http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/opinions/hentoff.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nat Hentoff was born in Boston in 1925. He received his B.A. with the highest honors from Northeastern University and did graduate work at Harvard. He was a Fulbright fellow at the Sorbonne in Paris in 1950. From 1953 through 1957 he was associate editor of Down Beat magazine. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in education and an American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award in 1980 for his coverage of the law and criminal justice in his columns. In 1985 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws by Northeastern University.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/opinions/hentoff.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">He has published many books on jazz, biographies and novels, including a number of books for children. Among his works: "Does Anybody Give A Damn?: NatHentoff on Education," "Our Children Are Dying," "A Doctor Among Addicts," "Peace Agitator: The Story of A. J Muste," "The New Equality," "The First Freedom: The Tumultuous History of Free Speech in America," "The Day They Came to Arrest the Book," "The Man from Internal Affairs," "Boston Boy," and "John Cardinal O'Connor: At The Storm Center of a Changing American Catholic Church," "Free Speech for Me and Not for Thee: How the American Left and Right Relentlessly Censor Each Other," and "Listen to the Stories: Nat Hentoff on Jazz and Country Music."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/opinions/hentoff.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">In addition to his weekly Village Voice column, Hentoff writes on music for the Wall Street Journal. Among other publications in which his work has appeared are the New York Times, the New Republic, Commonweal, the Atlantic and the New Yorker, where he was a staff writer for more than 25 years.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/opinions/hentoff.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Hentoff's views on journalistic responsibility and the rights of Americans to write, think and speak freely are expressed in his weekly column, and he has come to be acknowledged as a foremost authority in the area of First Amendment defense. He is also an expert on the Bill of Rights, the Supreme Court, student rights and education.

The first time I had Nat on BrainFood, my knees got weak. I was talking to the guy, THE GUY who's articles I read in http://www.villagevoice.com/" rel="nofollow">The Village Voice and http://www.downbeat.com/" rel="nofollow">Down Beat when I was a kid. Nat help educate me about Jazz, Lenny Bruce and, of course, THE FIRST AMENDMENT, and, I was talking with him, and, he was liking the interview! 

Over the years, Nat Hentoff's been a frequent guest on the show. In addition to his visits to the show,  every year I've tried to have Nat on as close to his birthday as possible. Last year, Atty John Whitehead of thehttp://www.rutherford.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Rutherford Institute called in to surprise Nat and wish him a happy birthday. 

Well, TODAY, 10 June, is Nat Hentoff's 90th birthday. 

I've been trying to reach Nat for weeks. I wanted to get him scheduled for his birthday show. In the past, when I've left messages, with my phone number "twice and SLOWLY ( friends of Nat's will  know what I mean...) Nat ALWAYS returned my call ----but not over these past weeks. I became increasingly concerned. I searched news sources to find out if there was anything wrong, if Nat was having any issues that would have prevented him from calling back. I found nothing. I called in the morning, afternoon and evening, always leaving a message and my phone number, 'twice and SLOWLY', but no return call. I really freaked out when there was another voice on Nat's outgoing message "if you're trying to reach Nat Hentoff, please leave a message and ..." Then I really freaked out. I left another message this morning, then, searched his name,again, hoping to find something Nat had written or some news, ANY news.

 I left Nat a message at  2:49p today - then, at 3:44, my phone rang - could it be Nat? It was Nat's number !  I nervously answered on this, Nat's 90th birthday, and heard "this is Nat"   I was delighted !  I cannot begin to describe my feeling of relief .  We chatted , briefly. I wished him a happy birthday. Nat said " I never thought I'd make it to 90!" I told him how happy I am that he did. He shared that he's been doctoring a bit.  Of course, I told him that I was eager to have him back on the show , and Nat  said, " I'm eager to be back on your show...will you call me in two weeks so I can come on with you? I need to get back to my column and back on your show..." Will I? Nat, you KNOW it!

So, again, today is NAT HENTOFF's 90th birthday, and I got the present - wonderful gift of hearing his voice! Happy Birthday Nat Hentoff. Thank YOU for educating and , entertaining us,U.S.for so many decades. I can't wait to have you back on BrainFood in a couple of weeks and hear you say something like "Duke Ellington once told me...."