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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

Convincing An Aging Mother To Take A Hard Step

When Pauline Green, 78, fell and broke her shoulder last year, the injury changed her life. Even after rehabilitating the shoulder, Green was not able to live on her own anymore. And that put her daughter, Fanni, in a difficult spot.

Convincing An Aging Mother To Take A Hard Step

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Stuck In A Tub, And Getting To Know The Locals

Mildred Bond Roxborough is the NAACP's longest-tenured employee. She recently described what happened when she tried to wash up after gathering petition signatures on a hot summer's day in Arkansas — and she was supplied with a tin washtub that was about 2 feet deep.

Stuck In A Tub, And Getting To Know The Locals

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Opinion

Brothers Reflect On Courage, And A Turning Point

During the Vietnam War, brothers Don and Jim Sargent of Salt Lake City wanted to enlist. Only Jim was able to; Don was diagnosed with severe diabetes. Years later, each brother considers the other a hero.

Brothers Reflect On Courage, And A Turning Point

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Cancer Patients Teach Nurse Importance Of Love

Eleven-year-old Sarafina Viviano wants to go into the medical field when she grows up. She asks her mother, Dana Viviano, a nurse who cares for cancer patients, what she's learned from her patients and what it's like to tell someone he's going to die.

Cancer Patients Teach Nurse Importance Of Love

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A Baseball Fan Who Knows His Signs

Robert Panara, 89, talks with his friend Greg Livadas about baseball. StoryCorps hide caption

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StoryCorps

A Baseball Fan Who Knows His Signs

Robert Panara's father thought he could shock his son into getting his hearing back by meeting Babe Ruth. It was a dream come true, but it didn't bring back his hearing. Years later, when Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson spoke to him in sign language, the lifelong baseball fan had a new idol.

A Baseball Fan Who Knows His Signs

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North Carolina Town's Longtime Barbershop Cutups

Lawrence Anthony and David Shirley have spent the past 40 years cutting hair together in a Drexel, N.C., barbershop. Together, the two share memories of their fading town and tapering careers.

North Carolina Town's Longtime Barbershop Cutups

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Fighting Racism Is A Family Tradition

At 36, Benjamin Todd Jealous is the youngest president in the history of the 100-year-old NAACP. But he has a legacy to live up to in his own family when it comes to battling racism in America.

Fighting Racism Is A Family Tradition

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The Trick To Teaching Is Sometimes Magic

Ricky Boone, who was born with a rare bone disorder, says he owes everything to his principal, who taught him magic tricks when he was a kid. Today, Boone is a professional magician who owns his own magic store.

The Trick To Teaching Is Sometimes Magic

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In Defense Of The Flag (Sewn For History Class)

Bob Heft, who sewed the 50-state flag as a high schooler, received a B- for his project. Heft's history teacher accused him of not knowing how many states were in the union at the time. The teacher changed the grade when the design was accepted by Congress.

In Defense Of The Flag (Sewn For History Class)

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To This Adoptive Dad, Every Day Is Father's Day

Single dad Brian Miller adopted Johnathan Emerson when he was 7. The young boy had been abused and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. It took some time for both father and son to adjust to their new reality, and now they can't imagine their lives any other way.

To This Adoptive Dad, Every Day Is Father's Day

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Keeping Cancer On The Ropes

Dottie Copeland found out she had cancer and decided to fight it — literally. She prepared for battle like Sylvester Stallone in Rocky. Ten years later, her cancer is still down for the count.

Keeping Cancer On The Ropes

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60 Years Of Marriage: Laughter Is Love

Six decades ago, she was the "funny-looking broad" he hired to work as a cashier. When Marcia and Seymour Gottlieb tell the story of how they met, it sounds like a beautifully crafted comedy routine.

60 Years Of Marriage: Laughter Is Love

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Memorial Day Miracle At 'The Wall'

After his son was killed in Iraq four years ago, Allen Hoe decided to spend Memorial Day at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. He was not expecting to meet the nurse who tried to save his son's life.

Memorial Day Miracle At 'The Wall'

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