National syndicated radio show host Tom Joyner is one step closer to clearing the name of two of his uncles who were executed for killing a Civil War veteran.

From the Associated Press:

Joyner learned the fate of farmers Thomas and Meeks Griffin during filming of the PBS documentary “African American Lives 2,” which first aired in February 2008 and was based on research by Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr.

The program traces the lineage of 12 people, including Joyner. The host of “The Tom Joyner Morning Show” said he was stunned to learn of his South Carolina roots and two great-uncles he didn’t know existed.

“The records will show they did not do what they were executed for, and maybe now they can rest in peace,” Joyner said from his Dallas studio.

He said a pardon would bring long-overdue justice, adding “I started trying to put myself in my great-uncles’ position and tried to imagine what they must’ve been going through.”

See a video of Joyner’s comments by clicking here.

Comedian Steve Harvey, whose syndicated morning show recently bumped his longtime friend, Tom Joyner, from Chicago’s airwaves, says that Joyner’s friends are missing the point by calling for a boycott of his program.  “I’m the fall guy,” he told the Chicago Tribune’s Phil Rosenthal. “I’m not the reason you don’t have your beloved Tom. I just want people to know. …I’m just a hired gun. It’s unfair when people think the radio guys have a say-so. We don’t own the stations. … Somebody should explain to the people that while you’re boycotting, Tom Joyner is going to resurface in Chicago radio. If somebody would tell that to people, it would be better for people. But nobody’s telling them.” Last month, Clear Channel, which has been broadcasting Joyner’s morning show for the past 13 years on WVAZ-FM 102.7 (V103), moved Harvey’s syndicated show to V103 from Chicago’s WGCI-FM 107.5, thus kicking Joyner to the proverbial curb. The whole idea of a boycott, according to Rosenthal, was an off-handed comment Harvey allegedly made to Joyner’s longtime supporters. Harvey denied he has ever disparaged Joyner’s fans.   “It doesn’t make any sense for me to say something like that,” Harvey said. “I’m trying to win and endear myself to people and not aggravate people and drive a wedge between me and the audience. I do respect and love Tom Joyner. He and I have been friends a long time. And we’ve talked since he’s been off the air [in Chicago]. But the move to V103, Steve Harvey has absolutely no control over. That’s what’s alarming to me. …”My success is not hinged on Tom’s demise,” Harvey said. “I’ve never built my career on something bad happening to someone else. What God has for me, he has for me—and he’s always given me what I have coming. … What I did not expect is to be the heavy in all of this and be the guy who caused this to happen, because I’m not.”

More than a few loyal listeners to the Tom Joyner Morning Show radio program are upset this week after the “TJMS” disappeared from their dial. Chicago station V103 booted the long-time jock, in favor of comedian Steve Harvey’s syndicated broadcast. Harvey’s show was moved from WGCI, which is also a Clear Channel Radio station, leaving Joyner without a spot.  Story here.