Nat Hentoff

Interview with Nat Hentoff who discusses his novels, "Call the Keeper" (1966) and "Onwards." (1968)

Hentoff describes why he has turned to novels after years of nonfiction writing and reporting. He believes more truth can be told in fiction and that it is also very satisfying to write. Discussion of William Styron's The Confessions of Nat Turner and that type of historically influenced writing. This is followed by a discussion about the factionalized New Left and the Ocean-Hill Brownsville controversy. Community lawyers. The need for community control of schools. The Fuentes School in Brooklyn as an example of community control. Discussion of blacks and Puerto Ricans being kept out of school system and police.

Henthoff responds to a question about 'the lifters' the home health aides who get old people in and out of bed. Autoanesthesia and not being aware of the pain of others. Hentoff says: "Albert Shanker is responsible for more racial and religious division than 18 million George Wallaces would have been." Some discussion of Call the Keeper and the black liberation movement and evolving black conscientiousness. The source of Horowitz (a Henthoff character in the novel Call the Keeper, the detective character. Mississippi vs. Louisiana political scene. He talks about activism v. apathy. Hentoff says: "Too bad Eldridge Cleaver's mobility is going to be limited." He comments on the coming Nixon presidency. Will Henthoff do a screenplay with Eldridge Cleaver? "No." Cleaver's continued work for community control in Oakland. His book, Soul on Ice. Hentoff calls Cleaver a humanist and says the press is superficial. It took the Times too long to cover the Oceanhill-Brownsville school desegregation controversy.

Ocean-Hill Brownsville and IS 201 in Harlem conflicts. Community control/decentralization "is here and we can't duck it." Schools can be made accountable and come to life. Hentoff believes that "Ironically, Mr. Shanker did more for the spirit of community control." The writer says a lot will depend on how progressive legislators will be or if they yield to the United Federation of Teachers and create more tension.

Both Hentoff and Booth are optimistic about Lindsay Administration.

Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection

WNYC archives id: 150894
Municipal archives id: T5909