Sometimes 'History Is Just A Stranger Away'

In addition to being a sharp booker of guests for the program, Tell Me More producer Douglas Hopper has also sometimes stepped in as my partner in crime for all things multimedia.

In commemoration of our second radio anniversary, it comes as no surprise that Douglas chose one of TMM's multimedia stories as his favorite (big props from me, of course).

Take it away, D:

Lee, back in April 2008 we decided to take the show to Baltimore for our coverage of the 40th anniversary of the 1968 riots, following the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Baltimore was one of the most devastated cities, and the impact of the riots can still be seen today.

We packed up our gear and headed north with Michel to take a driving tour — offered by the University of Baltimore — of some of the city's most devastated neighborhoods.

After the tour, Argin and I headed out to capture some photos and sounds from the streets. We wanted to know what Baltimoreans — especially those living in the hardest-hit areas — remembered about the riots.

As a journalist, you develop a pretty thick skin. You have to be able to go up to anyone and just put the questions out there. Sometimes you'll look like a fool, and occasionally people are intimidating (especially if you look like you don't know where you are). But most often, they welcome the chance to tell their story.

When we went into Green's Hardware on Monroe Avenue, they opened up and told us exactly why the riots of 1968 still matter. They're not public officials. They're not experts who you'll hear all over the media. They're people who love their city and remember one of its most horrific episodes, a moment in time that changed everything and dramatically changed the way they think.

Fellow TMM Producer Argin Hutchins gathered the sound and I captured the photos. When we returned to NPR headquarters, we put together an audio slide show using materials from the field and archival images from the riots.

The result: a window into the heart of a community and a testament to how history shapes our lives. ... And, for me, proof that history is just a stranger away.

Thanks, Douglas.