Don Michel "Insight" Radio Program collection, 1960-1978 | Southern Illinois University Special Collections Research Center

By Abigail Wheetley

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Collection Overview

Title: Don Michel "Insight" Radio Program collection, 1960-1978

ID: 1/6/MSS 290

Primary Creator: Michel, Don (1931-)

Extent: 15.0 Boxes. More info below.

Arrangement: The programs are preserved on audio tape reels in boxes numbered to facilitate their retrieval by referring to the computerized listing which is sortable by name of persons interviewed, by subjects and by date of the broadcasts.

Date Acquired: 08/28/2009

Subjects: Anna (Ill.) - History, Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 - Assassination, Michel, Don, 1931-, Oswald, Lee Harvey., Radio broadcasters, Radio broadcasters - Illinois - History, Radio stations, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Forms of Material: Agnew, Spiro T., 1918-1996 - Interviews, Cronkite, Walter. - Interviews, Fuller, R. Buckminster (Richard Buckminster), 1895-1983 - Interviews, Godfrey, Arthur, 1903-1983 - Interviews, Hope, Bob, 1903-2003 - Interviews, Jennings, Peter, 1938-2005. - Interviews, Landers, Ann. - Interviews, Morris, Delyte W., 1906-1982 - Interviews, Nader, Ralph. - Interviews, Radio interviews, Reagan, Nancy, 1923- - Interviews, Reasoner, Harry, 1923-1991. - Interviews, Sanders, Harland, 1890-1980 - Interviews, Simon, John Y. - Interviews, Simon, Paul, 1928-2003. - Interviews, Sound recordings, Thomas, Danny - Interviews, Vietnam War, 1961-1975 - Veterans - Interviews

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

"Insight," a public affairs program, was broadcast on radio station WRAJ in Anna (Union County), Illinois, between 1965 and 1977. Don Michel, owner and operator of WRAJ, hosted "Insight" and interviewed interesting people both in WRAJ's studios and at various locations around the nation.

The collection of 453 interviews includes such national celebrities as Walter Cronkite, Bob Hope, Arthur Godfrey, Colonel Sanders, Spiro Agnew, Ann Landers, Peter Jennings, Danny Thomas, Nancy Reagan, and Ralph Nader. Michel also interviewed many local people, from Anna church elders to the chief of police to the winner of a youth competition at the Anna fair. Southern Illinois University figures on record include Delyte Morris, John Y. Simon, and Buckminster Fuller. Michel also interviewed returning Vietnam veterans and former prisoners of war. Together, this collection of interviews brings to life the social, cultural, and political currents of the 1960s and 1970s in southern Illinois and beyond.

Alerted by tickertape, Don Michel covered the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy from Anna, contacting the Dallas police by phone and talking to an officer who arrested Lee Harvey Oswald. Michel's continuing interest in the assassination led to interviews in New Orleans with Oswald's landlord, a co-worker, and others, as well as coverage of the Warren Commission findings and the investigations of New Orleans prosecutor Jim Garrison.

The series was sponsored on WRAJ by the First National Bank of Cobden.

Biographical Note

Don Michel was born in 1931 and moved to Anna, Illinois in 1957 to begin his career in broadcasting. He began work as an engineer, announcer, program director and salesman at the WRAJ radio station while starting a family with his wife Marian. The couple had two children, and lived in Anna during Michel's long career in broadcast radio. As a radio broadcaster he was able to interview many big names, including Walter Cronkite, Bob Hope, Harry Reasoner, and Senator Paul Simon, but also kept a great deal of local color involved in the broadcast, interviewing local politicians and long time residents. He was on the air the day of John F. Kennedy's assassination, and was able to interview the police officer who arrested Lee Harvey Oswald. Don Michel eventually bought the radio station in 1975, later selling it as his children grew up and went on to careers in television. In 1992 Michel was the coordinator of Southern Illinois Citizens for Perot, part of the Illinois Citizens for Perot, which collected petitions to get Ross Perot on the ballot in Illinois for U. S. President.

Subject/Index Terms

Anna (Ill.) - History
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 - Assassination
Michel, Don, 1931-
Oswald, Lee Harvey.
Radio broadcasters
Radio broadcasters - Illinois - History
Radio stations
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Administrative Information

Repository: Southern Illinois University Special Collections Research Center

Alternate Extent Statement: 514 reel-to-reel tapes

Access Restrictions: Reel-to-reel tapes have been digitized. Researchers should contact repository for access to the digitized recording.

Use Restrictions: To quote in print, or otherwise reproduce in whole or in part in any publication, including on the World Wide Web, any material from this collection, the researcher must obtain permission from (1) the owner of the physical property and (2) the holder of the copyright. Persons wishing to quote from this collection should consult Special Collections Research Center to determine copyright holders for information in this collection. Reproduction of any item must contain the complete citation to the original.

Technical Access Note: Digital surrogates will only be provided for research use.

Acquisition Source: Don Michel

Acquisition Method: Donated by Don Michel.

Separated Materials: Don Michel Papers/Southern Illinois Citizens for Perot, SCRC, Morris Library, SIUC

Related Materials: Don Michel 'Insight' Radio Interviews (Southern Illinois University Carbondale) For more information please see http://collections.carli.illinois.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/sic_insight.

Preferred Citation: [Item], Don Michel "Insight" radio programs collection, Special Collections Research Center, Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Other Note: Wollensack recorder returned to donor, 2016.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[Box 4],
[Box 5],
[Box 6],
[Box 7],
[Box 8],
[Box 9],
[Box 10],
[Box 11],
[Box 12],
[Box 13],
[Box 14],
[Box 15],
[All]

Box 2

Item 34: Randall Scott: Mormon church elder.
Item 35: Leanord Stearns: Stearns was a former sheriff in Union County. Interview topics include Union County history and coin collecting.
Item 36: Bess Kirkpatrick: Anna Pottery family descendant.
Item 37: John Sharknik: CBS-TV producer of "20th Century". Interview topics include behavior research.
Item 38: Eric Sevareid: CBS-TV commentator interviewed in Washington, D.C.
Item 39: Eric Sevareid: CBS-TV commentator interviewed in Washington, D.C.
Item 40: Beurt Servauss: Servauss was the publisher of the Saturday Evening Post.
Item 41: Frederick Burmhingham: Birmingham was the managing editor for the Saturday Evening Post.
Item 42: Dr. Ivan Pavkovich: Pavkovich was the acting superintendent of the Anna State Hospital.
Item 43: Lisa Well, 1967: New U.S. Citizen, emigrated from Germany.
Item 44: Hans Gallus: Gallus of the Creast Stained Glass Studios.
Item 45: Will Gay Bottje: Bottje was an Southern Illinois University music professor on electronic music.
Item 46: Bon Hartline: Hartline was the long time official weather observer in Union County.
Item 47: Dr. Milton Altschuler: Altschuler was an SIU anthropologist. Interview discusses living in Equador.
Item 48: Dr. H. Koepp-Baker: Southern Illinois University professor. Discusses hunting with falcons.
Item 49: Henry Barkhausen: Discusses conservation.
Item 50: Jim Garrison, 1968: American University speech. Speaks of the John F. Kennedy Assassination and possible CIA link.
Item 51: Norman Bauer: Pilot for TWA, traveled around the world, as was an Anna resident.
Item 52: Dr. Equa Chou, 1976: Discusses the political system in China and Richard Nixon's visit to the country.
Item 53: Vincent Crossett: Crossett was a former Alto Pass Pastor and missionary to China.
Item 54: Dr. Allen Howard: Discusses SIU history, and compilation election returns from 1824 to the time of the interview.
Item 55: Lou Bedford: OPS director Old Orchard homes plant.
Item 56: Fred Buck: Discusses the Masonic order.
Item 57: Bob Arkell: Arkell was the representative for the governor's office in Southern Illinois.
Item 58: John Altorfer: Altorfer discusses his bid as republican candidate for governor of Illinois.
Item 59: AJ Bond Issue: Discussion of the Anna Jonesboro High School bond issue proposal.
Item 60: Phil Bridwell: Discusses junk business.
Item 61: Dr. Walter Borst: Discusses solar home heating.
Item 62: E. E. Ballard: Ballard was an Anna native and discusses his role as president of All American Life/Casualty Company.
Item 63: Dr. Nathan Azrin: Dr.Azrin was a pioneer in stuttering prevention.
Item 64: Myrl Alexander: Administrator of U.S. Prisons System from 1964 to 1970.
Item 65: Anna's of World: Program featuring Anna, Illinois, Texas, Ohio and the Soviet Union.
Item 66: Keith Busch: Busch was the editor of the Daily Egyptian and discusses Japanese life.
Item 67: Ron Anderson: Anderson was a nursery man.
Item 68: Malcom Walker: Discusses Australia.
Item 69: Rev. Phil Asbury: Discusses the holy land.

Browse by Box:

[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[Box 4],
[Box 5],
[Box 6],
[Box 7],
[Box 8],
[Box 9],
[Box 10],
[Box 11],
[Box 12],
[Box 13],
[Box 14],
[Box 15],
[All]