You probably don’t know her name, but you definitely know her songs. Rose Marie McCoy was the woman behind smash hits by Tina Turner, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and more – but most people have never heard of her.
Radio Diaries News and Punctum
The unintentional detail that fills the whole picture, the lucky accident that helps us understand the true story.
The Two Lives of Asa Carter
Former Klansman Asa Carter was a segregationist speechwriter for Alabama Governor George Wallace. He most infamously penned the words ”segregation …
When Ground Zero was Radio Row
When City Radio opened on New York City’s Cortlandt Street in 1921, radio was a novelty. Over the next few decades, hundreds of stores popped up in the neighborhood: Leotone Radio, Cantor the Cabinet King, and Blan the Radio Man.
Last Witness: The Kerner Commission
Former Senator Oklahoma Fred Harris is the last surviving member of the Kerner Commission, a group appointed by President Lyndon Johnson to investigate the root causes of the violence and civil unrest that swept the nation in the late ’60s.
Prisoners of War
During the war in Vietnam, there was a notorious American military prison on the outskirts of Saigon called Long Binh …
From the Archive: Josh’s Diary
Twenty-five years ago, Josh Cutler was a 16-year old living with Tourette’s Syndrome, a neurological condition that often causes physical and verbal tics.
The Tulsa Race Massacre, 100 Years Later
Olivia Hooker was one of the last surviving witnesses to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.
Juan, 25 Years Later
25 years after recording his first audio diary, Juan is now on the verge of getting his green card.
Busman’s Holiday
In 1947, a NYC bus driver took an impromptu 1,300-mile road trip in his municipal bus.
The Last Place
Audio diaries from inside a retirement home in Evanston, Illinois. Stories of love, life, and loneliness.
Fly Girls, the Women Airforce Service Pilots of WWII
In the early 1940s, the government launched an experimental program to train women pilots. They were known as the WASPs, the Women Airforce Service Pilots.
Burma ’88: Buried History
On August 8, 1988, university students in Burma sparked an uprising against the military dictatorship.
Living with Dying
On Valentine’s Day 2020, Peter Fodera’s heart broke. He nearly died. Peter sat down with his daughter who knows a thing or two about death.
Teen Contender: Then & Now
16-year-old Claressa Shields recorded an audio diary as she fought to make it on the first ever women’s Olympic boxing team. Nearly 10 years later, we bring you an update.
Love from Six Feet Apart (Revisited)
Checking in on two Hunker Down Diaries: the couple social distancing under the same roof. And a dispatch from the pizzeria.
Centenarians (Still) in Lockdown
It’s been 9 months since 107-year-old Joe Newman and 100-year-old Anita Sampson, recorded themselves for our series Hunker Down Diaries. …
How to Lose an Election: A History
In every U.S. presidential election since 1896, the losing candidate has given a concession speech.
When Nazis Took Manhattan
In February 1939, 20,000 people gathered for a Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden. On the stage hung a banner of George Washington between two huge swastikas.
The Final Frontline
Fourth generation funeral directors reflect on their experience of the coronavirus pandemic and prepare for a second wave.
Quarantined in the Pizzeria
COVID-19 has forced many families to improvise childcare. For some, it’s been like a four month long ‘bring your child to work’ day.
Soul Sister: The Limits of Empathy
A story about the limits of empathy. A collaboration with NPR’s Code Switch.
March of the Bonus Army
In 1932, 20,000 WWI veterans set up a tent city in Washington. They called themselves the Bonus Army.
The Words of Renault Robinson
Renault Robinson was one of Chicago’s few black police officers in the 1970s. When you listen to his words from the 1970s, and from 50 years later, what’s most striking is how much things haven’t changed.
Podcast: My So-Called Lungs
Laura Rothenberg tried to live a normal life, with the awareness that she might not live to see her 30th birthday.
Thembi’s AIDS Diary
Thembi Ngubane carried a tape recorder from 2004 to 2005 to document her life. She was willing to speak out at a time when very few South Africans were willing to say, “I have AIDS.”
Podcast: The Press is the Enemy
50 years ago, Spiro Agnew delivered what may be the most famous speech ever given by a vice president. His message: the media is biased.
The View From the 79th Floor
On the Radio Diaries Podcast, we tell the story of the plane that crashed into the Empire State Building.
The Dropped Wrench
Sometimes we make mistakes. They just don’t always happen in a nuclear missile silo. This story was produced in collaboration with This American Life.
Prisoners Of War
During the war in Vietnam, there was a notorious American prison on the outskirts of Saigon…a prison for American soldiers.
The Working Tapes
In the early 1970’s, author Studs Terkel went around the country with a reel-to-reel tape recorder interviewing people about their jobs.
Stories from a Vanishing NYC
On the Radio Diaries podcast, we pay a visit to Walter the Seltzer Man, and also remember Selma Koch, the iconic bra fitter in the Upper West Side’s Town Shop.
Shirley Chisholm: Unbought and Unbossed
50 yrs ago, Shirley Chisholm was the first woman of color in Congress. She too was told to “go back from where you came from.”
Podcast: The Square Deal
Some people called it “Welfare Capitalism.” George F. Johnson called it “The Square Deal.”
Amanda’s Diary, Revisited
Amanda was our very first diarist. Her story was about being a gay teenager, with parents who were having a really hard time with the idea.
Juan’s Diaries: Undocumented, Then and Now
This week on the podcast, listen to Juan’s diaries of living under the radar in America.
The Working Tapes of Studs Terkel
We present a special, one hour episode of our series The Working Tapes of Studs Terkel.
The Ski Troops of WWII
The men of the 10th Mountain Division led a series of daring assaults against the Nazis in the mountains of Italy. After returning home, many of these soldiers helped to create the modern ski industry.
The Border Wall
What happens when, instead of people crossing the border, the border crosses the people?
Hearing the World Differently
In this bonus episode, cellist Bernard Greenhouse teaches us how to cut through the noise.
A Guitar, A Cello, and The Day That Changed Music
November 23, 1936, was a very good day for recorded music.
Campaigning While Female
Stories of three women who launched bids to be President of the United States: Victoria Woodhull, Margaret Chase Smith, and Shirley Chisholm.
Podcast: Matthew and the Judge
We gave Judge Jeremiah, a Rhode Island juvenile court judge, and Matthew, a 16-year-old repeat offender, tape recorders. Through their audio diaries, Matthew and the judge tell the same story from opposite sides of the bench.
Last Witness: Mission to Hiroshima
Russell Gackenbach is the only surviving member of the crew that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. This is his story.
Last Witness: The General Slocum
In 1904, a steamship on its way to a church picnic sank in the East River. More than 1,000 people, many of them women and children, died in the disaster.
Strange Fruit, Revisited
James Cameron is the only known person to have survived a lynching in America.
Crime Pays
A program in Richmond, CA that is trying a controversial method of reducing gun violence in their city: paying criminals to not commit crimes. Sounds crazy, but the even crazier part is…it works.
The Green Book
A guide to “traveling while Black” during Jim Crow. A story from our friends and fellow Radiotopians at 99% Invisible.
A Diary of Deportation
At 26-years-old, Jose William Huezo Soriano—a.k.a. Weasel—was deported back to his parents’ home country, El Salvador, a country he hadn’t seen since he was 5.
Juan, Live at the Moth
Juan crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, and settled with his family in Texas, right by the Rio Grande river.
On Our Podcast: The Two Lives of Asa Carter
Asa Carter and Forrest Carter couldn’t have been more different. But they shared a secret.
The Last Place
When you spend so much of your life getting to the next stage, thinking about the next move, what is it like to find yourself at…the Last Place? On this episode of the Radio Diaries Podcast, we bring you audio diaries from a retirement home.
Willie McGee and the Traveling Electric Chair
Bridgette McGee is unearthing everything she can about her grandfather’s life – and his death.
See Photos of Mexico ’68
A photo slideshow of the Mexican student movement leading up to the Tlatelolco Massacre of 1968.
A Movement, a Massacre, and Mexico’s 50 Year Search for the Truth
The secret behind the 1968 massacre of students in Tlatelolco.
Radio Diaries Live at the Moth
In a special Mother’s Day podcast, we’re bringing you Melissa’s story, as she told it live at The Moth.
The Gospel Ranger
Outside the Appalachian mountains, his name was barely known. But Brother Claude Ely influenced some of the pioneers of rock & roll.
Remembering Robben Island
Anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada served more than 2 decades in prison alongside Nelson Mandela. Kathrada died this week, at the age of 87.
The Vietnam Tapes of Michael A. Baronowski
In 1966, a young Marine took a reel-to-reel tape recorder with him into the Vietnam War.
The Last Civil War Widows
Daisy Anderson and Alberta Martin were two of the last surviving Civil War widows.
Strange Fruit and the Inauguration
British Singer Rebecca Ferguson wanted to sing Strange Fruit at Donald Trump’s Inauguration. This is the story behind the song.
The March to Washington (1932 Edition)
In 1932, in the midst of the Great Depression, a group of World War I veterans set up an encampment in Washington D.C. vowing to stay until their voices were heard.
From Flint to Rio
How much does an Olympic gold medal really change things for a teenager in Flint? Listen to Claressa Shields’ story.
Contenders: The ‘Veep’
Throughout American history, only 14 VPs have ever gone on to the presidency. The rest have been mostly forgotten. And not many people would remember the name Alben Barkley, except for two things: his nickname, the “Veep,” and the remarkable circumstances of his death.
Contenders: Say it Like You Mean it
Throughout American history, one of the most important job qualifications for the office of President has been the ability to deliver a speech that will rally the people.
Before Hillary: Women who Fought for the White House
Three stories from our series Contenders: Portraits of America’s Most Original Presidential Candidates… who never won.
A Mother’s Day Special
Our diarist Melissa Rodriguez tells her story live on stage at the The Moth. Hear her story on this week’s episode of The Moth Radio Hour.
A Mother, Then and Now
In our latest podcast, we catch up with Melissa, who recorded a diary about being a teen mom in 1996.
Radio Diaries Turns 20!
20 years ago, NPR’s All Things Considered began running my occasional series, Teenage Diaries… which then grew up to become …
The Man in the Zoo
On September 8th, 1906, New York’s Bronx Zoo unveiled a new exhibit that would attract thousands of visitors. Inside a cage, in the monkey house, was a man.
Identical Strangers
Paula Bernstein and Elyse Schein were born in New York City. Both were adopted as infants and raised by loving families. When they were 35 years old they met for the first time and found they were “identical strangers.”
Frankie’s Second Chance
As a teenager, Frankie was a high school football star whose picture was in his hometown newspaper every week. Years after graduating, Frankie was back in the paper—as a criminal. In his new audio diary, Frankie takes a recorder along as he tries to repair his relationship with his family.
Friday Night Lights
Football, Frankie said, had completely changed him. He was no longer seen as a loser. But the same couldn’t be said for the Valley Head Tigers. This week on The Radio Diaries Podcast, listen to Frankie’s teenage diary.
The Ski Troops of WWII
The men of the 10th Mountain Division led a series of daring assaults against the Nazis in the mountains of Italy. After returning home, many of these soldiers helped to create the modern ski industry.
From Prison to President
Four years after Nelson Mandela was released from prison, he became president of South Africa. And yet, those 4 years were among the bloodiest and most painful for all South Africans – black and white – as they struggled toward the transition to majority rule.
Leaving the Teenage Years Behind
Next year we will turn 20. On April 8th, 1996, I launched the Teenage Diaries series on NPR. Back then …
Holiday Party for the Mandela Archives!
Join us on December 9 at 7 PM to celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela and help preserve our audio archive of the struggle against apartheid. We’re hosting a holiday party with CultureHorde at Brooklyn’s Madiba Restaurant. Tickets are $75 and they include South African food and wine. There will be dancing!
Serving 9-5: Diaries from Prison Guards
Audio diaries from officers who work behind bars at North Carolina’s Polk Youth Institution.
Become a Citizen of Radiotopia
You’ll get the most creative, risk-taking, and best-sounding audio storytelling on the planet.
The Man Who Put the ‘P’ in NPR
In this golden age of podcasting, a conversation about the past and future of public radio with the author of the original NPR mission statement.
Strange Fruit
85 years ago, James Cameron escaped his own lynching. This is his story – and the story of the white residents of Marion, Indiana.
Mandela’s Prison Years
While working on our documentary, Mandela: An Audio History, we stumbled across the only known recording of Nelson Mandela during his 27 years in prison. Hear the story behind the tape on this episode of the Radio Diaries Podcast.
Podcast: Matthew and the Judge
Through their diaries, Matthew and Judge Jeremiah tell the same story from two different sides of the bench.
Seeing the Forrest Through the Little Trees
On the Radio Diaries Podcast, the true story behind the untrue story of The Education of Little Tree.
Podcast: Willie McGee and the Traveling Electric Chair
Bridgette McGee is unearthing everything she can about her grandfather’s life – and his death.
From Bullets to Balance Sheets
Now on the Radio Diaries Podcast: As a teenager, Kamari Ridgle was a drug dealer and drive-by shooter until a near-death experience led him to his true love…accounting.
New Podcast: The Square Deal
Meet George F. Johnson, President of the Endicott Johnson Corporation, and one of the nation’s leading ‘welfare capitalists.’ Plus, What the LeBron?
RadioLoveFest! Radio Diaries and The Moth Present Live Show at BAM
“Don’t Look Back: Stories from the Teenage Years” is hosted by Molly Ringwald and features two of our former Teenage Diarists telling stories on stage. Get your tickets today.
First Kiss
“What I have here is an envelope on which this girl Nicole wrote down instructions on how to kiss. It says: ‘pucker lips, slowly open mouth, slowly slide tongue in, repeat steps 1, 2, and 3.’ She made that list for me because I made out with her and she said I was doing it wrong.”
Remembering The Greatest Songwriter You’ve Never Heard Of
Rose Marie McCoy, one of the most prolific songwriters of the 1950’s and 60’s passed away recently at the age of 92.
George Wallace and the Legacy of a Sentence
Listen to our story about “Segregation Now, Segregation Tomorrow, Segregation Forever” on the Radio Diaries Podcast.
The View from the 79th Floor
On July 28, 1945 an Army bomber pilot on a routine ferry mission found himself lost in the fog over Manhattan. A dictation machine in a nearby office happened to capture the sound of the plane as it hit the Empire State Building at the 79th floor. Find out what happened next on the Radio Diaries Podcast.
Last Man on the Mountain – Updated
On the Radio Diaries Podcast, we’re remembering Jimmy Weekley, the greatest underdog we’ve ever met.
