Witness History: Archive 2011

On 1 February 1960, four young black men began a protest in Greensboro, North Carolina against the racial segregation of shops and restaurants in the US southern states.The men, who became known as the Greensboro Four, asked to be served at a lunch counter in Woolworths. When they were refused service they stayed until closing time. And went back the next day, and the next. Over the following days and months, this non-violent form of protest spread and many more people staged sit-ins at shops and restaurants. Witness hears from one of the four men, Franklin McCain.

*** This programme was first broadcast on 25 October, 2011 *** In the mid 1970s Nelson Mandela began writing his autobiography in prison, on Robben Island.Mac Maharaj was one of the prisoners who helped edit and conceal the manuscript.Photo: Associated Press, Nelson Mandela before he was imprisoned.

A snapshot of the attitudes and emotions on both sides of the racial divide as the South Africa authorites cemented the foundations of Apartheid in 1957.

US troops left Iraq earlier this month, well before their deadline of 31 December. We hear from one American soldier who remembers when they first invaded the country, almost nine years ago.Photo: John Crawford and a colleague in Iraq.

The children's writer Enid Blyton, was one of the most popular authors of the 20th Century. Books such as her Famous Five series were read by millions across the world.But Blyton was reviled by some senior managers at the BBC, who effectively banned her work between the 1930s and 1950s.Simon Watts uses audio and written archive to chart the difficult relationship between the author and the national broadcaster.PHOTO: Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

She was one of Germany's greatest battleships during World War II.But on Boxing Day 1943 she was sunk in the freezing waters of the Arctic. Norman Scarth is a Witness listener who was on board a British ship and watched her go down.Photo: Norman Scarth the young sailor.

As we approach Christmas we look back at the turning point in the career of the world's most famous evangelist - Billy Graham. He's preached the gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history - more than 200 million around the world - and it all began in north London in 1954. Claire Bowes has been speaking to the man who Mr Graham describes as the architect of international evangelism.PHOTO: Jerry Beavan and Billy Graham in the 1950s.

Christmas 1984 was a difficult time for British miners who had been on strike for nine months.They had taken industrial action to try to save their coal mines from government closure.Listen to one miner's wife tell how her family made it through the anger and deprivation of that time.Photo: BBC

In 1971, Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan after nine months of war.Kamal Hossain, a leading political figure, was jailed during the conflict and only released shortly after Bangladeshi independence.Kamal Hossain tells Farhana Haider his feelings as his country won its freedom.PHOTO: Kamal Hossain (l) with the founder of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

As the former leader of Panama, Manuel Noriega faces charges of murder in his home country we take you back over 20 years to the moment he was removed from power by the USA. Manuel Noriega hid out in the Papal embassy - we hear from a man who found himself sleeping in the room next door to him.PHOTO: US Army in Panama City (Reuters)

In December 1981 hundreds of peasants were killed by the army in El Salvador.Men, women and children from the village of El Mozote were shot.Only one woman, Rufina Amaya, is known to have survived. Photo: Rufina Amaya at a funeral for the victims held in 2001. Credit AFP/Getty images

It is 70 years since Japanese planes attacked the US Navy base in Hawaii.The action forced the USA into World War II.Jack Hammett, was a young naval medic who survived the carnage. Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images.