EYP has teamed with the New York State Archives Partnership Trust to sponsor a new national NPR radio series that will explore American history through some of the most memorable and inspiring political speeches of our time. Scholars, professors and historians will delve into the transformational power that great oratory has had during times of extraordinary challenge in our country. The "Power of Words" is a year-long program that launches on June 25 at 1pm. View and listen to the archived programs.

Marketing Director Susan Radzyminski stated, "It is our hope that through the sponsorship of this series we will encourage citizens to reflect on the role our leaders have played in bringing unity and encouragement to the American people through great ideas and transformational language during some of our most difficult times in history."

In each of the hour-long programs, listeners will have the opportunity to hear what historians consider moments of great challenge during the 20th and 21st centuries and describe what needed to be said to motivate people through these periods. Actual speeches delivered by state and national leaders will then be played. A final analysis will provide insight into the effectiveness of the speech and the outcome for the state and nation. The moderator for the program will be Dr. Alan Chartock, President and CEO of WAMC/Northeast Public Radio and Professor Emeritus at the University at Albany.

During the debut program, Dr. Alan Chartock and Dr. David Woolner, senior fellow and resident historian at the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, will set the scene and provide context and analysis of Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inaugural address. In addition, listeners will have the opportunity to hear the speech as it was delivered on March 4, 1933.

Additional speeches selected for the series will feature Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Ronald Reagan, William J. Clinton, George H.W. and George W. Bush, and Barack Obama; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt; Secretary of State George Marshall; Governors Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo, and others.