Traitor or Hero The Black Musician Who Spied on His Own Community

The details of Walter Loving’s complicated double life remained classified for over 60 years. Born to formerly enslaved parents, he became a famous band conductor and an advocate for Black Americans. When the U.S. military grew paranoid that Black Americans were colluding with German spies, they recruited Loving to infiltrate his own community and de-radicalize leaders. So whose side was he on?

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Rogue History
It’s been said that history is written by those in power. But what about the outlaws, outcasts, and rogues? What if they had their say? Rogue History, a digital series produced by PBS Digital Studios and PBS North Carolina, shakes the dust off the history books to unravel myths, unearth narratives, and discover fresh perspectives.

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Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:01 - Foreign Spies Were Everywhere
00:37 - Walter Howard Loving’s Double Life
02:00 - Mass Racial Violence in 1917
02:35 - Lovings Fame Gave Him Access
03:42 - The First Red Scare
04:20 - Loving's Conflicting Loyalties
06:08 - His Shocking Final Report
07:53 - Acknowledging the Gray Areas of History

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