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StoryCorps: Recording The Lives And Stories Of Everyday Americans StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit project whose mission is to honor and celebrate the lives of everyday Americans by listening to their stories.
StoryCorps

StoryCorps

Sharing And Preserving The Stories Of Our Lives

The Grandmother Behind The Man

Mike Kilgore's grandmother played a large role in his life. From helping Kilgore stay out of trouble with his father to teaching him how to approach life's problems, her lessons have stayed with him long after her death.

The Grandmother Behind The Man

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Opinion

Shining A Light On Homosexuality — On Talk Radio

John Brown was once compelled to call in to a radio talk show about homosexuality. He was eventually invited to the studio that night to share more of his views. He went — and his life took a turn.

Shining A Light On Homosexuality — On Talk Radio

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Opinion

Studs Terkel: Looking For A Human Voice

The legendary oral historian explains how an encounter on an airport shuttle restored his faith in the power of the human voice. Terkel, who died last week, recorded this interview inside a mobile StoryCorps recording booth that was parked in his driveway.

Studs Terkel: Looking For A Human Voice

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In A Crisis, A Family's Faith Is Rewarded

Lillian Howell lived through the 1929 stock market collapse, which happened 79 years ago this week. Howell, who was 10 at the time, recalls the desperate move her family made to survive after her father was laid off.

In A Crisis, A Family's Faith Is Rewarded

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Kenny Sailors: Father Of Basketball's Jump Shot

Kenny Sailors is widely recognized as the originator of the jump shot in basketball. That was in the first half of the 20th century. Now 87, Sailors describes how it all started — and discusses the odd celebrity that his accomplishment has brought him.

Kenny Sailors: Father Of Basketball's Jump Shot

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Opinion

A Grandmother Who Eased A Boy's Burdens

When Christopher Fraser was 10, the state determined that his father was unfit to care for him. And in no time at all, Christopher went to live with his grandparents — a move that changed his life.

A Grandmother Who Eased A Boy's Burdens

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Opinion

A Blind Date That Turned Into 60 Years

They've been together for over a half-century — but Ben and Bernice Finn met on a blind date. It was eight months after the end of World War II, and Ben had recently returned home to Brooklyn, N.Y., after serving in the Army.

A Blind Date That Turned Into 60 Years

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Opinion

A Love That Defied A Cancer Diagnosis

When Andrea St. John and Kevin Broderick met in 2006, they were both teaching high school in Lake Placid, N.Y. Broderick was in recovery from a rare form of cancer. But that didn't stop them from falling in love. Recently, St. John spoke with Broderick's brother about their relationship.

A Love That Defied A Cancer Diagnosis

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Opinion

The Human Computer And The Cat Chauffeur

Andrew Vollo is a New York City cab driver who has made it his mission to interview as many other cabbies as he can, recording their memories for the StoryCorps oral history project. Recently, Vollo spoke with Oleg Roitman and Jerry Tierstein about their experiences driving passengers around New York.

The Human Computer And The Cat Chauffeur

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Taxi Driver: An Easy Job For A Rare Character

Hyman Bloom started driving a cab in New York City more than 30 years ago. He made $40 for 10 hours of work, he remembers — and started to wonder what he was doing in a taxi. Bloom stayed with it and came away with no regrets — and plenty of stories.

Taxi Driver: An Easy Job For A Rare Character

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A Father's Lessons: Coping With Loss, Love

After his wife died in 1977, Joseph Natale raised three children on his own. Recently, he spoke with his son about coping — and finding the new love of his life. "The amazing thing was, no way was I longing to get married" again, Natale said.

A Father's Lessons: Coping With Loss, Love

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Sept. 11 Took Boy's Grandfather, Friend

For Frankie DeVito, his grandfather was a favorite playmate and companion. But Bill Steckman, who worked in the World Trade Center, didn't come home after Sept. 11, 2001. Frankie, now 10, talks with his mother about that day — and how his grandfather remains with him.

Sept. 11 Took Boy's Grandfather, Friend

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'Like Family,' Then Nothing: Life After U.S. Steel

For more than a century, U.S. Steel's Homestead Works was the flagship mill of the American steel industry, buzzing with activity. But in the 1980s, it shut down, costing thousands of people their jobs. Betty Esper, who worked there for 36 years, recalls those days and what came after them.

'Like Family,' Then Nothing: Life After U.S. Steel

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Family Traditions: Hard Work And Italian Food

When he opened a restaurant nearly 30 years ago, Joe Spano Sr. used the cooking skills he had learned from his mother. The lessons he passed on to his own son have kept the restaurant in business.

Family Traditions: Hard Work And Italian Food

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