WKNO FM, the NPR affiliate for the Mid-South, is partnering with StoryCorps to “record, preserve, and share the stories of Memphis, TN.”
StoryCorps is a nonprofit organization that celebrates the stories of everyday Americans by conducting interviews all over the country and archiving them. They’ve been to all 50 states to record people as they share about their lives and pass on wisdom. StoryCorps has amassed over 65,000 recordings—some of which you’ve probably wept softly to in your car during their weekly broadcast on NPR.
The StoryCorps Mobile Booth tour has arrived in Memphis. From Tuesday, September 10 through Wednesday, October 9, the StoryCorp airstream trailer will be parked at Crosstown Concourse to record audio interviews.
Recording a StoryCorps interview couldn’t be easier: You invite a loved one, or anyone else you chose, to one of the StoryCorps recording sites. There you’re met by a trained facilitator who greets you and explains the interview process. You’re then brought into a quiet recording room and seated across from your interview partner, each of you in front of a microphone. The facilitator hits “record,” and you share a 40-minute conversation. At the end of the session, you walk away with a copy of the interview, and a digital file goes to the Library of Congress, where it will be preserved for generations to come. Someday your great-great-great-
grandchildren will be able to meet your grandfather, your mother, your best friend, or whomever it is you chose to honor with a StoryCorps interview.
You must make a reservation to record an interview and there are limited spots available. Apparently the first wave is already full but more spots should open soon. Schedule your interview at this link or by calling 800-850-4406.
WKNO plans to air some of the Memphis interviews and create special programs around the project. StoryCorps may also share excerpts of these stories with the world through the project’s weekly NPR broadcasts, animated shorts, digital platforms, and best-selling books.
If you miss out on the Memphis recordings, there’s a StoryCorp app that will guide you through the experience of recording, uploading, and archiving your own interview.
