Decatur TEST

We’re Building an Audio Archive of Decatur

In honor of Decatur’s 200th anniversary, the City of Decatur is partnering with StoryCorps to record, uplift and archive our community’s stories.

You’re invited to take part!

RECORD WITH STORYCORPS

StoryCorps is a national nonprofit that helps everyday Americans record, preserve, and share their stories. Since 2003, StoryCorps has given over half a million Americans the chance to record interviews about their lives. The organization preserves the recordings in its archive at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. If you have a connection to Decatur, we invite you to choose someone you care about, and record a meaningful conversation.

Ask and answer questions like: Who has been the biggest influence on your life? What are you proudest of? What does it mean to be “from” Decatur?

Listen to an edited story from a StoryCorps conversation.

There’s no “right” or “wrong” way to have a StoryCorps conversation, and you can use the free StoryCorps Connect online platform to record in the comfort of your own home. All you need is a strong internet connection, access to a laptop or desktop computer with a microphone, and an open heart.

Record Your Interview

Why should i participate?

Recording with StoryCorps is an opportunity to:

Honor someone you care about.

Take time to talk about the things that matter most with someone who has played an important role in your life.

Build understanding.

Your recording will help students, researchers, & more understand the variety of lived experiences in our community.

Create a legacy for the future.

You’ll be part of history, with your story preserved in the Library of Congress and Decatur Community Archive.

Mark this milestone.

Use this occasion to reflect on the past, think about the future, and take stock of what’s important.

Recording faq

Record Your Interview

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How recording works

You’ll use the StoryCorps Connect online platform to record your conversation.

Step 1

Decide if you want to record with your partner in person, or virtually via a StoryCorps Connect video call.

Step 2

When you’re ready to record, create a free StoryCorps online account, then you’ll enter the StoryCorps Connect “Virtual Recording Booth”.

Step 3

Hit “Start Recording Audio“, follow the prompts to introduce yourself, and dig into your conversation!

Step 4

When you’ve finished, you’ll be prompted to save and archive your recording as part of the Decatur Community Archive.

Record Now!

Supported by the community of decatur

Organizations across our community are taking part in helping to build this archive, including:

Listen to Stories from Decatur

“Stories are connective tissue to who we are as a community together. We hope everyone in the city can look at this collection and find themselves represented in some way.”

Ed Lee
Co-Chair of the Better Together advisory board

want to learn more?

Learn more about the Decatur Bicentennial

Listen to Stories from Decatur

Learn more about StoryCorps