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NELSON PEERY recently published his memoir, "Black Fire: The Making of an American Revolutionary (The New Press)," about coming of age against a background of racism, the Depression, and World War II. The book chronicles PEERY's travels west during the Depression, and his experiences as a soldier fighting in World War II. He writes about his simultaneous love for America and hatred for the people who discriminated against African Americans, especially in the army. The book details his vision of a worldwide revolution of people of color, his involvement in the Communist party, and his own personal revolutions against officers in his unit who were cruel to black soldiers. PEERY began his book when he was 24, but did not finish it until now, almost 25 years later. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES THROUGH THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).

2: MARTHA REEVES is the lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas, the Motown group which made it big in the 60's with such hits as "Nowhere to Run," "Heat Wave," and "Dancing in the Street." Her new autobiography "Dancing in the Street: Confessions of a Motown Diva," (Hyperion) is about her career at the height of Motown music's popularity, and about her conflicts with other Motown singers and managers.

ADRIENNE GERMAIN is Vice President for the International Women's Health Coalition, which works to improve women's reproductive health care and rights in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. She will serve as one of the delegates to next month's U.N. International Conference on Population and development in Cairo. She is also co-author of "Population Policies Reconsidered" (Harvard University Press), about channelling efforts to control the population not only through fertility programs, but also by offering broad-spectrum health care to women.ARTS REV. 1: TV critic DAVID BIANCULLI reviews ABC's new drama, "My So-CAlled Life," by the producers of "thirtysomething." This series premieres tonight.

Professor JOHN DOMINIC CROSSAN (CROSS-in). A native of Ireland, ordained as a priest in the U.S. (he left the Priesthood in 1969), CROSSAN now teaches biblical studies at DePaul University. CROSSAN is a founding member of the Jesus Seminar, a group of scholars who meet to determine the authenticity of Jesus' sayings in the Gospels. CROSSAN's new work is "Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography" (HarperCollins) which seeks to place Jesus in the context of his Jewish, Mediterranean and peasant roots; to see him as a Socratic philosopher and radical egalitarian. (This is a replay of an interview originally broadcast on March 30, 1994.

2: INTERVIEW WITH MIKAL GILMORE CONTINUES.

2: Irish actor/producer GABRIEL BYRNE. He got his big break playing a slick gangster in the Coen Brothers' "Miller's Crossing." One reviewer wrote, "a subtle yet forceful performance as an impassive man, concealing deep pain." BYRNE was the executive producer of "In the Name of the Father." He also starred in and produced the films "A Dangerous Woman," and "Into the West." BYRNE is now appearing as Prof. Bhaer in the remake of "Little Women," directed by Gillian Armstrong.

2: Writer for the Village Voice and The Nation, PAGAN KENNEDY. KENNEDY ("Pagan" is not her real first name) has staked out a niche for herself as a "1970's survivor and devotee." KENNEDY has written an investigation of that decade, seen through its artifacts and social upheaval, "Platforms: A Microwaved Cultural Chronicle of the 1970's" (St. Martins). In the 70's she says, "we inherited this idea of recycling culture. I wanted to write a nostalgia book about the period when nostalgia began as an industry and everything became like an image of itself..."Sha-Na-Na," "Happy Days," "American Graffiti." KENNEDY'S new book of fiction is "Stripping & Other Stories" (Serpent's Tail Press).

Musical theater historian ROBERT KIMBALL. Kimball compiled and edited The Complete Lyrics of Ira Gershwin (Knopf) and is artistic advisor to the estate of Ira Gershwin. Kimball knew Ira Gershwin and his wife Leonore. He also edited The Complete Lyrics of Cole Porter

2: Documentary film maker ALLIE LIGHT. Her new film, "Dialogues With Madwomen," won the 1994 "Freedom of Expression Award" at the Sundance Film Festival. In the film, seven women describe their bouts with mental illness, including LIGHT, who checked herself into a day psychiatric facility for three months in 1963 because of problems with depression. LIGHT co-produced the film with Irving Saraf. Their previous work, "In The Shadow of the Stars," won the 1991 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Film critic STEPHEN SCHIFF reviews "Disclosure," starring Michael Douglas and Demi Moore.