enemies Since 9/11. He weaves a narrative of America’s War on Terror since 9/11, providing examples of how it is being conducted. Suskind delivers his message with wit and outrage, keeping listeners engaged throughout. This lecture can be downloaded on MP3 audio.

14. Fighting World Hunger by George McGovern

In this talk from the Miller Center of Public Affairs, former U.S. Senator George McGovern discusses how he became involved in fighting world hunger and the methods and ideas he has for how we will do so in the future. He also throws in some comments regarding the war in Iraq and how it is distracting America from issues such as world hunger. This talk is available on MP3 download.

15. The Republican War on Science by Chris Mooney

In this interview presented by UCTV, science scholar Naomi Oreskes dialogues with author Chris Mooney about his book “The Republican War on Science”. Here Mooney gives his opinion that the Bush Administration has consistently interfered with scientific progress due in large part to moral and economic interests. Oreskes uses her scientific background to give some context to Mooney’s arguments, and the result is a short debate that shows viewers how raw data can change according to who’s presenting it. This dialogue is available on streaming video and downloadable video from Google Video.

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