StoryCorps, founded in 2003 by MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Dave Isay, is a national nonprofit with a mission to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives. With a relentless focus on diversity and the stories of everyday people, StoryCorps captures lives that would otherwise be lost to history and reminds the nation that every story matters and every voice counts. StoryCorps travels across the country, partnering with more than 500 community organizations each year, to ensure that we capture the widest diversity of stories possible.
Over the past six-and-a-half years, we’ve given more than 60,000 Americans the chance to record interviews about their lives, pass wisdom from one generation to the next, and leave a legacy for future generations through our archive at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. We hear each day from participants who tell us that their interview experience was among the most meaningful forty minutes they’ve spent in their lives. We also share select edited excerpts of these stories with the world through weekly NPR broadcasts, our popular website, podcasts, and best-selling books. These powerful stories illustrate our shared humanity and how much more we share in common than divides us. Our vision is to become an enduring national institution that celebrates the dignity, power, and grace that can be heard in the stories we find all around us.
