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Again and again in times of crisis, the people of the United States have been able to come together and put aside differences to solve a collective problem. The past two weeks have undoubtedly been a time of great uncertainty and anxiety across the nation. It seems that every day we have been hearing news of another major financial institution on the brink of failure. What is certain is that American resolve will be tested once again. Comparisons to the Great Depression, are inevitable, so this month, I went to the StoryCorps archive and listened to some stories about that period. What I found was enlightening. While times were indisputably difficult, what I mostly heard were stories about the strength of people working together to make the best of their circumstances. I hope you'll listen to some of these stories and see that crisis oftens bring out the best in people and shows who we are as a nation.
—Matt
Stories of the Great Depression When James Lacy was growing up in the 1920s, his father ran a general store in Sidney, Texas, a town that was simply a crossroads in Comanche County. Lacy says he was his father's little helper. "I used to just follow him. Wherever he went, I was there." 
James and his daughter Jamie
Listen to James Lacy tell the story about his father's resolve to pay back his debts and how by the end, James Sr. was known as the "richest man in Comanche." In her turn at the booth, Virginia Fairbrother talks about the generosity she saw her father extend to someone in need. 
Virginia and her daughter Laurel
Fairbrother grew up in Towner, North Dakota, during the Great Depression. Her father, Homer Hill, owned a drug store in town that her brother Donald took over and ran until 1975. Listen to Virginia tell her daughter Laurel Kaae the story of a stranger who came to ask her father for a favor. Finally, Manny Diaz tells his friend Blanca Vazquez about growing up in a tenement in New York during the Depression. Diaz remembers the "mutual assistance society" in their apartment building that helped everyone do a little better. Even though times were tough, as Manny says, "When everybody's poor, nobody feels poor." 
Manny and his friend Blanca
Listening to these stories reminds us that historical events don't take place apart from the individual lives that are impacted. In fact, as StoryCorps demonstrates, it is the stories of everyday people that create this vivid history. As the 2008 financial crisis continues to unfold, it is important to remember that at the center of it all are individuals and their lives. Television and news reports give the idea that the current financial troubles are just the next in a long line of partisan political bickering. By documenting the real stories of everyday Americans, StoryCorps shows that there is more that unites than divides us. These stories of generosity and perseverance from the Great Depression should give us hope that we can indeed solve these problems—together. WPA and StoryCorps Griot The three stories above look back seventy years to what life was like during the Great Depression. During the Great Depression, a lot of work was done to document life as it was lived then, as well as to look back. The Works Progress Administration, the largest New Deal agency, created jobs and income during the Great Depression. The program, which built many public buildings, projects, and roads and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects, was one of the inspirations for StoryCorps. One WPA project sought to preserve the stories of former slaves. Through the Federal Writers' Project, more than 2,300 first-person accounts of slavery were documented. 
For seventy years, the Slave Narratives were the largest African American oral history collection. In the last month, StoryCorps Griot, an ongoing initiative to ensure that the voices, experiences, and life stories of African Americans will be preserved and presented with dignity, has surpassed the the Slave Narratives collection. With nearly 2,500 interviews (and counting), the StoryCorps Griot collection is now the largest African American oral history project in history! You can listen to to Griot stories and find out about our ongoing efforts on our website. We are also thrilled that all StoryCorps Griot interviews will be archived at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture in addition to the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.
Jack Spade Limited Edition StoryCorps Bag It's always fun to find StoryCorps fans in unexpected places! As we mentioned last month, the designers at Jack Spade approached StoryCorps and proposed a new partnership. The company has teamed up with us to create a special edition StoryCorps bag. Show your support of StoryCorps with a beautiful reversible bag, based on the virtually indestructible coal bags of years ago. It also comes with an exclusive bonus CD of StoryCorps stories chosen by Jack Spade. Remember: a portion of your purchase goes directly to StoryCorps!
   View details of the bag and how to order yours today on the Jack Spade website. Listen to Stories
Listeners Talk Back! On September 5, we broadcast a story on Morning Edition recorded by Frankie and Diana DeVito. Frankie remembers his grandfather, Bill Steckman, who was killed in the attacks of September 11, 2001. Here are just two of the many listeners who wrote in to Frankie and Diana after hearing their story.
To Frankie: I cried when you talked about your grandfather. Then I played your interview for my husband on the computer, and he cried. Every word you said was filled with love and depth beyond your age. I'm sorry that your Grampa is not here, as he would be so very, very proud of you. But maybe you can feel his presence in your life always and feel comforted. Just keep talking to him.
I just heard the story of the 10-year-old boy who lost his PopPop. I am retired and spend three days a week caring for my three-year-old granddaughter, who calls me PopPop, of course. I was amazed at the amount of recollection and detail. I would not imagine that a three-year-old would remember so many things, and I will pay more attention to my own granddaughter from now on and I will put a little more substance into my end of the conversation.
Sponsors and Partners State Farm Insurance is a proud national sponsor of StoryCorps. Additional major funding is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.   
StoryCorps is also made possible by generous support from the Annenberg Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies, Ford Foundation, Kaplen Foundation, and Open Society Institute. StoryCorps thanks Maxell, the official CD of StoryCorps, for their generous support. 
StoryCorps' podcasts are supported by the Fetzer Institute as part of its Campaign for Love and Forgiveness. 
StoryCorps is a project of Sound Portraits Productions in partnership with NPR and the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.  
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Question of the Month  We have a feature on our website that encourages you to listen to your friends, family, and loved ones by simply asking a question. Each month we'll suggest a question that you can ask your friends and family.
This month's question is: What traditions have been passed down in your family? Give it a shot: Send an email. Ask a question. Listen to what comes back.
Talk Back! |
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