Griot Archives - Page 16 of 23 - StoryCorps

Walter Dean Myers and his son Christopher Myers

Walter Dean Myers grew up in Harlem as the son of a janitor. Today, he’s the author of nearly 100 books that are very popular with teenagers.

Growing up, there was always one person Myers struggled to impress with his writing – his father, Herbert Dean.

Here he talks about his father with his own son Christopher.

Walter and his son Christopher work on books together – as writer and illustrator.

Originally aired June 17, 2011 on NPR’s Morning Edition.

Mary Johnson and Oshea Israel

In 1993, Oshea Israel was a teenager in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One night at a party Oshea got into a fight, which ended when he shot and killed a teenager named Laramiun Byrd. Laranium was the only child of Mary Johnson.

A dozen years later, Mary went to the penitentiary to visit the man who murdered her son.

After serving 15 years, Oshea was released from prison. Soon after, Mary brought him to StoryCorps to talk about their friendship.

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Mary Johnson founded From Death to Life, an organization that supports mothers who have lost children to homicide, and encourages forgiveness between families of murderers and victims.

Originally aired May 20, 2011, on NPR’s Morning Edition.

Photos courtesy of Brian Mogren.

William Anthony Cobb and his mother Mary

William Anthony Cobb tells his mother, Mary, about the influence she had on him.

William Anthony also talks with his sister, Valerie Foster, about their mother.

James Thompson, Dwight Thompson and Brenda Graham

In 1958, a kiss made civil rights history. It happened in Monroe, North Carolina. Two African American children, James Hanover Thompson and David Simpson, were said to have kissed a girl who was white. They were arrested and accused of rape.

thompson-5The incident became known around the world as “The Kissing Case.” But over time, it was largely forgotten.

Even the Thompson family rarely talked about it–until they came to StoryCorps, where James (L) sat down with his younger brother, Dwight (R), and told him what happened.

Under political pressure, the governor of North Carolina released the two friends. James then spent most of his adult life in and out of prison for robbery.

His sister, Brenda Lee Graham (pictured left), also came to StoryCorps. She remembered what life was like for the family after James had been arrested.

Originally aired April 29, 2011, on NPR’s Morning Edition.

John Klein and Bernice Flournoy

John Klein remembers meeting the love of his life, Mary Ann Allen, with her daughter Bernice Flournoy.

Pepper Miller and her husband Ronald

Pepper and Ron Miller talk about what led to their divorce.

Diane Kenney and her sister Linda Kenney Miller

Linda Kenney (R) Miller and her sister Diane Kenney (L) remember their grandfather, Dr. John A. Kenney, who founded the first hospital for African Americans in Newark, NJ.

Carl McNair

On the morning of January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after lifting off. All seven crew members were killed.

McNair_challenger_crewRonald McNair was one of the astronauts aboard Challenger that day (Challenger crew is pictured at left; Carl is in the front row, far right). A graduate of MIT who grew up in the small farming community of Lake City, South Carolina, McNair was only the second African American to visit space.

His older brother, Carl (pictured above), talked about how Ronald’s journey from the rural South to outer space began with an act of courage at the local public library.

Click here to watch “Eyes on the Stars,” a StoryCorps animation of Carl’s remembrance.

 Originally aired January 28, 2011, on NPR’s Morning Edition.

Queen Jackson and Debra MacKillop

Queen Jackson (R) tells her case manager, Debra MacKillop (L), how she became homeless.

Originally aired December 16, 2011 on NPR’s Morning Edition.

Granvilette Kestenbaum

Howard Kestenbaum worked on the 103rd floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. He was killed during the September 11, 2001 attacks.

His wife, Granvilette, came to StoryCorps to talk about how they first met while in graduate school—and how one unusual date led to a 31-year-long marriage.

Recorded July 16, 2010.