STORYCORPS, THE GROUNDBREAKING ORAL HISTORY ORGANIZATION,
TO VISIT JACKSON, MISS.
Mississippi Public Broadcasting will host StoryCorps for 4 weeks to help record the stories of local residents
JAN. 21 2015 – StoryCorps, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of Americans from all backgrounds and beliefs, will record interviews in Jackson, Miss., from February 5, 2015 to March 6, 2015 as part of its cross-country MobileBooth tour. StoryCorps’ MobileBooth—an Airstream trailer outfitted with a recording studio—will be parked in Fondren. Reservations will be available at 10am on January 22, 2015 and can be made by calling StoryCorps’ 24-hour toll-free reservation line at 1-800-850-4406 or visiting storycorps.org. Additional appointments will be available on February 6, 2015.
StoryCorps’ MobileBooth interviews are conducted between two people who know and care about each other. A trained StoryCorps facilitator guides participants through the interview process. At the end of each 40-minute recording session, participants receive a complimentary CD 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.
In Jackson, Miss., StoryCorps will partner with Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Mississippi’s NPR station. Mississippi Public Broadcasting will air a selection of the local interviews recorded in the StoryCorps MobileBooth and create special programs around the project. Segments of select interviews may also air nationally on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Founded in 2003 by award-winning documentary producer and MacArthur “Genius” Grant recipient Dave Isay, StoryCorps aims to create a growing portrait of who we are as Americans. By traveling to every corner of the country, StoryCorps currently has one of the largest collections of American voices ever gathered, with interviews collected from nearly 80,000 Americans in all 50 states
“StoryCorps tells the true 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,” said Isay. “By strengthening connections between people and building an archive that reflects the rich diversity of American voices, we hope to build StoryCorps into an enduring institution that will touch the lives of every American family.”
“We are elated that StoryCorps chose Mississippi as a destination for the nation to hear interesting stories from residents,” said Ronnie Agnew, executive director of Mississippi Public Broadcasting. “StoryCorps is anchored on the popular NPR show ‘Morning Edition,’ which means that these stories will be heard by millions of people around the country and the world. We look forward to the contributions of our citizens for this rather large stage.”
In addition to a traveling MobileBooth, StoryCorps currently operates stationary recording booths in Atlanta, Georgia in partnership with the Atlanta History Center and public radio station WABE-FM, and at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, California.
To ensure the diversity of our participants, StoryCorps sponsors major initiatives: StoryCorps Historias collects the stories of Latinos throughout the United States and Puerto Rico; StoryCorps Griot preserves the voices and experiences of African Americans; the Military Voices Initiative honors the voices of post-9/11 veterans, service members and their families; StoryCorps Legacy provides people with serious illnesses and their families with the opportunity to record, preserve, and share their stories; and the September 11 Initiative honors and remembers the stories of those personally affected by the events of September 11, 2001.
To help offset its operating costs, StoryCorps suggests a donation of at least $25 for each MobileBooth interview. If participants cannot afford to meet the suggested donation, they may participate at no cost to ensure that StoryCorps remains a free public service.
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About StoryCorps
StoryCorps’ mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, preserve, and share their stories. Each week, millions of Americans listen to StoryCorps’ award-winning broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition. StoryCorps has published three books: Listening Is an Act of Love and Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps, and All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps—all of which are New York Times bestsellers. For more information, or to listen to stories online, visit storycorps.org.
About Station
Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) provides educational and public affairs programming to Mississippians through its statewide television and radio network. MPB enhances the work of educators, students, parents and learners of all ages by providing informative programming and educational resources. MPB’s locally-produced programming focuses on the people, resources and attractions that reflect Mississippi’s unique culture and diverse heritage. Children’s television programs constitute a major portion of the daytime and weekend morning schedules. MPB provides a valuable resource to Mississippians in disseminating information as part of the state’s emergency preparedness and response system. Since 1970, MPB has won over 400 national, regional and statewide awards, including Emmy®, Edward R. Murrow and Parents’ Choice® Awards. For more information on MPB, its programs, mission or educational resources, please visit www.mpbonline.org.
FROM: Mississippi Public Broadcasting / StoryCorps
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CONTACTS:
Mississippi Public Broadcasting
Ellie Banks | 601-432-6567
Ellie.Banks@mpbonline.org
