StoryCorps to record the stories of residents through in-person and virtual interviews to be broadcast nationally and preserved in the Library of Congress
SC Public Radio is partnering with StoryCorps to record interviews in-person and virtually as part of its Mobile Tour stop in Columbia from March 21 to April 19. With segments airing on NPR stations across the U.S., StoryCorps is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving and sharing the stories of people from all backgrounds and beliefs.
Founded in 2003 by award-winning documentary producer and MacArthur Fellow Dave Isay, StoryCorps has traveled to every corner of the country to record interviews in the organization’s effort to create a world where we listen closely to each other and recognize the beauty, grace and poetry in the lives and stories we find all around us.
In 2005, StoryCorps converted an Airstream trailer into a traveling recording studio and launched its first cross-country tour. Now in its 19th year, the StoryCorps Mobile Tour has facilitated thousands of meaningful conversations between people who know and care about one another. Although a reservation is needed for recording interviews, the Airstream trailer will be located in front of South Carolina ETV and Public Radio studios in Columbia if listeners want to stop by and take photos.
In a StoryCorps interview, two people record a meaningful conversation with one another about who they are, what they’ve learned in life and how they want to be remembered. A trained StoryCorps facilitator guides them through the interview process. After each 40-minute recording session, participants receive a digital copy of their interview. With participant permission, a second copy is archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for future generations to hear.
Participants in the Columbia stop of the StoryCorps Mobile Tour will have the option of recording in-person or via StoryCorps’ Virtual Recording Booth. Reservations can be made by calling StoryCorps’ 24-hour toll-free reservation line at 1-800-850-4406 or by visiting the SC Public Radio website.
StoryCorps most recently visited South Carolina virtually in 2021 for its Military Voices Initiative which gave South Carolina veterans, service members and their families an opportunity to preserve their stories at the Library of Congress.
SC Public Radio will broadcast a selection of the local interviews on its network of stations across South Carolina. StoryCorps may also share select excerpts of these stories through its weekly broadcasts on NPR stations across the country or through its animated shorts and digital platforms.
To celebrate the StoryCorps Mobile Tour stop in Columbia, SC Public Radio and StoryCorps will host a listening event on April 11 at 6 p.m. at the South Carolina ETV and Public Radio studios in Columbia. More information and registration for the event will be available on the SCETV events webpage in the coming weeks.
StoryCorps is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people. The StoryCorps Mobile Tour stop in Columbia is made possible in part by SC Public Radio in partnership with the ETV Endowment of South Carolina. Learn more about the StoryCorps Mobile Tour stop in Columbia by visiting the SC Public Radio website.
QUOTES
“We are thrilled to partner with StoryCorps to bring this groundbreaking oral history project to South Carolina. These interviews will capture and preserve the stories of South Carolina residents, ensuring that their voices are heard and their experiences are celebrated for generations to come.” –SCETV President and CEO Adrienne Fairwell
"At SC Public Radio, we believe in the power of storytelling to connect communities and foster understanding. By hosting StoryCorps and facilitating meaningful conversations between individuals, we are honored to be a part of preserving the diverse narratives that make up the fabric of South Carolina. We look forward to sharing these stories with our audience and amplifying the voices of our community members." –SC Public Radio Director Sean Birch
“StoryCorps tells an authentic American story—that we are a people defined by small acts of courage, kindness, and heroism. Each interview reminds people that their lives matter and will not be forgotten. During this pandemic, the value of preserving these stories, and of strengthening connections between people who may feel physically isolated, is more important than ever.” –StoryCorps Founder Dave Isay
FAST FACTS
- SC Public Radio partners with StoryCorps to record interviews, in-person and virtually, as part of its Mobile Tour in Columbia from March 21 to April 19.
- Although a reservation is needed for recording interviews, the Airstream trailer will be located in the front of South Carolina ETV and Public Radio studios in Columbia if listeners want to take photos.
- StoryCorps is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving and sharing the stories of people from all backgrounds and beliefs.
- Reservations to record became available at 10 a.m. on March 7 and can be made by calling StoryCorps’ 24-hour toll-free reservation line at 1-800-850-4406 or visiting storycorps.org.
- SC Public Radio and StoryCorps will host a listening event on April 11 at 6 p.m. at the South Carolina ETV and Public Radio studios in Columbia. Information and registration for the event will be available on the SCETV events webpage in the coming weeks.
- Learn more about the StoryCorps 2024 Mobile Tour stop in Columbia by visiting the SC Public Radio website.
About South Carolina ETV and Public Radio
South Carolina ETV and Public Radio (SCETV) is the state's public educational broadcasting network. SCETV amplifies South Carolina voices, provides educational experiences and strengthens communities, while working toward creating a stronger, more connected and informed South Carolina. In addition to airing local programs, such as Carolina Classrooms, Making It Grow, and This Week in South Carolina, SCETV also presents multiple programs to regional and national audiences, including By The River, After Action, Reconnecting Roots, Reel South, Somewhere South, Yoga in Practice and How She Rolls. In addition, SC Public Radio produces the national radio production, Chamber Music from Spoleto Festival USA.
About StoryCorps
Founded in 2003 by Dave Isay, StoryCorps has given over half a million Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs, in towns and cities in all 50 states, the chance to record interviews about their lives. The organization preserves the recordings in its archive at the Library of Congress, the largest single collection of human voices ever gathered, and shares select stories with the public through StoryCorps’ weekly podcast, NPR broadcasts, animated shorts, digital platforms, and best-selling books. These powerful human stories reflect the vast range of American experiences, wisdom and values; engender empathy and connection; and remind us how much more we have in common than divides us. For more information visit storycorps.org, or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube at @storycorps.
About CPB
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, television and related online services. For more information, visit cpb.org, follow us on Twitter @CPBmedia, Facebook and LinkedIn and subscribe for email updates.
Media Contact:
Landon Masters
media@scetv.org
803-737-3337
