Feel Good Friday - StoryCorps

While many people call the day after Thanksgiving Black Friday and spend it shopping, it’s also a day for The Great Thanksgiving Listen, created by today’s organization, StoryCorps.

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, the mission of StoryCorps is “to help us believe in each other by illuminating the humanity and possibility in us all—one story at a time.” 

Since its founding, StoryCorps has helped nearly 700,000 people across the country have meaningful conversations about their lives, with recordings collected in the U.S. Library of Congress in what is now the largest single collection of human voices ever gathered. To hear how StoryCorps works directly from the founder, Dave Isay, watch this 3-minute animated Introduction to StoryCorps video.

In 2008, StoryCorps launched the National Day of Listening, an initiative that asks Americans to set aside time to record the stories of their families, friends, and local communities. It occurs on the Friday after Thanksgiving as an alternative to Black Friday shopping. In 2015, StoryCorps evolved the project into The Great Thanksgiving Listen and began encouraging intergenerational conversations, with young people interviewing elders, mentors, and those they admire.

Additional programs include the Military Voices Initiative for veterans and military families, the Memory Loss Initiative for individuals with Alzheimer's and other forms of memory loss, and the Griot Initiative preserving the voices and experiences of African Americans. You can see their full list of programs here. 

If you’re curious to hear stories from your older relatives, I encourage you to talk to them while you still can. You can record a conversation using the free StoryCorps mobile app or visit the MobileBooth as it tours the country. Select stories are shared with the public through weekly broadcasts, their podcast, animated shorts, digital platforms, and best-selling books. Listening to, or contributing, a story is a great way learn about what we have in common.

If you'd like to support StoryCorps, you can make a donation to help preserve the stories of our time in America and amplify their message on social media. Follow StoryCorps on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and subscribe to their YouTube channel. Happy Great Thanksgiving Listen!