The Barbara Aziz broadcasts collection (868 digital audio files (online) and 0.1 linear feet) document Dr. Barbara Nimri Aziz's journalistic career, particularly as it pertained to WBAI Radio's Radio Tahrir, Behind the News, and TalkBack programs. Collection material is dated from 1988-2014 and includes broadcast episodes and episode segments, commentaries, documentaries, interviews, news reports, and recitations.
There is some overlap between the Radio Tahrir and related material series as well as the Interviews and related material series. Researchers are encouraged to consult both series for relevant material.
Barbara Nimri Aziz was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1940. In 1962, she graduated from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, with a Bachelor in Arts degree in Biology. Aziz then traveled to India and spent several years assisting Tibetan refugees fleeing Chinese control of Tibet. This work inspired her interest in anthropology. In 1969, she enrolled at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). She received a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the SOAS in 1974. Her thesis was entitled "The people of Dingri: a socio-historical portrait of a district in S.W. Tibet."
In circa March 1990, Dr. Aziz established the Radio Tahrir radio magazine, which broadcasted over New York City's WBAI Radio, an affiliate of the Pacifica Radio Network. Radio Tahrir (Radio "Liberation") was the first radio program in the United States dedicated to Arab culture and society. Originally, the program focused on uplifting the voices of members of different Arab communities from around the world. It expanded its coverage in circa 1993 to include the voices of Muslim Americans, during which the program was briefly known as "Arab Voices, Crescent Rising".
Radio Tahrir ultimately sought to highlight Arab and Muslim community members' lived experiences, accomplishments, and challenges, particularly as it related to Islamophobia and civil rights. Radio Tahrir typically aired every week on Tuesdays or Saturdays in 30 or 60 minute episodes. These episodes featured a variety of content, including interviews and discussions with invited guests. In addition to its regular programming, Radio Tahrir also produced documentaries; specials, particularly during the month of Ramadan; and series, such as "Maqam: From Cordoba to Baghdad" (circa 1997), "6 Arab American Poets" (1997), and "Fen Mejnoon with Dean and Maysoon" (2004-2006). The program broadcasted regularly until April 13, 2013.
Radio Tahrir was led by Dr. Aziz, who served as the program's executive director. She also served as host, co-host, or producer. She was supported by dozens of Arab and Muslim volunteers and interns over the years, including Hassen Abdella, Jad Abumrad, Aisha Al-Adawiya, Mona Al-Dahry, Fatima Ashraf, Saadia Aslam, Anisa Bouzianne, Ibrahim Gonzalez, Dave Hall, Nazik Hibatfa, Hussein Ibish, Mahmoud Ibrahim, Mona Iskander, Tamara Issak, Ryme Katkhouda, Dean Obeidallah, Sarah Malaika, Nadja Middleton, Reem Nasr, Sally Sherif, and Maysoon Zayid. Dr. Aziz recruited these volunteers and interns because she viewed Radio Tahrir as a space where Arab and Muslim community members could voice their concerns as well as become more deeply engaged with the public sphere and radio journalism. Many Radio Tahrir volunteer producers were also Muslim women whose positionality offered unique opportunities to address issues like discrimination in mosques and Muslim children's educational needs.
In addition to her work at Radio Tahrir, Dr. Aziz supported WBAI Radio and the Pacifica Network in other ways. She traveled throughout the Middle East, interviewing and providing reports for use in their programs as well as Radio Tahrir. She also spent a significant amount of time in Iraq documenting the impact of the United Nations sanctions in that country in the years following the Invasion of Kuwait. She also hosted the WBAI Radio current affairs program Behind the News from 2000-2002, and participated in other WBAI and non-WBAI programs, including Labbrish, The Morning Show, and TalkBack.
As a result of her work at Radio Tahrir, Dr. Aziz founded the Radius of Arab American Writers Inc. (RAWI) in 1993. RAWI is a national literary and networking organization focused on supporting Arab American writers. She served as RAWI's director until about 2005. Her other professional activities included spending a year (2007-2008) at Algeria's University of Oran as a Fulbright Scholar as well as working and teaching in Syria (from 2009-2012).
Dr. Aziz has published numerous books over the years, including Heir to a Silent Song: Two Rebel Women of Nepal (2001), Swimming up the Tigris: Real Life Encounters with Iraq (2007), Short Features for Radio: A Manual for Broadcast Journalists (2011), and Yogmaya & Durga Devi: Rebel Women of Nepal (2020). She has contributed to several blogs and websites, including CounterPunch, her personal website's blog, and the Radio Tahrir blog.
Dr. Barbara Nimri Aziz currently resides in New York.
