Orson Welles and the Blind Soldier 3: The Trial

The podcast explores Orson Welles's 1946 radio commentaries on the Isaac Woodard case, where a Black WWII veteran was blinded by a police officer. Welles's broadcasts, which called for the officer's arrest, sparked both support and backlash, with some stations canceling their ABC affiliation. Despite a Justice Department investigation and trial, the officer was acquitted by an all-white jury. The case galvanized the NAACP and influenced President Truman, leading to Executive Order 9981, which desegregated the military. The story highlights the challenges of achieving accountability in the Jim Crow South and the role of media and activism in the early civil rights movement.