Stories to Lift Your Spirit for Spring
Spring means fresh starts, clean slates, and if you’re anything like us, a whole new positive outlook. This season, let’s shake off the winter cobwebs with some of our favorite uplifting, funny, and inspiring stories.
Who in your life would you like to share a laugh with? By sitting down with someone you love for a StoryCorps conversation, you’re showing them that their stories matter and preserving them for generations. You can record in person using the StoryCorps App, or remotely using StoryCorps Connect.
Marking the Distance
Gweneviere Mann lost her short-term memory following surgery to remove a brain tumor. She and her supportive boyfriend, Yasir, have learned to navigate life in a new way, together.
Read the full transcript here.
A Grandfather’s Musical Legacy
William Salter, 84, helped write one of America’s most iconic love songs, ‘Just the Two of Us’ — made famous by Grover Washington Jr. in 1981. Salter’s granddaughter sat down with him to learn how he found his sound and made his life musical.
Read the full transcript here.
“We Mesh Together Like One”: A Miami Love Story
Nearly 50 years after they first met in Miami, George Ju and Angela Rivas come together to tell their love story.
Read the full transcript here.
Clean Streets
Sanitation workers Angelo Bruno and Eddie Nieves worked together for nearly 10 years on the same garbage route in Manhattan’s West Village. The partners remember the neighborhood and friendships that made their time together meaningful.
Read the full transcript here.
Life Through the Window of an Ice Cream Truck
Allan Ganz and his wife Rosalyn reminisce about his seven-decade-long career as an ice cream man in Peabody, Massachusetts.
Read the full transcript here.
A Mother on the Challenges of Becoming a Teenage Parent
April Gibson speaks with her son Gregory about having a baby at sixteen, battling the expectations of others, and finding a sense of self.
Read the full transcript here.
Double Major
Wil Smith enrolled in college at age 27, baby daughter in tow. He shares with Olivia, now grown up, all about how he got by in those early years.
Read the full transcript here.
Want even more stories? Follow us on YouTube to watch even more, and sign up for our Story of the Week newsletter to discover a new voice every week.
Stories to Honor Women’s History Month
Women’s History Month commemorates women’s groundbreaking contributions to society and culture. Listen to and share the stories of women who have loved hard, worked hard, and broken down barriers. Honor the everlasting impact they have made in their industries, families, communities, and more.
Let’s record more voices to build a more complete archive of women’s history in our country. We want to hear the stories and voices of the women in your life. Show your loved ones that their stories matter by connecting with them for a StoryCorps conversation and preserve their narratives for generations to come.You can record in person using the StoryCorps App, or remotely using StoryCorps Connect.
Miss Betty’s Calling
For 25 years, Betty Thompson worked for the Jackson Women’s Health Organization as a counselor. By 2022, it was forced to close as a result of the US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. At StoryCorps, Betty reflects on the journey that led her to this work.
Lola’s Work
To Crescenciana Tan, family meant everything. Her grandson Kenneth reflected on all he learned from her work and love with his mother, Olivia Tan Ronquillo.
On the Basis of Sex
Sharron Cohen was represented by a young Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the 1973 Supreme Court case Frontiero v. Richardson, which would become one of the first successful sex discrimination cases in U.S. history.
“Strong Lines; Beautiful Lines”
Grete Bergman and Sarah Whalen-Lunn make their mark through Traditional Native Face Markings connecting them to their roots and reviving the lost tradition.
Cleaning Off the Crude
On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez ran aground spilling over 11 million gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound, devastating marine wildlife. Suzanne and LJ met when they volunteered at the Wildlife Rescue Center.
A Multigenerational Passion for Medicine
Jenna Lester comes from a long line of women who have dedicated their lives to medicine: her grandmother was one of the first African American women to become a nurse practitioner in New York.
The Icing on the Cake
Blanca Alvarez took a huge risk when she crossed the border from Mexico to the United States. She ended up inspiring her daughter to follow her dreams.
Turning to the Clouds
Wally Funk grew up wanting to fly, hoping to reach the ultimate destination: outer space. In 1961 she nearly got the chance.
My Mother the Performer
Dorlie Fong remembers her mother, Dorothy Toy, and the connection she made backstage with the star.
For the Love of Books
Rich Jean wasn’t always sure how to keep his 3-year-old daughter, Abigail, busy and happy. Librarian Hasina Islam quickly changed that and Abigail’s love for books was born.
“I Want This Not to Be Normal.”
Sabrina Beavers and Shantay Davies-Balch have spent their careers fighting for Black maternal and infant health. When both women had their babies early, they found themselves at the center of that issue.
Love Lost, And Found
Sue McConnell and Kristyn Weed are best friends and Vietnam-era veterans. Although they didn’t serve in the war together, they share a story of courage — on and off the battlefield.
Remembering One Tough Veteran
Susan Ahn Cuddy was a loving mother, the first Asian American woman in the Navy, and the first woman gunnery officer teaching air combat tactics.
A Pandemic Couldn’t Stop Her
Helen Merrill, age 91, prides herself on one simple fact: that in her lifetime, she’s never missed a single presidential election.
Alexis Martinez and Lesley Martinez Etherly
Growing up, Alexis Martinez knew that she had to hide from others that she is transgender. Forty years later, Alexis spoke with her daughter, Lesley, about growing up, parenthood, and now living as a woman.
Want even more stories? Sign up for our Story of the Week newsletter to discover a new voice every week.
Celebrating Love
Love comes in many forms — great loves, unexpected loves, old loves. In the following collection of stories, people discuss the love they have known in their lives — and the many surprising shapes and places in which it comes.
Deepen your connection with someone you love through StoryCorps. By sitting down with a loved one for a StoryCorps conversation, you’re showing them that their stories matter and preserving them for generations. You can record in person using the StoryCorps App, or remotely using StoryCorps Connect.
Danny & Annie
Brooklynites Danny and Annie remember their life together and their deep, enduring love for one another — from their first date to Danny’s final days with terminal cancer.
Read the full transcript here.
Still the One
After 10 years of marriage and two children, Les and Scott GrantSmith were struggling. Les had a secret that caused him to fall into a deep depression, pulling away from his family. Finally, Scott confronted Les, and the GrantSmith family changed forever.
Read the full transcript here.
Going up
After 10 years of marriage and two children, Les and Scott GrantSmith were struggling. Les had a secret that caused him to fall into a deep depression, pulling away from his family. Finally, Scott confronted Les, and the GrantSmith family changed forever.
Read the full transcript here.
Walnut Street
When Sharon Adams moved back to her hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the late 1990s, she needed an electrician. She found a husband, Larry Adams, and together they embarked on a new undertaking: revitalizing their neighborhood one lot at a time. At StoryCorps, they remember how as their relationship grew, so did their involvement in the community.
Read the full transcript here.
What’s For Dinner?
When George Ju met Angela Rivas, he immediately knew she was the one. Just a few days after they met, the two began their lifelong journey together. After nearly 50 years of marriage, they continue to share their lives, laughter, and love for cooking.
Read the full transcript here.
A Life of Honor
When Joseph Patton joined the Navy in 1955, he had to serve in silence. At the time, the LGBTQ community could not be open while in the military. At StoryCorps, Joseph remembers the pride he took in his service and the beauty and joy that love has brought to his life.
Read the full transcript here.
Tough Choices
Tom Peters first locked eyes with JoAn Joseph at a party in 1999, and the two fell in love quickly. A couple of years into their relationship, JoAn became pregnant and they had to make a difficult decision. At StoryCorps, they reflect on that moment and their journey since.
Read the full transcript here.
Love Interrupted
Tom Peters first locked eyes with JoAn Joseph at a party in 1999, and the two fell in love quickly. A couple of years into their relationship, JoAn became pregnant and they had to make a difficult decision. At StoryCorps, they reflect on that moment and their journey since.
Read the full transcript here.
Love Interrupted
Brandy Carpenter, 38, and De’Marchoe Carpenter, 41, began their romance in the summer of 1994. Brandy was 14 years old. De’Marchoe was 17. And Brandy had had a crush on him for years. But before they had their first kiss, De’Marchoe was arrested for a murder he didn’t commit in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Read the full transcript here.
A Love Song
This love story started with a song. It was Brooklyn in the late 1950s. Jay McKnight and his friends spent summer evenings outside, singing a cappella. And one night, Jay caught the ear of a girl named Andrea. Jay and Andrea McKnight came to StoryCorps in New York to talk about what happened next.
Read the full transcript here.
Love at First Sight
This love story started with a song. It was Brooklyn in the late 1950s. Jay McKnight and his friends spent summer evenings outside, singing a cappella. And one night, Jay caught the ear of a girl named Andrea. Jay and Andrea McKnight came to StoryCorps in New York to talk about what happened next.
Read the full transcript here.
“There Was No Hanky Panky”
A few months before their 70th wedding anniversary, Joel and Julia Helfman discuss how their childhood friendship blossomed into a love story that had stood the test of time.
Originally broadcast July 26, 2019, on NPR’s Morning Edition. Read the full transcript here.
Their Love for Each Other Grew into a Love for their Community
Sharon and Larry Adams remember how they met, and talk about renovating their community — brick by brick, home by home.
Originally aired February 15, 2019, on NPR’s Morning Edition. Read the full transcript here.
“We Mesh Together Like One”
In 1971 George Ju was working as a chef and running a Miami restaurant. One fateful night while cooking for an engagement party, he met Angela Rivas.
Originally aired March 19, 2021, on NPR’s Morning Edition. Read the full transcript here.
To Protect Our Love
Despite the legal restrictions on same-sex marriage in the 1970s, civil rights leader Bayard Rustin and his partner Walter Naegle found an unconventional way to legalize their relationship. Walter Naegle remembers their love nearly 33 years after Rustin’s passing.
Originally aired June 28, 2015, on NPR’s Weekend Edition., on NPR’s Morning Edition. Read the full transcript here.
A COVID Love Story
Months after their wedding, Namira and Omar Anani were forced to isolate when Namira contracted COVID-19. The couple looks back on a difficult year and how it ultimately brought them closer together.
Originally aired February 19th, 2021, on NPR’s Morning Edition. Read the full transcript here.
At First Glance
From the moment that he came into her office, Colleen knew that Max was a man she could happily stand beside. At StoryCorps, Colleen tells their daughter, Meaghan, about the life that they built together and the obstacles that they overcame.
Read the full transcript here.
A Teenage Romance, Rekindled After Three Decades
As teenagers, Lori Daigle and Liz Barnes shared a kiss that left them with a feeling of “crazy, chaotic excitement.” After 30 years apart, they found their way back to each other.
Originally aired March 8, 2019, on NPR’s Morning Edition. Read the full transcript here.
The Love Season: StoryCorps Animated Shorts
Just Like Yesterday
Working as a housekeeper in a new country far from her family, Tabinda caught the eye of her future husband — Tariq Sheikh.
Two By Two
Identical twins Hunny and Bunny Feller were waitressing at a hotel in the summer of 1946 when they fell in love with another set of twins who were working as musicians.
A Life, Complete
John, 100, and Jerry, 72, are military veterans who served in WWII and Vietnam, respectively. They were married in the veterans home where they now live.
You Move Me
Jay McKnight was singing outside one summer evening and caught the ear of a girl named Andrea. They share how their childhood romance became a lifelong partnership.
Want even more stories? Sign up for our Story of the Week newsletter to discover a new voice every week.
Stories to Celebrate Black History Month
Black History Month honors the achievements, adversities, and legacy of African Americans in the United States. At StoryCorps, we are amplifying Black voices in conversations about activism, love, joy, and leadership. Explore our collection of stories to reflect on our shared history and to celebrate the impact of Black historical figures and pioneers.
Historic Black Voices
“The Black Vote Matters:” How An Army Veteran Inspired A Teenage Martin Luther King, Jr.
Warning, the following story includes a description of racial violence.
In 1945, World War II US Army veteran Maceo Snipes, returned home to Taylor County, Georgia. He voted in the county’s primary in July of 1946, and the next day, he was murdered by a white mob. Read the full transcript here.
A Family Remembers A Civil Rights Activist On The 60th Anniversary Of His Killing
Herbert Lee, Sr. was a businessman, farmer and activist for racial equality in 1950s Mississippi. On September 25, 1961, he was murdered in Liberty, MS. His white killer, Mississippi state legislator, E.H. Hurst, was acquitted the very next day. On the 60th anniversary of his death, Shirley Lee Riley — Lee’s youngest child — and her son, Clifton Franklin, sat down for StoryCorps to remember Herbert Lee’s civil rights legacy. Read the full transcript here.
A Pastor Who Was Once A Mischievous Child, Pays Tribute To “The People That Nurtured Me”
Growing up in the 1950s in Montgomery, AL., Rev. Farrell Duncombe or “Little Farrell,” as he was known by his family and friends, had a mischievous side. But he had many role models who kept him in line. One such person was his own father, Rev. Henry A. Duncombe Sr., who was the pastor of their church, St. Paul A.M.E. Church of Montgomery. Read the full transcript here.
Driven
Throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, race car driver Wendell Scott poured his heart, soul, and all of his earnings into racing across the South. In 2015, he became the first Black person to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Read the full transcript here.
How Jackie Robinson Inspired One Man “To Be Somebody”
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball when he took Ebbets Field for the Brooklyn Dodgers. That day is a historic marker for racial progress, but his journey to becoming the first African American player in the majors began in Daytona Beach, Florida — a year earlier. Read the full transcript here.
Labor of Love
Mary Stepp Burnette Hayden was born into enslavement in Black Mountain, North Carolina. She was 7 years old when she was freed. She stayed in Black Mountain and became a midwife, delivering several hundred babies including her own grandchildren. Her granddaughter, Mary Othella Burnette, came to StoryCorps with her daughter, Debora Hamilton Palmer, to honor the family matriarch. Read the full transcript here.
Dion Diamond: Reflections on 60 Years of Civil Rights Activism
Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, Dion Diamond was a bit of a prankster, and spent much of his youth trying to, as he put it, “crash segregated society.” Later, as a student activist at Howard University, he appears unbothered while sitting at a lunch counter in the face of members of the American Nazi Party. At the age of 76, Dion came to StoryCorps to talk about how he got started. Read the full transcript here.
Silvia’s Legacy
In the 1950s Ellaraino, then age 16, was sent to Louisiana to visit her great-grandmother Silvia, who had lived through the Civil War. That summer, Silvia shared the moment she got her freedom. Read the full transcript here.
Olivia J. Hooker, Pioneer and First Black Woman in the Coast Guard
Dr. Olivia J. Hooker, 103, shares what it was like as one of the first Black women to join the United States Coast Guard Women’s Reserve in 1945, and what her time in the service has meant to her. Read the full transcript here.
As a Black woman who came of voting age in the late 1940s, Theresa Burroughs was one of many Americans to fight against voter suppression. Every month for two years, she traveled to Alabama’s Hale County Courthouse in pursuit of her right to vote. Read the full transcript here.
Remembering Dr. Charles Drew, “The Father of Blood Banks”
In the 1940s, Dr. Charles Drew was a prominent surgeon whose medical breakthroughs helped preserve the lives of thousands of soldiers. His daughter, Dr. Charlene Drew Jarvis, talks with her son about her father’s life and legacy. Read the full transcript here.
The Treasures of Mrs. Grady’s Library
Growing up in Arkansas in the 1950s, Judge Olly Neal was afraid to let his high school classmates see him reading. To keep this secret, he would steal books from the library. What he didn’t realize was that the librarian Mrs. Grady was supporting his love of reading from afar. Read the full transcript here.
Stories about Black Joy
Star Bound
Six-year-old Jerry Morrison’s favorite person to talk to is his uncle, NASA engineer Joey Jefferson. They celebrate their shared passion for space and exploration. Read the full transcript here.
Miss Devine
Cousins James Ransom and Cherie Johnson recall their formidable Sunday school teacher, Miss Lizzie Devine, the only woman who scared them more than their grandmother. Set in the small Florida town of the cousins’ memories, this animation will have you laughing out loud as the cousins remember the fearsome Miss Devine. Read the full transcript here.
Bringing Hope and a Love of Horses to L.A. Streets
Ghuan Featherstone grew up in South Central Los Angeles. He has one clear memory of riding a horse for the first time, in Griffith Park, when he was eight years old. It was a feeling that he never forgot, and a lifelong passion was born. Read the full transcript here.
Stories about Black Love
You Move Me
Jay McKnight was singing outside one summer evening and caught the ear of a girl named Andrea. They share how their childhood romance became a lifelong partnership. Read the full transcript here.
Me & You
On May 25, 1971, Jackie Miller and her husband brought home their son, Scott, whom they adopted. 37 years later, Scott brought his mother to StoryCorps, where they shared a conversation about Jackie’s decision to adopt him, their profound love for one another, and Scott’s trepidation at what the future holds. Read the full transcript here.
Stories about Black Community Leaders
How Losing Relatives to Cancer Inspired A Life’s Work
After being raised by her aunt and uncle, Hadiyah-Nicole Green lost both of them to cancer in her early 20s. Caring for them inspired Dr. Green to dedicate her life to fighting the disease. Read the full transcript here.
How A Dedicated Teacher Turned Into A Lifelong Friend
Raymond Blanks had very few Black teachers when he was growing up in Newark, NJ. But the ones he did have, made a big impact on how he saw himself and what he believed he could be. Raymond’s 7th grade math and science teacher, Sean Lloyd, was one of them. Mr. Lloyd challenged Raymond to strive for excellence, both in and out of the classroom, and now Raymond is paying it forward. Read the full transcript here.
School’s Out
Reverend James Seawood recalls how integration led to African American families being forced out of his hometown, the human cost of “urban renewal,” and the fate of his beloved school. Read the full transcript here.
Philadelphia Poll Worker Supports Her Community, and Inspires Daughter to Do the Same
Cherie DeBrest cast her first ballot nearly 30 years ago and has voted in every election since. She felt “duty-bound” to vote in honor of those before her who weren’t allowed. She credits her inspiration to early suffragettes, Black women like Mary Church Terrell and Ida B. Wells, who fought for the right to vote in 1920, but never got the chance to vote themselves. Read the full transcript here.
“Our Father Taught Us To Love Ourself”: Remembering The Man Who Brought Juneteenth To San Diego
Before Juneteenth was recognized in the U.S. as a federal holiday, Sidney Cooper had been celebrating this day for decades. At StoryCorps, two of Sidney’s daughters, Marla and Lana, came to remember the many lessons on family, community, and the importance of celebrating Juneteenth they learned from their father. Read the full transcript here.
Want even more stories? Sign up for our Story of the Week newsletter to discover a new voice every week.
Stories for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, deepen your understanding of the history of civil rights in America by listening to the voices of people who lived it. Below is a collection of StoryCorps conversations between civil rights activists, trailblazers, and loved ones about Martin Luther King Jr. and the enduring legacy of the civil rights movement.
Help us honor the many voices of the civil rights movement by recording the stories of someone you know. By sitting down with someone you love for a StoryCorps conversation, you’re showing them that their stories matter and preserving them for generations. You can record in person using the StoryCorps App, or remotely using StoryCorps Connect.
Historic Black Voices
We Go Up Together Or We Go Down Together
On this episode of the StoryCorps podcast, we revisit the final hours of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life through the experiences of some people who were there with him.
Read the full transcript here.
Dr. King Did His Own Eulogy
Clara Jean Ester, 72, remembers bearing witness to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final speech in 1968, and rushing to his side the next day when he was assassinated.
Read the full transcript here.
How Dr. King Inspired a Young John Lewis
Congressman John Lewis remembers how Dr. King’s words inspired him to join the Civil Rights Movement.
We Walked From Sunup to Sunset
Lawrence Cumberbatch tells his son Simeon about what it was like to be present on the podium behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
When Dr. King Drove Down the Street
Tom Houck shares memories of dropping out of high school in 1965 to fight for civil rights, and becoming Dr. King’s personal driver.
The Leesburg Stockade Girls
In 1963, more than a dozen African American girls, including Carol Barner-Seay, Shirley Reese, Diane Bowens, and Verna Hollis, were arrested for protesting segregation in Americus, Georgia. At StoryCorps, they remember being held in a small makeshift jail for nearly two months.
A More Perfect Union
When Theresa Burroughs came of voting age, she was ready to cast her ballot — but she had a long fight ahead of her. During the Jim Crow era, the board of registrars at Alabama’s Hale County Courthouse prevented African American people from registering to vote. Undeterred, Theresa remembers venturing to the courthouse on the first and third Monday of each month, in pursuit of her right to vote.
Driven
Wendell Scott was the first African American person inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. His son, Frank, remembers what it took for his father to cross the finish line at tracks throughout the South.
Eyes on the Stars
On January 28, 1986, NASA Challenger mission STS-51-L ended in tragedy when the shuttle exploded after takeoff. On board was physicist Ronald E. McNair, the second African American person to enter space. But first, he was a kid with big dreams in Lake City, South Carolina.
More Voices
The Kissing Case
Remembering the Assassination of Civil Rights Leader Edwin Pratt
Remembering Civil Rights Activist Herbert Lee, Sr.
Dion Diamond: Reflections on 60 Years of Civil Rights Activism
Top photo: Artwork by Lyne Lucien.
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Stories for Veterans Day
In recognition of Veterans Day, we are honoring those in the military community by amplifying their voices. Listen to stories from our Military Voices Initiative, our national project to record and preserve the stories of veterans, service members, and military families.
Share your story. StoryCorps Connect makes it possible to interview a loved one remotely and then upload it to the StoryCorps archive at the Library of Congress. Learn more at StoryCorpsConnect.org.
The Rent We Pay
During the onset of the Soviet-Afghan war, Ajmal Achekzai and his family fled to the United States to seek asylum. More than 20 years later, Ajmal returns to the place he once called home as a United States Marine. In 2021, as the political state of Afghanistan took a turn for the worse, Ajmal came to StoryCorps to reflect on the dualities he faced as an Afghan-born U.S. Marine.
Read the full transcript here.
“We Didn’t Have Time To Be Afraid”: Two Army Nurses Reflect On Serving At The Front Lines
Army veterans Diane Evans and Edie Meeks arrived in Plaiku, Vietnam on the same day in February of 1969. Both were from Minnesota, and they built an almost instant friendship. They came to StoryCorps to share their story of service.
Read the full transcript here.
Without Memory: A Love Story From Two Veterans
One day, while on duty, Matthew Perry was hit by three IEDs in the course of a single day. But the lasting impacts of his traumatic brain injuries wouldn’t be felt until years later.
Read the full transcript here.
Germans in the Woods
As a World War II veteran, Joseph Robertson recalls his time as an infantryman and what he refers to as the saddest memory of his life.
Read the full transcript here.
Siblings Remember Their Father, A Combat Pilot Who Served In Three Wars
Growing up in the 1930s, Lt. Col. Miguel Encinias wasn’t sure if his dream of becoming a military pilot was in reach. In those days, combat pilots of Hispanic heritage were almost unheard of.
Read the full transcript here.
We Can Do It: How One Woman Found Independence During WWII
Connie Doria Rocha talks about her experience as a civilian mechanic during WWII, and how that taste of independence changed her life.
Read the full transcript here.
Remembering One Tough Veteran: Lieutenant Susan Ahn Cuddy
Flip and Christine Cuddy sit down to remember their mother, Lieutenant Susan Ahn Cuddy, a trailblazer and the first Asian American woman in the Navy.
Read the full transcript here.
The First Muslim Chaplain in the U.S. Armed Forces on Supporting Soldiers
Lieutenant Colonel Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad joined the U.S Army in 1982 because he was attracted to the discipline and values of the military culture there. He talks about his experience offering mental and emotional support to service members and families of fallen soldiers.
Read the full transcript here.
Remembering A Marine Who Put Serving Veterans First
After serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, Marine Corporal Josh Dunne worked as an advocate for veterans seeking higher education. In 2016, while experiencing a mental health crisis, Josh died in an officer-involved shooting. His wife, Melanie Dunne, came to StoryCorps with her sister, Marissa Miranda, to remember what Josh meant to their family and his fellow veterans.
Read the full transcript here.
Love Lost, And Found
After meeting in a transgender veteran’s support group, Sue McConnell and Kristyn Weed became as close as sisters. The two women share a story of courage — on and off the battlefield.
Read the full transcript here.
Love In The Time Of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
After marrying in 2018, couple Mike Rudulph and Neil Rafferty share the story of their relationship, and what it meant to love during the era of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Read the full transcript here.
Olympic Gold Medalist Melvin Pender on the 1968 Mexico Games
Veteran Melvin Pender expresses the pride he felt when seeing John Carlos’ Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics during his temporary leave from the military to compete in the Olympic relay.
Read the full transcript here.
Tom’s War
For Tom Geerdes, his road to recovery following the Vietnam War took time. He shares the experience of this journey with his daughter Hannah.
Read the full transcript here.
The Transition Home
After returning home from Afghanistan, Drew Pham has had a hard time adjusting to normal life again. With his wife Molly Pearl at his side, he is able to get through.
Read the full transcript here.
104-Year-Old WWII Veteran Remembers Top-Secret ‘Ghost Army’
When Gilbert Seltzer joined the army during World War Two, he was given a top secret mission; to draw fire away from troops through coordinating misinformation, phony convoys, and even inflatable tanks to trick the enemy.
Read the full transcript here.
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Support for the Military Voices Initiative
Find Connection with #TheGreatListen
The holidays offer us a chance to come together, at a time when community and connection are more important than ever. Watch some of our favorite animations celebrating the special stories that come from connecting with your family and loved ones from a different generation, and learn more about how to record your own #TheGreatListen story.
Labor of Love
An Honest Life
Record a Loved One’s Stories
“We were a nuisance to the other students. But we had a lot of fun.”
This Thanksgiving, take a moment to record cherished memories like these from the people around you for The Great Thanksgiving Listen.
If you are unsure of how to start a good conversation, check out our list of Great Questions. You can ask a loved one any of the questions from the list or create your own, using the StoryCorps App or our new program for long-distance interviews, StoryCorps Connect.
Stories from #TheGreatListen
A Century-Old Family Reunion Interrupted By A Pandemic
For nearly a century, the Quanders has been gathering for a family reunion each year. In the face of COVID-19, they must reconsider how to keep their history alive.
Read the full transcript here.
When You Have Problems, Go To The Clouds
When Wally Funk was twenty, she got the chance to prove that females could be astronauts. While the program got shut down, she didn’t let this stop her. More than half a century later, she joined the crew on the New Shepard rocket, which launched on July 20th, 2021.
Read the full transcript here.
The Little Things
For the past eight years, Herman Travis has pushed a heavy shopping cart full of groceries to bring to elderly neighbors in a low-income housing complex. He was joined at StoryCorps by one the residents he delivers to, Robert Cochran, to talk about the impact of that gesture.
Read the full transcript here.
Double Major
As a student at Bowdoin College, Wil Smith had an unique roommate, his infant daughter Olivia. By graduation, his entire school was cheering them both across the stage.
Read the full transcript here.
Bring StoryCorps to Your Classroom
The Great Thanksgiving Listen is the perfect opportunity for students to practice their listening and storytelling skills by honoring someone in their life with an interview. We invite educators to use our toolkit to bring StoryCorps into the classroom this November.
I Love Leslye
Leslye Huff and her partner, Mary Ostendorf, met in 1983. Mary felt less comfortable with public displays of affection and had not told many people in her life about her sexuality, including her family. They talk about a difficult Thanksgiving, and all the ways that love can heal.
Read the full transcript here.
“I Have These Dreams Where I Go Back”: Dad and Daughter Mourn a Syria They Once Knew
Ten years after the start of the Syrian civil war, father and daughter Walid and Magda Sakaan remember their lives in Syria.
Read the full transcript here.
From Beets to Brilliance: A Grandmother’s Wisdom Lives On
After Chloe Longfellow’s father died, her mother, Dorsey Romano, was forced to take on a variety of jobs, some of which required her to work nights. While her mother was away, Chloe spent time at her grandparents’ home and became close to her grandmother, Doris Louise Rolison.
Read the full transcript here.
The Questions They’ve Always Wanted To Ask
In an interview with their father, Isaiah and Josiah Fredericks ask him about the hardest thing about being a dad, as well as why they can’t have their own rollercoaster.
Read the full transcript here.
In the US 50 Years, a Man Reflects on His Arrival from Honduras
Over 50 years ago, Roy Daley arrived in America, although it wasn’t quite what he was expecting. At StoryCorps he remembers his first Thanksgiving in the United States.
Read the full transcript here.
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Your support makes it possible for StoryCorps, an independently funded nonprofit, to collect, archive, and share the stories of people from all backgrounds because everyone’s stories deserve to be heard.
Voices to Honor for Indigenous Peoples’ Day
In recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we’re highlighting the voices of Native American people through a few of their conversations at StoryCorps. Listen below to the stories and lives of Indigenous people from all backgrounds across the country.
Share your story. StoryCorps Connect makes it possible to interview a loved one remotely and then upload it to the StoryCorps archive at the Library of Congress. Learn more at StoryCorpsConnect.org.
A Mother And Son Remember “Grandma Chief”
In 1985, Wilma Mankiller made history when she became the first woman to lead the Cherokee Nation. Her family remembers her as an inspiring trailblazer, and as a supportive mother and grandmother.
Read the full transcript here.
My Father, the Giant
Thompson Williams remembers his father, a larger-than-life tribal leader of the Caddo Nation and a veteran of World War II.
Read the full transcript here.
Diane Tells His Name
Diane Tells His Name’s family is from the Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota — something she didn’t know until she was an adult, after she discovered she had been adopted.
Read the full transcript here.
Remembering Leona Kinsey
Carolyn DeFord, a Puyallup tribal member, remembers her mom, Leona Kinsey, who disappeared twenty years ago. She is part of an epidemic of Native American women who have gone missing and never been found.
Read the full transcript here.
The Bookmobile
Storm Reyes was working full-time at a migrant work camp at age 8. She remembers the day a bookmobile arrived, and the world was suddenly at her fingertips.
Read the full transcript here.
Where I Come From
Barnie Botone looks back on the beauty and the tragedies that he and his family have experienced on the railroad.
Read the full transcript here.
Want to listen to more StoryCorps stories? Sign up for our Story of the Week newsletter to discover a new voice every week.
Stories for Disability Awareness Month
Disability Awareness Month gives us the opportunity to lift up the voices of those living with disabilities and share their many unique lived experiences. In recognition of this month, we dedicate our newest collection to the stories of these individuals, and their loved ones who offer their support and admiration.
Share your story. StoryCorps Connect makes it possible to interview a loved one remotely and then upload it to the StoryCorps archive at the Library of Congress. Learn more at StoryCorpsConnect.org.
Leading the Way
John Washington was born blind and developed a severe loss of hearing over time. In a conversation with his daughter, John shares the pride he took in raising his children.
Read the full transcript here.
We Have One Heart
Yomi Wrong expresses her admiration and thanks her mom, Sarah Churchill, for never giving up on her.
Recorded in partnership with the Disability Visibility Project.
Read the full transcript here.
Everything We Did, We Did Together
Meaghan Starkloff Breitenstein sits down with her daughter, Colleen Kelly Starkloff, to remember her husband Max, who was left quadriplegic following a fatal car accident in his twenties.
Recorded in partnership with the Disability Visibility Project.
Read the full transcript here.
Bonnie and Myra Brown
In an interview with her daughter, Bonnie Brown shares the hopes and fears she experienced as a single mom with an intellectual disability.
Read the full transcript here.
Q & A
Sarah Littman talks with her son Joshua about everything from her experience raising a child with Asperger syndrome, to what life would be like without animals.
Read the full transcript here.
A Visit to the ER Takes an Unexpected Turn
When Ellen Hughes entered the emergency room with her son Walker, she recognized that she was in what looked like a scary situation. But thanks to Public Safety Sergeant Keith Miller, their group became a party people wanted to join.
Read the full transcript here.
Brothers Living with Autism on Navigating Through Work and Life
Being born only a year apart meant that brothers Russell and Remmick could lean on each other while they navigated the working world as adults with autism.
Read the full transcript here.
Want even more stories? Sign up for our Story of the Week newsletter to discover a new voice every week.
Commemorating the Anniversary of September 11
In 2005, in partnership with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, StoryCorps launched the September 11 Initiative. The goal of the project is to record at least one story commemorating each life lost during the attacks on September 11, 2001 and the February 26, 1993 World Trade Center Bombing.
Last year, in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, StoryCorps released two new animated shorts highlighting the voices of those impacted by this tragedy, “September 12th” and “Father Mychal’s Blessing.” These new animations are part of a rich body of stories from the September 11 Initiative, which includes conversations with family members, colleagues, and friends who wish to commemorate the events of September 11.
These StoryCorps interviews are archived in the StoryCorps Archive in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, and are also part of a special collection at the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
Father Mychal’s Blessing
On 9/11, Father Mychal Judge, beloved chaplain to the NYC Fire Department, was killed during the attack on the World Trade Center while offering spiritual support, becoming the first certified fatality of the 9/11 attacks. His friend, Father Michael Duffy, read the sermon at his funeral. He remembers Father Mychal’s endearing mannerisms, constant positivity, and profound impact on everyone he knew.
Read the full transcript here.
September 12th
On 9/11, Vaughn Allex checked in two passengers arriving late for their flight. He learned later that they were two of the hijackers of the plane that crashed into the Pentagon. He recalls the toll it took on him.
Read the full transcript here.
We also released a two-part podcast episode that shares first-hand reflections on 9/11. The first part, a collaboration with Consider This, looks at the lasting toll of 9/11 on U.S. civilians, U.S. veterans, and Afghan citizens. The second part remembers the life and legacy of Richard Palazzolo, who was killed in the attacks. Subscribe to the StoryCorps podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
From StoryCorps and Consider This: The Lasting Toll Of 9/11
In this episode of the StoryCorps podcast, we teamed up with NPR’s daily afternoon podcast, Consider This, to bring you stories from some of the people whose lives were forever changed by September 11 and its aftermath.
Joe Dittmar
Joe Dittmar recounts making his way back home on September 11, 2001 after surviving the attacks on the World Trade Center.
Read the full transcript here.
Salman Hamdani
Talat Hamdani remembers her son, an EMT and NYPD cadet who died at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 as a first responder and was wrongfully accused of having terrorist links.
Read the full transcript here.
She Was the One
When Richie Pecorella met Karen Juday, she captured his heart and changed his life. They were engaged when she was killed at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Read the full transcript here.
John and Joe
The late John Vigiano Sr., a retired FDNY captain, honors his sons — John Jr., also a firefighter, and Joe, a police detective — who were killed while saving others on September 11, 2001.
Read the full transcript here.
Sean Rooney
Beverly Eckert shares her final conversation with her husband, Sean Rooney, before he died in the south tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Read the full transcript here.
Richie Palazzolo
Ronnie and Richie Palazzolo were identical twins who did everything together, including working at the World Trade Center. They were both there on the morning of the September 11 attacks. 20 years later, Ronnie came to StoryCorps to remember his brother and best friend.
Read the full transcript here.
Mark Petrocelli
Retired NYC Fire Chief Albert Petrocelli died from COVID-19 nearly two decades after losing his youngest son, Mark, on September 11, 2001. Before he passed, Chief Petrocelli and his wife, Ginger, sat down to remember the last time they saw their son.
Read the full transcript here.
Balbir Singh Sodhi
Rana and Harjit Sodhi remember their brother, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh man who was killed in the first hate crime following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Read the full transcript here.
Always a Family
Monique Ferrer remembers the last time she spoke with her ex-husband, Michael Trinidad, on September 11, 2001, when he called her from the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center’s north tower to say goodbye.
Read the full transcript here.
From the Archive: More Stories of September 11
Dawn Ennis and Amy Weinstein
Interview partners Dawn Ennis and Amy Weinstein talk about Dawn’s experience as a producer on CBS This Morning on the morning of September 11, 2001. Dawn describes the exact moment when newsrooms found out that a plane had hit the World Trade Center and she shares her feelings regarding the reactions that New Yorkers had after the attack. Read the full transcript here.
Sharon Watts
Sharon Watts shares the story of her relationship with her ex-fiance Captain Patrick Brown of the FDNY, who passed away during the 9/11 attacks. Sharon affectionately recollects stories and reveals that soon after Patrick passed away, Sharon compiled stories and journals about his life to create a book. Read the full transcript here.
Maria Dominguez and Phillip Cassanova
Rescue medical firefighter, Maria “Terry” Dominguez talks with her nephew Phillip Cassanova about her deployment with the USSR during the 9/11 attacks and shares her feelings about the aftermath of the tragedy while reflecting on the importance of loved ones. Phillip describes being 10 years old when the attack occurred and finding out in his 5th grade classroom. Read the full transcript here.
Michael Doyle
Michael Doyle, along with StoryCorps facilitator Virginia Lora, recounts finding out that the attacks had occurred while he was riding the Q train over lower Manhattan. Read the full transcript here.
Diane Davis and Leo McKenna
Spouses Diane Davis and Leo McKenna discuss their memories of 9/11, when 7,000 plane passengers were forced to land in the town of Gander, Newfoundland, Canada following the attacks in New York City. Diane, a third grade teacher at the time, remembers preparing the schools to house the passengers. Leo recalls the commotion that occurred due to the sudden landing of the passengers. Read the full transcript here.
Seth and Lois Gilman
Seth Gilman, who was a rescue worker during 9/11, speaks with his mother Lois Gilman about assisting the New York City police and witnessing the loss of many lives on that day. He describes his journey to becoming a teacher, and the unity that he saw during a difficult moment in history. Read the full transcript here.
Nadine Newlight
Nadine (Nai’a) Newlight tells StoryCorps facilitator Eloise Melzer about how close she was to being at World Trade Center on 9/11. She describes her love for the World Trade Center and her experience as a tour guide there. Read the full transcript here.
Brian Muldowney and B. Kelly Hallman
Colleagues and close friends Brian Muldowney and B. Kelly Hallman discuss the loss of Muldowney’s brother, Richard Muldowney Jr., a fellow firefighter who passed away saving people on 9/11. Brian describes going down to the World Trade Center with his brother’s firehouse to help and discusses how his brother’s legacy affects his work. Read the full transcript here.
Michael Fabiano
Michael Fabiano, a Deputy Controller for NY/NJ Port Authority, speaks with Sarah Geis about his experience being on the 69th floor of Tower 1 when the first plane attacked. He describes his escape from the building and his efforts to help bring to safety a colleague, John Ambrosio, who was wheelchair bound.
Read the full transcript here.
Kris Gould and Scott Accord
On the morning of 9/11 as she watched the planes crash, Kris Gould tried to get in contact with a friend who worked on the 99th floor of Tower 1. She and her colleague Scott Accord talk about the vibe that fell over the city the day after the attacks occurred. Read the full transcript here.
Share your story. StoryCorps Connect makes it possible to interview a loved one remotely and then upload it to the StoryCorps Archive at the Library of Congress. Learn more at StoryCorpsConnect.org.