This week, we bear witness. From a Soviet labor camp, to a school desegregation, to a fight over books. This episode is hosted by Meg Bowles. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media.
Hosted by: Meg Bowles
Storytellers:
Toby Price
Sybil Jordan Hampton
Victor Levenstein
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
The
and here s the mob radio out I megabits.
And in this show we have stories of rulings, verdicts, indecisions, a school board
since a children's book, a battle to allow black students to enter in arkansas high school,
and a man exiled to a soviet labour camp. Our first story, teller, toby price,
is an educator in mississippi who share
story historian main stage about we produce at the alamo theatre in jackson. Here's toby price,
I was spinning the rack looking through the comic books that I wanted to buy before my dad paid for the gas and he walked up to many and he said were together and I said well, I got a few books. I can't decide on which once again- and he said, get em all see when I was
the little, I used to think that reading was boring, but it turns out it wasn't boring. I just needed to practice and my dad figured out to get me to practice. He needed to give me the books that I wanted to raise cabs anymore.
The avenger spider man, Ya'Ll love, spider man,
spider. Man was a nerd just like me. He was smart
it was smart. He married way
of his leg, so did I
it could climb walls. I tried to many times and it didn't work, but all
that reading help me become a better reader. It helped me this
I'd. What I wanted to do when I got you know grow when I grow up. I wanted to be a superhero, but sadly
I don't think I would look, is good and the tides as they do so I did the next best thing:
If I wanted to be a girl, I decided to go to school and become a school teacher in like
most folks. As soon as I graduated school there I was running.
Local restaurant hear him tat I enjoyed it. I had
Thirdly, what comes to me every day- and I have one regular in particular, who showed up one day with a friend and she and her friends started speaking to mean turns out this
Erin was a principal at a nearby elementary school. She said I have a job for you, it's with the first grade class and I said well hm
Ok, I did on my training with fourth grade. She said: that's not gonna, be a problem. All you have to
promise me that you just won't quit and I went and met the class and after spending about ten minutes with these friends.
I learned what happened to the first two teachers they work now. I would call it challenging
but every day when I walked into the room, I wasn't gonna quit and I thought about what my second grade teacher used to tell us that everybody has something to contribute, and I thought that about my class as well,
they taught me so many things. They taught me to be patient and they,
taught me to most of all see the value
when every child- and I didn't know
at the time, but they were shape in the type of teacher I would become, but most importantly, the type
I would become later on fast forward about seven or eight,
Here's in time- and I have one two three kids now, my two oldest our artistic.
They were diagnosed at an early age. My orders does nonverbal my son.
A little child he eat, it is also more verbal. We want peace.
Any non. Having a third- and I ask god, has given us a third child gimme one can talk god, he said I,
watch this ever she was born. We always have,
for she was for going on forty, and I was going to do with them. The same thing that I have my dad did with me, and I was going to share some of my favorite books with them. So with my son
We got the spiderman comics and he loved wonder woman
With my youngest,
she was a reader. I got out harry potter and she loved reading about the titanic on war war to a nonfiction, but that was ok because we did find some books
that we really enjoyed together. I had heard about a book on twitter, where I talked to a bunch of my teacher friends and it was called. I need a new, but by don mcmillan it was a picture book for
it's an. I found a copy of the local walmart and I read it to my kids and they loved it every second of it. I need a new but followed by. I broke my butt
My blood is noisy, yes, my personal favorite.
And most recently we were at walmart and we found a copy of my butt is so silly and we all kind of clamoured over who was going to get the grab it off the shelf and read it first and
got in the car we read and on the way home and we laughed and we giggled, because kids need those silly books, those funny books
what hooks them into being readers and becoming readers less vaseful,
word from that time to read across
some miracle, wheat doctors uses birthday. I was an assistant principle in a school. My boss asked me to set up a zoo meeting with twelve second great classes and a principle of a nearby building that would be their principal next year. I got you no problem, so
wealth classes logged into the zoom, and I was the host and I looked at my watch and our guests. Reader was not there
I will texture no answer. I called nothing
I told my boss what had happened and she said you go ahead and read so I turned around and look to myself and there was I needed
these kids, I needed them to laugh. I was gonna grab. I need a new, but Madame macmillan, and I did I went through and I showed him the pictures in the book and I read the story to them
and they hold when they saw the little boys lie down the banister and think that he broke his book. As there was a crack in it, they go home, they give
When they saw him trying to sell his dogs,
poor to buy a new but at the local store
and yet they were rolling when he thought about what if I had a rocket, but they could blast me into outer space after I finish the story,
I saw some of my friends in the hall and calmness and MR price. We love that story. Thank you. So much made me feel good made my heart
Ro nine sizes their day and then
it was called the principal's office
even when you're a grown up, that's no fine, getting called to the principal's office and my very well, she saw me miss price. We have talked about that, but that you read today. I don't know if it was the most appropriate level. Some parents may complain- and I said what that
it's not a problem. So sorry, if someone complaints, I more than happy to talk to them in and apologize, and she said: ok, ok, we'll have to talk about some more later. Yes, Madame I left her office,
fifteen minutes later I got a call back to her office because the superintendent wanted to see me at the district office.
I drove to the district office on the other side of town and walked into the building in the conference. Room with the superintendent in assistance
I intended and y'all they. Let me have it because I chose this book. Is this the kind of thing you find funny? I said yes before I came here. Yes, and that day they sent me home suspended with pay pending investigation, because parents are going to call.
Two days later. They call me back out to the district office. Yonah was a nervous wreck anyway. I've never been in trouble like that. Before with these folks ever, they call me back to the district office
and they do came to a decision and said mister price. We just can't get past this. I just can't get past why you chose a read this book. It was poor professional judgment and because of which were terminating your contract effective immediately, and I I froze.
I'm a dad of kids with autism. We don't sleep at night. We just worry with our eyes closed on a normal day, and you know how am I going to pay for therapy medicine bill luxuries?
like food lights and water. They
told me you could sign this resignation and we can part ways or you go home and think about it and decide if you want to appeal this you'll have to find an attorney and we can start an appeal process and they left me in the room, and I called my wife- I told my wife
What had happened- and she said- we've been married twenty one years. If you were wrong, I would tell you you are wrong, but you weren't wrong, so you're not signing that resignation minecraft, she said pick your head up high, don't let them see you cry and walk right out of that building and come home, and I did just that. I picked my head up high
Then let him see me cry and drove right down the street to the dollar general for a box of little Debbie's, zebra, cakes through
if you're gonna eat your emotions,
no better way than a little debbie, zebra cakes will after,
My wife and I found an attorney and we began the appeal process. Yeah I've never been in trouble before so this is all new territory. For me,
but they wanted the appeal. When a little bit like this, we had an expert witness come to say that reading kid silly books is good, pedagogy or teaching they objective. We have evidence of other books objection. We have affidavits from other educators objection see about, and I learned some interesting things that day that I did not know like.
The superintendent had no idea who shall Silverstein was had never heard of no David had never heard of.
Canada, cod award or worse off than this one. Eight miles
my wife grab my leg and she never heard of captain underpants.
Most importantly that day, I learned that not one parent complaint was emitted into evidence at one with us.
Daily appeal was a lot more arduous than I had expected. They it might
It testify and they got to ask me questions nay, all but accused me of being a lie
you're a thief and a pedophile. It was a terrible terrible day. The whole process is still ongoing.
And just stopping and thinking about it now makes me really sad. I had a friend
came to my house and told me, do after what happened.
Walter, the farting dog off myself and to get home second grade teacher. I know- and it made
I think that, while this is this is a big deal, because teachers like him and teachers like me, they're not gonna, read those funds, silly books, you kids, like we want them to and kids need those books, not just because they are hilarious, know if you can hook a child with a funny in the silly books and make them think. While I want to read
that they'll stick around and read more and find out all of the wonderful things the books can be besides just funny and silly some days as a teacher, you feel like captain america, you're up
air smile and high five and in changing lives and other days you're like Peter parker sittin in their tiny, broken down apartment.
Bandaging, your wounds literally in metaphorically hint emotionally wondering is this
worth it in my even making a difference. Why do I do this and you do it because it is the hardest job in the world and its the best job in the world? And now, while we wait for decision, I'm grateful that I get to sit at home,
with my three friends were reading. Some wonder woman. Some titanic in my oldest has developed a love for harry potter, lemonade and they get and spiderman, and I get to share those
so those kids today thank you that was former teacher in elementary school principle: Toby price
In April. Twenty eight twenty twenty two, the school board, voted to uphold his termination. There were two
Oh it's for one vote against and two members who were every election abstained. The ruling
citing the MR price, was fired on the grounds of incompetence, neglect of duty and for good cause accords.
To the appeal ruling- and I quote the book depicts images, contrary to what the harrison county school district teaches- children aged z, S.
Ay teaches children to keep their pants up and where a belt no sagging pants like,
man on page twenty one, we work really hard.
Get children to understand that your bottom is your private part and that it is not something you should be out in public sharing
He says he feels like he's morning part of his life. That will never be the same, but he is committed to keep fighting and he's just,
released his own children's books there. Almost,
adventures of Titus the monkey and is currently working on the sequel,
as Toby, what is children thought of the ruling and he set his youngest daughter said dad at least you stood up for something I always knew you stand up for books in school. I didn't think it would be that
but still coming up a story.
The front lines of desegregation in nineteen. Fifty nine, when
on radio. Our continues
the
the
the moth radio hours produced by atlantic public media in woods, whole massachusetts and presented by pierre exe.
This is the moth radio, our from pr x, I meg balls in nineteen, fifty seven, nine
black students were enrolled in central high school in little rock arkansas, and then governor orval faubus called out the national guard to prevent the students from attending the school. The story made headlines across the country in images of the national guard blocking
black students from entering the school. Where featured on every news outlet. President Eisenhower issued an executive order
manning that the national guard support the integration efforts, the nine students who later became known as the little rock nine.
We're finally allowed to enter the school, but over the course of that academic year
They endured violence and threats. Governor fathers continued his fight to stop integration and, in september of nineteen
the eight he signed an act that rather than allow black children to be educated with white children closed all of the high schools
when the schools finally reopened in august of nineteen, fifty nine, our next storyteller doktor civil jordan, hampton then fifteen years old, followed
the footsteps of the little rock nine and became the only black student in a class of five hundred and forty four white students, a note to listeners
when doktor Hampton shared the story of her experience. She quoted some offensive language that was used against her
from a main stage. We produced in partnership with seattle, arts in lectures, hears doctors,
civil jordan captain
nineteen. Eighty two
I lived and worked in new rochelle new york.
One day I got a letter from the little
central high school class of nineteen sixty two.
Inviting me to participate in the twentieth reunion.
To put it mildly, I was shocked because
over those twenty years. I had never heard anything
about a reunion had heard nothing from my classmates and, to be perfectly frank, I had no desire
to go into that school again are to be with those people. But this letter presented me with a challenge and an opportunity, as I thought about going back to the scene of the crime
during nineteen. Fifty seven, fifty eight
little rock nine encountered many trials and tribulations
I was aware of what the
counted because I,
all things on abc NBC Cbs read articles
in national magazines and local newspaper I was-
where are the harassment, bullying, the physical violence and at the end of all of this governor, although farmers decline
that the nineteen fifty eight fifty nine school. You would not be an he closed. All three high schools and little walk
the NAACP legal defense fund, was very active in pursuing
this matter in federal courts and
There was finally a decision that the schools would reopen in fall. Nineteen, fifty nine and
I, along with four other students who are selected to begin the school desegregation. Yet again, as a frolicking junior high school student, I walked every day with
my friends to our all black junior high school laughing and talking, and we were right in.
Central highschool most days, but on that first day that I begin high school, my father stayed home from work and after breakfast he prayed- and he prayed for me to be calm, to be brave and to remember that the war was my shepherd and will take care of me
And then I waited for revenue of Henderson and his son, frank and sancho johnson to come and pick me up so that we could drive the six blocks from my house too little walks into high school as we drove just no talking in the car. I wonder
what's gonna happen, and I also wondered how it was going to be for me, because I was going to be alone, and that was not another black student in it.
Hence grade, and I was fifteen years old. When we got to the school we looked out.
And there were no crowds and the press was not visible, and so I thought would not at least have to fight our way into this
all today and as we went along this silly lovely, winding sidewalk to the steep stately stairs to the school, it became clear that from top to bottom there were
arkansas national guardsman standing, and I thought the here because they're going to have to come into the school to you, know, rescue us and I was very, very frazzled. As I walked up the steps pass. All those arc saw national guardsmen wondering if they really would.
Be willing to protect us at the front door. We were met by the principal mister matthews and by the assistant principle, mrs elizabeth Huckabee. She, and only she greeted us very warmly. We went to her office shit.
Splendor schedules gave us instructions on how to move around the building and would be taking us to our rooms.
There was no one in the halls because we did not come to the school until after the school they have begun. We were
to my home room on the first
nor in the northeast corner of the building and as we got near the door, I noted tat was a door to the outside and I thought okay and it was really set the nature for me to look for him,
skip brown, my home rule teachers at the door. She pointed me to my seat. In the middle world, we were all seated alphabetically.
And I knew that she wasn't gonna be my ally.
When the bell ring for the first class period began
I was more than apprehensive because I was going to be
in the hallway, with all the students for the first time- and I was alone- and I was fifteen years old
My parents had reminded me that, as I went out into the hallway that I needed to hold my head up
that I needed to be
very aware of everything that was going on around me, but that I always
He needed to look straight ahead. I should never cry
as I went down the hall I echo and the echo was a nigger is coming. There's a nigger coming
and then the students moved to the sites toward the war and cleared a path
so that no one was near me ass. I walked alone
This only went on for a week or two, and then it stopped. But what happened is that no one,
me, no one smiled at me and no one regarded me positively.
In my home room, the same home for three years, the only time
Any student in that room ever heard. My voice was when it was my turn to read the bible after the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
I always read some one, twenty one. As a witness. I
who lived my eyes to the hills from whence cometh restaurant. My strength comes from the lord, who may it happened. It was striking
to discover that over three years nothing changed that I was actually shunned. We were shunned and I felt I was treated like a ghost but most far treated
I didn't matter someone may nineteen six.
The two came around. I was really ready to dance jake
I was so happy because the goal we had was to be successfully students.
To be successful in staying the course and also to
demonstrate that as foot soldiers tat, we were real
proudly standing on the shoulders of the warrior, little rock nine,
There were five hundred and forty four people and my graduating
and I was the only black stood grand
donation took place in korea,
the stadium, which is the football stadium.
Never been incredibly stadium, because by law we were not, as black students prevented to attend any activities sports. We were not allowed to be on any sports teams,
It could not be in any clubs or organizations that evening
we are parents come no family or friends, because they thought there might be violence was just me.
But there were police ring around outside and in time I will
it took us stage and as usual, their wishes silent around me and then some
wise acre die yelled out. There goes like beauty, and I thought first, alas, only insult
as this head doomed student around me, we're talking about graduating and they were too.
Whom they were gonna miss, and I thought not a damn
so I'm
gonna miss anybody, and I certainly don't plan to ever be here,
the space ever again in my life, and then I am in nineteen. Eighty two with this
better inviting me to the twentieth anniversary- and I talk to my parents about it, and I said I really think that I need,
go back to see what has happened. What is it like? An echo, my pain,
I want you to come and go with me because they could.
Never come into the school. They were not permitted to come into the school and
I said I want you to see this cast of characters who around me
but also I just want to have this moment. You can be in that building with me and so on
from new york and, I said, will just go to the bank where there were some other activities in the banquet was in the school in the cafeteria
we arrived.
And we were met at the door by a guy from my home, rome, we'd, never spoken to me for
as was true everybody else in the home room, and he said hi, I'm so glad you're here and I'm responsible for you being invited. I wanted you to come, he said, but everybody else in the class is uncomfortable.
And so they will not sit with you and your parents
I was
I was, there was a part of me that was really quite clear. What the hell
am I and my parents gave me the eye, and so we proceeded to go in and to sit with wrong. But during the
where's of the dinner students came over and some stood said that they really regret it never,
reaching out to me and other students congratulated me. I've been very brave to come to a place where people had treated me as if I
didn't matter and they didn't want me. I thought that's an understatement:
Can I did get an award that evening for being the most educated,
but I have to know that there is going to be a cop.
And some of the people who had been friendly to me,
we're very insistent that I needed to come to the soft stay for the sakharov, because, during the course of our time and central, we never had the opportunity to
together and I'm thinking, but my
parents gave me another- I ever saw. I stayed for some other saw cop, and actually it was. You know it was ok,
but I was very fatigue, and so we went home early on the way home. I was talking to my parents and I said
When we first arrived at, I
was reminded of is that you can pass laws, but you can
legislate things of the heart and that which may
matters to me and that which may
me matter as a person has everything with things of the heart and that
rather than getting stuck there. I also learned this wonderful less about the power of mine
that was that wrong was with us and he gave others an opportunity to be less cowardly,
but I also thought okay, Israel,
don't have all of this. I have learned that roses to growing concrete and that I have to have the strain
to keep look doc. You civil jordan, hampton graduated and went on to earn a bachelors degree from earlier college in indiana a master.
This degree in elementary education from the university of chicago and
asters and doktor it from the teachers, college, columbia, university in new york city.
She then went on to have a career as a higher education administrator, a leader and philanthropy and as a political adviser in ninety ninety six doktor hampton moved back to little rock to serve.
President of the winthrop rockefeller foundation, which focuses
on racial and social justice, since returning illiteracy
after Hampton has become more involved with the Iraq central high class of nineteen. Sixty two
attended other unions and
recently been helping out with the planning for the sixtieth which she will be attending duck
Hampton now refers to run hughes, who she mentioned in the story and his wife, Catherine. As dear friends, you can find out more about doktor hampton and any of the story tellers. You here in this house
by visiting our website them off daughter.
Coming up soviet prison camps, the kgb and a mug shot when the moth radio. Our continues
the
the
the moth radio hours produced by atlantic public media and woods whole massachusetts and presented by the public radio exchange, Pierre ex dot, org.
This is the moth radio, our from pr x, I meg balls, and our final story in this hour comes from victor Levin sigh he share
and an evening we produced at the walter, her theatre in new york city, here's victor
five at them are in the spring of nineteen forty four in the soviet union,
when I was twenty one years old, I was arrested by the kgb and world to the main political reason in the soviet union. The infamous lubyanka prison in moscow, a bunch of people in the uniform of cagey, be made me phase. The wall city observe me cut. My hair took my feet: fingerprints and then with hands. Behind my back, I was led to our joining room. There was a old fashion wooden camera on the tribe. What in front of this camera was a cheer for the prisoner being of affordable out they ve autocracy took a picture than cure a stern.
The second picture in profile was taken and I was left out of the room. Then then they interglacial started together with twelve of my friends, I was charged with conspiracy to assist the night Stalin. It was
sir. It. Nobody even thought about blogging to kill hours
El guilt was that we were well educated and some wild youngster we're rather work and were at good works imploding. American Heaven
gray, Faulkner steinbeck and will learn from this book that there was a free world.
Behind the border of our country that there are three people out there.
And that we leave in the glossed that they lit, that in state free thinking, credit talking war crimes in this slot in soviet union. So I found myself in a villa bianca prison. I was taken to a tiny cell for wifi, fit with no windows, the
was prohibited by the daytime and questioning was going on the whole night under this sleep deprivation,
and the end under hail of courses and threats and insults servant of my friends confessed importing blurting assassination of slavery. It was not the best time of mine,
at all after after sleepless days and lies, I was in semi conscience saved. My wheel was always broken, and I confess, but I confess only in being an anti soiled person but gather somehow my rest of my strength and refuse this charges of terrorist activity against started. I was sent to a labour
camp four or five years being an engineering student at the time. I lied that I am an engineer and this lie saved my life because his base me vendor will afford them. So I survived and fly away for years
either in the spring of nineteen. Forty nine, why prison term was coming to an end couple of days before my readiness I made are sacred after the he was as senior work assign and I had met
can before in another prison sea, or he was a nice guy. Young couple of years may be older than me: smart in a geographic business like the former military pilot, a captain convicted for some misconduct. He was not political prisoner and because of this he was given this job in fact
camp commander, deputy and he lives in separate dining room fans stuff. The back he invited me to
celebrate my release. We talk and one point he said if I would like to see my personal file, he had taken it out of the office in because my order for my reduce has been issued for for the next day and my file. There was. Why were dick and the workshop made?
in Lubyanka prison, face and profile. The picture get clues from the from way file and needed to be glued back in I look at the picture is accompanied me on all my journey through three prisons: three transits prisons, city labor camps. I just feel that they I wanted to have it badly and they ask Alex, say if he would give me the photograph. I was thinking of asking
the photographer in in the camp. I knew him. Maybe he can make me a copy and they said the original evo. It has done to him. That Aleksei says are you? Where are you crazy? Who can make your carpets official photograph for this copy? Of this guy can have a new prison term together with me, but that's it. I said lip
get the joint. Let me try and I promise you that I'll bring you the picture work.
You went first thing in the morning, so he gave me the this water I ran to photographer, but no matter how to write to persuade him to make a copy hideous used. It was two dangers in the morning
After the signal to wake up, I ran to allocate to return the picture. Cluster of people was standing at the entrance to his,
the air room. I made my way through the crowd Alex. He was lying in bed face down, the pillows and sheets were red with blood, and the axe was sticking out of Aleksei had a lot of hardened criminals while serving time in the same camera have a single cause for a ricochet. I just years ago we talk about our future life on outside teaching, on the to where the bed, where he lay dead now, and then I realize that I still
I have the picture and I decided that my file will manage without it just what the problem was, how to smuggle it out of the prison. I knew that they all search me very carefully before my release, so I developed a plan. The water supply, the water supply to camp was abroad in a water tank trucks, and I knew one of the truck driver. So I gave him the picture and arrange to take it from him or get it from him on.
Outside after my after my readiness and the planned worked, and I got my picture after after five years in in in prison camp, I was sent to exile for life, so I found myself in the god for a second place named egg. It was those in a north eastern cover. Some then this is the place.
Didn't exist some geographical maps. At the time there was a nazi key surplus mounts, nothing the only big construction site near. Why so? I was allowed to leave their. I had good job with this construction.
Project, but there was no hope to to continue my education to get in
I think they agree to return to normal life. Forty years for years, in my exile, friendly cosmic forces intervenes in my faith
Stylin kick the backup. He died. People
was warning, but for me spraying go wasn't it.
And after soon after his death judge
rural amnesty was announced and my exile was over
I came back two months ago and at this time Stalin was still laying in the mouser earlier, and I wanted to see him in the coffin. For me from is that all those bills signification of all evil, I knew that millions of people of innocent people were shot, millions died in labor camps and murdered by how backbreaking work and and hunger and gold. I was thinking my about my
other who died in the labour camp. Behind the polar circle, score of my friends and relatives with the same with the same destiny,
nine years of my life, I just want to this end. The car, when I saw him silence, appears disappointed me I was expecting. I was expecting to see the devil lucifer button in front of me in Glasgow. Fin weight worry ordinary mustache man with law, forehead import, barter trace, but they feel the point was not his appearance, but the fact that I saw him dead in the culture
my life in in after after sale. In this still it was still solar power. Was there? Was there an cagey, we were there and living in moscow. I had strange feeling from time to time that my free life was can temporary or something especially, I felt when I walk close to the kgb, how to quote
there's a asko- and I have this feeling that I belong there and the fact that
working as a free man because of some
this oversight and soon
later will catch me. We granted to the united states in niger. Eighty and this feeling disappeared only when they first time work on, floated the beach and saw the atlantic. I told vice
Look the or shown is between may encourage you be finally safe. We when, when we have a greater degree of the country were leaving was still is worried. Union
and I knew that all our belong gigs were checking very carefully and I didn't have even hope to see to take my precious lubyanka mark out with me. It was illegal, it was property of kgb saw. I left the picture with my cousin couple of years later I received the letter with bills. You address my kgb photograph was in the letter
My my cousin and aided stamp collects are met belgium stamp plan at the feel of direct shore in moscow and ask him to send it to me turmeric now, since that this picture hangs in my house and reminds me daily that I survive their lives so yet for reasons in labour camps.
That's value has been there for six to nine years and I'm still a wife this summer, this summer, in three months, god willing- I do,
from one hundred the who do you imagine my shock and frustration at this passage of my life, seeing as a former kgb officer being president of russia, unleashing and just deadly war on the ukraine I was born in the ukraine. I was born in beautiful southern city of nuke alive, the best the best time of my life, my child
I spent in ukraine- and I see it I said- was going on as as a cagey, be men trying to bring free yoke ran back to the prison camp of the soviet union.
A heart is with brave men and women of ukraine, and that's why I decided to tell you,
is sorry. The victor Levin stein was born in ukraine in nineteen twenty two. He immigrated with his family to the us in nineteen eighty at the age of fifty eight and started a successful career, designing underground mining machinery and received three us patents,
after retiring victor wrote to books in russian and recently published a book in english, entitled thirteen nasty little snakes.
Case of Stalin's assassin, victor says
the seven year old he was lazy and his parents insisted he that's when he found the three musket.
Tears and understood that reading was one of the greatest joys of his life as it got older. He
it and exchange books with his friends which led him to discovering a world beyond the soviet union, which eventually
made him a threat to, and target of the kgb
It
Recent polls now show that the popularity for the russian dictator, Joseph Stalin, who is responsible for the deaths of millions of soviet, is rising again thanks in part to his
greatest admire. The former kgb officer, vladimir
to find out more about victor and how you can support the people of ukraine. Go to our website them off
That's it for this episode of the mob radio. Our hope you'll join us again.
This episode of the moth radio, our waste produced by me, J. I wasn't catherine burns and make bowls who also hosted and directed the stories in the shell co producer is Vicki merrick associate producer. Emily couch
The rest of the most leadership team include Sarah haber, miss Sarah ostend, genetic jennifer, hickson, Kate, tellers jennifer, birmingham wearing a clue, che suzanne, rust, Brandon grant in good health.
Sarah Jane Johnson and all they cause more sorry-
True, is remembered and affirmed by the storytellers. Our theme, music is by the drift.
The music in this hour from julian lodge and Chris Eldridge reopened.
Giddens. The way
release and malta does
each we risk
funding from the national endowment for the arts.
Radio hours produced by atlantic public media in woods, whole massachusetts and presented by pierre.
For more about our podcast for information on pitching us, your own story and everything else go to our website them off,
the.
Transcript generated on 2023-06-04.