If you have been a listener to Morning Edition for any length of time, you are likely familiar with StoryCorps. Now Spokane area residents will have a chance to record their memories for the project. The segment that runs on Fridays is an edited version of an oral history project that tapes about 1000 conversation per year.
They are often very poignant and moving pieces, such as this one that featured Word War 2 veteran Joseph Robertson, and his recollection of shooting a German soldier during the Battle of the Bulge:
“that second night I woke up crying cause that kid was there. And to this day I wake up crying . I still him see him in my dreams, and I don’t know how to get him off my mind.”
Later this month, Spokane Public radio listeners will have a chance to share their memories.
Story Corps program manager for Military voices Initiative, Sylvie Lubow says they are looking for stories from people in two general categories.
“The two programs that are coming out to Spokane are the Military voices Initiative and that records the stories of veterans and their families, and the program Out Loud, which records members of the LBGTQ community”.
StoryCorps producers are looking for stories from groups that may have been underreported in the mainstream media. The format is to record a conversation between two people who know each other.
Lubow gives some advice on what they’re looking for: “it a good idea to think things that were life changing, that had a really big impact on someone’s life, but again what I think is important is whatever story the participants are sharing, are the stories that matter to them. We want them to feel that their voice and their story however big or small matters”
The taping for StoryCorps will take place at Spokane Falls community college May 19th through the 22nd. All the segments will be archived with the Library of Congress. Some may eventually make to air on the Morning Edition segments.
If you are interested in participating, you can contact Britney Weaver at 509-533-3767.
