WAMC Northeast Public Radio and the New York State Archives Partnership Trust present the Power of Words, a new series of programs that follows American history through some of the most memorable and inspiring political speeches of our time. The series of 26 programs kicks off tomorrow Friday, June 25th at 1 p.m. and a new program will air every other week on WAMC.

On the debut program, WAMC’s 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 an opportunity to actually hear the speech as it was delivered on March 4th, 1933. Other speeches in the year-long series include Barack Obama’s inaugural address, Ronald Reagan’s speech at the Berlin Wall, John F. Kennedy’s &#8220I am a Berliner&#8221 speech, and more.

WAMC’s President Alan Chartock says, &#8220It is imperative that everyone remember and learn where we came from and what this country has gone through in tough times. Great leaders are hard to come by and these great speeches can teach us a great deal about courage and leadership. WAMC is very proud of this series.&#8221

Support for the series is provided by the Archives Partnership Trust- Einhorn Yaffee Prescott Architecture & Engineering P.C.- the New York Council for the Humanities, a local affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities- and Assemblyman Jack McEneny.

&#8220We could not be more indebted to WAMC for their leadership on this series and to our sponsors for their support,&#8221 said Robert E. Bullock, President of the Archives Partnership Trust. &#8220It is our hope that this series will encourage citizens to truly understand the role of great ideas and transformational language in our everyday lives.&#8221

WAMC Northeast Public Radio broadcasts 24 hours a day with information and cultural programming from stations reaching parts of seven Northeastern states. WAMC is an award-winning producer of regionally based programming. WAMC is a member station of National Public Radio and is affiliated with Public Radio International and American Public Media.

The program will be broadcast over WAMC-FM 90.3 FM, Albany- WAMC, 1400 AM, Albany- WAMK 90.9 FM, Kingston- WOSR, 91.7 FM, Middletown- WCEL, 91.9 FM, Plattsburgh- WCAN, 93.3 FM, Canajoharie- WANC, 103.9 FM, Ticonderoga- WRUN, 90.3 FM, Remsen-Utica- WAMQ 105.1 FM, Great Barrington, MA- 93.1 FM, Troy- 99.3 FM, Oneonta- 97.1 FM, Hudson- 107.1 FM, Warwick- 107.7 FM, Newburgh- 103.9 FM, Beacon- 96.5 FM, Ellenville- 106.9, Middletown- 102.1, Highland, NY and 90.9 FM, Milford, PA.- 97.3 FM, Cooperstown and on-line at http://www.wamc.org/.