StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives.
The Moment Race Mattered: A Haunting Childhood Memory
Bernard Holyfield was 5 years old when he learned that skin color made a big difference. He recalls an incident in the early 1960s in Alabama in which a drunken white man approached him and his brother while they were playing on their front lawn.
January 4, 2013 For years after his father died, Reginald Mason's mother struggled to maintain a sense of normalcy for him — despite her financial troubles. "She made me and shaped me as a man," Mason says.
Decades Later, Student Finds Teacher To Say 'Thank You'(32)
December 28, 2012 When John Cruitt's mother died, his teacher was there to help him cope. More than 50 years later, Cruitt sought to find the woman who, he says, changed his life.
Santa Claus Is Driving To Town(20)
December 21, 2012 Boyd Applegate has been dressing up as Santa Claus for more than 20 years. It's a pastime he unintentionally discovered while on the job as a big-rig truck driver. Every year, he makes under-the-tree gift deliveries designed for children to wake up and catch him in the middle of the night.
For Man With Amnesia, Love Repeats Itself(26)
December 14, 2012 Whenever Jeff Ingram suffers from an amnesia attack, his memory is wiped clean and he has to start over. Fearful that one day he may no longer accept her, his wife reminds him of the memories they've shared.
Mother And Daughter Form Soldiers' Bond In Iraq(27)
December 8, 2012 Sgt. Marilyn Gonzalez and her daughter, Spc. Jessica Pedraza, served together in Kuwait and Iraq from January until December of 2010. But they weren't supposed to go together — the daughter made it happen.
3 Years After Parents' Divorce, Son Looks Back(57)
December 7, 2012 In a visit to StoryCorps, Sarah Avant and her 12-year-old son discuss how his life was changed by his parents' divorce in 2009. Anand Hernandez admits that the stress was hard on him. But lately, things have been looking up, he says.
A Life's Ministry Springs From A Dilemma Over AIDS(14)
November 30, 2012 For more than 20 years, the Rev. Eric Williams has devoted himself to educating people about AIDS and helping those who suffer from the disease. As he recalls, one funeral — and a "favor" — led him to the undertaking. World AIDS Day is Saturday.
storycorps' national day of listening
A Father Remembers The Son He Lost To War(11)
November 23, 2012 Gordon Bolar knew he couldn't talk his son Matthew out of joining the military, because "he was a young man who knew what he wanted to do." So, Matthew "served his country, and that was his highest calling," and his father pays tribute to that every day.
An Unusual Friendship, Forged Over Thanksgiving(4)
November 16, 2012 Larry Rolf and Denny Daniels share an uncommon bond: They're best friends and they were both married to the same woman — though not at the same time. Their friendship, which started over Thanksgiving years ago, has continued through thick and thin.
Video: The Last Sunday Supper At Rocco's(3)
November 16, 2012 For 18 years, Rocco Galasso was the owner and superintendent of a New York City apartment building where much of his family resided — until the day they were given notice that their building faced demolition. As his grandson remembers, that's when everything changed. See an animated video from StoryCorps.