October 8, 1980 - As the first part of Walker Art Center's 1980 Literature Series with guest Imamu Amiri Baraka begins, MPR’s Nancy Fushan profiles the author. Program includes a re-broadcast of audio from 1978 North Dakota Writers Conference, in which Baraka, William Burroughs, and Tillie Olson participated.
October 13, 1980 - Dr. Joe Rossillion, of the Freshwater Biological Research Foundation, speaking at two-day conference discussing the future of water. Conference was sponsored by the Freshwater Society and the Water Awareness Consortium. Rossillion address was titled "Givens and Possibilities About Water in the '80s: Why We Should Be Concerned.”
October 13, 1980 - Ronald Reagan, presidential candidate, speaking to an audience in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He met with state campaign officials and spoke to an audience of 5,000 people at the Mary E. Sawyer in La Crosse. Reagan touched on nearly every major campaign issue during his 35-minute speech - the economy, energy, defense - and he outlined in some detail what he intends if elected president.
October 27, 1980 - Carole Simpson, NBC News correspondent, speaking at the Freedom Fund banquet of the Duluth Branch NAACP at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth. Simpson shares personal insight into the career of a successful Black American. Simpson's Capitol Hill assignments have included the environment, education, welfare, women's rights, transportation, housing and child care - what she describes as "a real potpourri of people issues".
November 1, 1980 - John W. Gardner, former Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) secretary and Common Cause founder speaking about American politics. Gardner shares six key leadership topics.
November 5, 1980 - This program includes excerpts from concession speeches by President Jimmy Carter, Vice President Walter Mondale, Independent candidate John Anderson, and the acceptance speech by President Elect Ronald Reagan.
November 20, 1980 - Roy Grow, China expert and professor of political science at Carleton College in Northfield, speaking at a conference sponsored by the Minnesota China Council. Grow’s speech was on the topic of China's program of modernization.
November 29, 1980 - Calvin Bradford, Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs professor, speaks on the neighborhood movement, from its definition to the struggle between national and local control.
December 13, 1980 - Jack Nelson, author of "Hunger for Justice: The Politics of Food and Faith", speaking at a Minneapolis conference on organic farming, sponsored by Clergy and Laity Concerned. Nelson’s address was on the topic "Hunger and the Crisis in American Agriculture." He shared his believe that America being the world's breadbasket was a myth. Nelson is a native of Minnesota. He is a critic of many of the trends in American agriculture.
December 19, 1980 - A presentation of excerpts from 1980 Minnesota Writers Conference, held in Rochester. Part one features writing sessions "On Writing Fiction" by Judith Guest, and "Short Story Dynamic" by Carol Bly. Beryl Byman was the writer, producer, and director of program.