The Radio Diaries Podcast

Series produced by Radio Diaries

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The extraordinary stories of ordinary life.

First-person diaries, sound portraits, and hidden chapters of history from Peabody Award-winning producer Joe Richman and the Radio Diaries team. From teenagers to octogenarians, prisoners to prison guards, bra saleswomen to lighthouse keepers. The extraordinary stories of ordinary life.

Radio Diaries is a proud member of PRX's Radiotopia network: www.radiotopia.fm


10 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Piece image
When Walter's grandfather drove his cart there were thousands of seltzer men in the city; today Walter is one of the last.

Bought by Connecticut Public (WNPR), PRX Remix, PRX to iTunes, and WFUV


  • Added: Oct 29, 2003
  • Length: 12:27
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Melissa in 2013., Credit: David Gilkey/NPR
Listen to Melissa's teenage and grown-up diaries in this podcast episode.

  • Added: Jun 13, 2013
  • Length: 39:30
Caption: Josh Cutler in 2013, Credit: David Gilkey/NPR
In high school, Josh Cutler documented his life with Tourette’s Syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes uncontrollable tics and involuntary v...

  • Added: May 30, 2013
  • Length: 40:08
Caption: Frankie Lewchuck, Credit: David Gilkey
As a teenager, Frankie Lewchuck recorded an audio diary about his family in rural Alabama. 16 years later, he recorded a follow up story for the Te...

  • Added: Mar 20, 2014
  • Length: 29:51
Caption: James Weekley, Credit: Andrew Lichtenstein
In West Virginia, people say that in the old days, communities turned into ghost towns when the coal ran out. Now they turn into ghost towns when t...

Bought by New Hampshire Public Radio and PRX Remix


  • Added: Nov 15, 2013
  • Length: 14:45
  • Purchases: 2
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Stories from the day a plane crashed into the Empire State Building.

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago, PRX Remix, and Georgia Public Broadcasting


  • Added: Oct 22, 2013
  • Length: 14:09
  • Purchases: 3
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Hour-long special of Teenage Diaries Revisited. Back in the 1990s, Radio Diaries producer Joe Richman gave tape recorders to a handful of teens a...

Bought by WHYY, WCAI / WNAN Cape & Islands, Mass., KOSU, KTSW 89.9, KWGS and more


  • Added: Dec 10, 2013
  • Length: 01:55:15
  • Purchases: 42
Caption: Bridgette McGee holds a photo of her grandfather., Credit: Teri Havens
In 1951, Willie McGee was executed in Mississippi's traveling electric chair for raping a white woman. Six decades later, his granddaughter is on a...

Bought by KFAI Minneapolis and Georgia Public Broadcasting


  • Added: Feb 13, 2014
  • Length: 28:11
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Nelson Mandela
The moment Nelson Mandela really became Nelson Mandela was on April 20th, 1964 - fifty years ago. It happened when he stood up in a stuffy South Af...

Bought by PRX Remix


  • Added: Apr 21, 2014
  • Length: 17:17
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Amanda in 2013, Credit: David Gilkey/NPR
At the age of 17, Amanda knew she was gay. But her parents kept insisting she’d grow out of it. Today, a lot has changed in the country, and within...

  • Added: May 17, 2013
  • Length: 17:25