Missouri on Mic

Missouri on Mic is an oral history and audio journalism project collecting stories from Missouri in its 200th year (2021) and beyond. New episodes air every Monday at 8:45 AM during Morning Edition and 4:45 PM during All Things Considered.

A team of Missouri School of Journalism students asked Missourians to tell their stories at bicentennial festivals and events throughout the state at the Missouri on Mic traveling audio booth.

The collection of stories will be archived at the State Historical Society of Missouri as part of Missouri’s 200^th anniversary of Statehood.

Partners in this project include the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) and True False Film Fest. Missouri Humanities and the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) provided support for the series, and the Burney Sisters provided music for the project. You can follow the Burney Sisters on https://www.facebook.com/TheBurneySisters or learn more at https://theburneysisters.com.

To learn more about the story behind this collaborative project and how to produce something similar in your community, check out our Tool Box website here.

Mark Johnson and Janet Saidi: "We've got this big like 100-year Pin Oak, and just sitting out on the deck eating a popsicle – that's Missouri for me."

Trevor Hook

The name Mark Johnson may not sound familiar, but he’s the one responsible for all of your favorite KBIA shows getting to air. He’s our chief engineer. Mark has been in the Show-Me State for about a decade. He spoke with KBIA Assistant News Director Janet Saidi at this year's True/False Festival held in Stephen's Lake Park.Saidi grew up in Missouri, and came back to raise her kids here. They spoke about the unexpected beauty they find in the state.
Frank Finley, Diane Lurkins and Sasha Goodnow: "Being outside gives me so much hope for my future."

Trevor Hook

Missouri On Mic first unveiled its traveling audio booth during the 2021 True/False film festival. We heard a wide variety of stories that weekend, but we heard a lot of participants talk about our state’s landscape -- our parks, our trails, our forest, and we wanted to share a few of those conversations with you. We’ll be hearing from friends Diane Lurkins and Sasha Goodnow about some of their favorite outdoor spots in Missouri, but first, we’ll hear from retired producer Frank Finley about what he says the Show Me State’s picturesque scenery means to him.
Jane and Evie Bowen: "I think that schools in Missouri, in Columbia should get more school funding."

Trevor Hook

Jane and Evie Bowen are twin sisters who were originally born in San Antonio in 2007. Their family moved to Columbia when they were three years old. They’re both in their teens now. Jane and Evie spoke with the Missouri on Mic team at this year's True/False Festival held in Stephen's Lake Park about some of their favorite things to do in Columbia and shared some of their thoughts on schooling in Missouri.
Amy Enderle: "I feel like when I drive an hour and a half, you know, maybe it's just 70 miles, but it's also like two generations."

Trevor Hook

Amy Enderle is a professor at the University of Missouri and has lived in Missouri her entire life. She’s raised her children in Columbia, but she grew up 70 miles from the city. As a Missouri native, she says the state is more diverse and has more to offer than one might think. She spoke with the Missouri on Mic team at this year's True/False Festival held in Stephen's Lake Park about her experience living and raising children in the Show-Me State.
Kelsey Kupferer: "Missouri needs to really reckon with the past 200 years... and think about how we are going to make the next 200 years different."

Trevor Hook

Kelsey Kupferer is a graduate of the University of Missouri and held a lot of jobs around here – including at KBIA. She now works for the University of Washington in Seattle. Kelsey spoke with the Missouri on Mic team at this year's True/False Festival held in Stephen's Lake Park about why her home state is so important and why she thinks that it's vital for Missourians to reflect on their past.
Randall Quisenberry Reflects on Losing His Mother: "That morning, we just talked very briefly. I later learned that the last time anybody had contact with her was Sunday night."

Trevor Hook

Randall Quisenberry and his mother lived in Columbia. The two of them would meet every Sunday after church to eat and watch a movie. On one Sunday in February, she woke up and said she didn’t feel good, and she died two days later. Randall buried her himself because he couldn’t afford to do anything else. He spoke with the Missouri on Mic team at this year's True/False Festival held in Stephen's Lake Park about coming to terms with his loss in this episode of Missouri on Mic.