Seven Years a Correspondent and More
In this episode, a Nebraskan reflects on her years as a war correspondent, the humble tumbleweed elevated through art and the Pawnee's efforts to preserve their sacred, ancestral seeds
Air Date: 05/18/2023
Seven Years a Correspondent Beverly Deepe Keever was the longest serving American correspondent during the Vietnam War. Born in Hebron, Deepe Keever graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1957 with a double major in journalism and political science. She was 26-years-old when she arrived in Saigon in February of 1962 and within a short period of time she began writing articles about the escalating conflict in Vietnam. Her stories were often picked up by the Associated Press and were featured in national magazines and newspapers. Deepe Keever’s story on the Battle of Khe Sanh was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
Les Bruning's Tumbleweed Symphony Artist Les Bruning grew up in Nebraska’s Pine Ridge country and drew inspiration for his latest work, Tumbleweed Symphony, from childhood memories watching the iconic bushy shrubs roll across open pastures. His latest work is a commission from the Merryman Performing Arts Center in Kearney and is a kinetic sculpture honoring western Nebraska artists. Throughout the course of the project, Kearney High School students interested in learning about Bruning’s creative process visited the artist at his Omaha Hot Shops Art Center studio.
Seed Warriors Members of the Pawnee Nation united with Nebraska farmers to preserve the tribe’s ancestral corn. Sacred to their heritage, the corn can be traced back to when the Pawnee were expelled from their homeland in 1877. They carried their prized seeds from Nebraska to Indian Territory (Oklahoma), but the corn wouldn't grow in Oklahoma. Set aside for years, the corn was on the verge of extinction until an unexpected friendship created an opportunity for the Pawnee to grow their corn once again in Nebraska.