“Flint’s Story Is America’s Story | The Radio Free Flint Podcast”
A video podcast about law, history, and culture from Flint, Michigan. Hosted by former prosecutor Arthur Busch, Radio Free Flint explores justice, society, and America’s civic soul.
The mission is simple but profound:
To preserve the voices of Flint and the Great Lakes region, and to explore how their stories reflect the unfinished promise of America.
Radio Free Flint tells the stories of working-class America through the lens of Flint, Michigan — a city that built cars, powered a nation, and became a symbol of both resilience and reckoning.
Spotlight on Popular Podcast Episodes
Our interviews, essays, and life histories share the story of people in America's rust belt.
Rev Robert McCathern and His Hip-Hop Civic Park Church
Send us a text Rev. Robert McCathern, the pastor of a hip church in Flint's Civic Park, tells of convincing young people to put away guns and take up hammers to improve the area. Rev. Robert McCathern, the pastor of the Joy Tabernacle Church, leads a church some call a "hip" church. His Flint, Mich…
Inside Detroit’s 99th Thanksgiving Parade:On-the-Ground Coverage by Arthur Busch
Send us a text Join Arthur Busch on location in downtown Detroit as he takes you inside the magic of the 99th Annual America’s Thanksgiving Parade. In this special field-report episode, Arthur walks Woodward Avenue, captures the sights and sounds of the morning, and talks directly with the people who make this iconic tradition come alive. From families bundled up in the cold, to lifelong Detroiters describing what the parade means to them, to first-timers experiencing the floats, balloons, a…
Flint’s 1937 Sit-down Strike Saved Wages, Work, and Democracy
Send us a text The Flint Sit-Down Strike of 1936–37 wasn’t just a labor dispute — it was a turning point in American history. In this short documentary segment, former Genesee County Prosecutor Arthur Busch breaks down what really happened inside the Fisher Body plants, why the strike succeeded, and how Flint became the birthplace of modern union power. This video explores: The strategy workers used to shut down General MotorsHow the UAW was born inside the factory wallsWhy General Motors fe…
The Michigan Murderer: John Norman Collins and the Ypsilanti Terror
He looked like an all-American college student, but John Norman Collins was “The Michigan Murderer.” In the 1960s, his crimes terrorized Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Author Gregory Fournier joins Radio Free Flint to discuss Terror in Ypsilanti and the dark story behind one of Michigan’s most infamous serial killers.
“Flint’s Coney Island Legacy: The Immigrant Story Behind a Michigan Icon”
Few Flint residents know that one of the city’s most beloved traditions began with immigrants from a tiny mountain village in North Macedonia.
In this episode of Radio Free Flint, host Arthur Busch welcomes Karen Paul Holmes, daughter of Carl Paul, co-founder of Angelo’s Coney Island—the restaurant that helped define Flint’s working-class culture for decades.
Carl Paul came to America through Ellis Island from Bouf, Macedonia, near the border with Greece. Alongside his partne…
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Recent Blog Posts
Memories of Detroit Tiger Baseball Announcer Ernie Harwell
Originally published on December 29, 2020 Memories of Detroit Tiger Baseball Announcer Ernie Harwell: The late Ernie Harwell might be considered baseball's version of iconic Americana artist Norman Rockwell with a microphone. There is litt…
Michigan Lumber: A Flint Centennial Business
Much of the telling of Flint, Michigan history has revolved around the rise of the transportation industry. Flint played a leading role in putting America on wheels. The city also has a rich small history. Many of these businesses help…
The Flint Water Crisis: Can It Happen Anywhere?
We make our history. It is a good thing that history is recorded. Written history has a good purpose. Today, journalists, documentarians, and courtroom stenographers record Flint, Michigan's environmental history. It is of no consequence that…
About the Host
Arthur A Busch
Founder and Host of Radio Free Flint Podcast
Arthur Busch is a veteran lawyer and educator with an acclaimed record of success in high-profile cases. He was a Prosecutor and community leader for decades.
Arthur Busch grew up in rust belt Flint, Michigan, just three blocks from the former General Motor's Fisher Body Plant #1. The auto factory was the site of the historic sitdown strike that gave birth to the United Automobile Workers Union.
Mr. Busch holds a BA in Urban Public Policy, and a Masters's Degree in Labor and Industrial Relations from Michigan State University as well as a Juris Doctorate from Thomas Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan. He attended Flint Public Schools.