For years on Friday mornings, public radio listeners have become accustomed to laughing, contemplating and, yes, sometimes crying because of the thoughtful and moving StoryCorps interviews they hear on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Founded in 2003, StoryCorps has given more than 600,000 people in the United States the chance to share stories about their lives.
Now, 33 residents of Alton can add their names to that list. StoryCorps Chicago will present a virtual event on Friday, “Untold Black Stories of Alton.”
On Wednesday’s St. Louis on the Air, host Sarah Fenske talked with Amy Tardif, StoryCorps Chicago’s regional manager. They addressed why the storytelling project turned its attention to the Illinois river town and previewed the conversation between Evelyn and Yvonne Campbell.
The Campbells — the youngest of nine children — are identical twin sisters who were born and raised in Alton. In the StoryCorps interview, they talked about their mother's influence, COVID-19, racism and their careers. Evelyn is a nurse, and Yvonne owns a cafe in Alton called My Just Desserts.
Related Event
What: Untold Black Stories of Alton
When: 5-6 p.m. Friday
Where: Join via Zoom; Passcode: 994140
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by Sarah Fenske and produced by Alex Heuer, Emily Woodbury, Evie Hemphill and Lara Hamdan. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
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