Narrative

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project that collects the voice of our time. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Dean Byrd talked with his father Willard Byrd, a veteran of the Korean War. Willard had a unique role with the army. He was stationed in the Marshall Islands, where he worked as a machinist. He was also witness to something few people have seen. Here, Dean Byrd asks his dad to tell the story of seeing the first test of a Hydrogen Bomb, known as Ivy Mike, on November 1, 1952. More on This Story... On November 1st 1952, Willard Byrd witnessed the detonation of the first ever hydrogen bomb on the USS Estes, 25 miles from ground zero on Enewetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands. At the time, the bomb was the largest explosion in human history, 700 times more powerful than the devices dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in WWII. While Willard Byrd shared that he and his brother never suffered illnesses from the tests,

This edition of Narrative features an interview with veterans Dan Stover and Sheldon Bullock. Stover served in the Marine Corps during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Bullock served in the Army during the First Gulf War in Iraq. As co-facilitators at The Big Red Barn in Blythewood, they help provide services for veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In a conversation recorded by South Carolina Public Radio, they discuss how PTSD has affected them personally, especially as they had to confront misconceptions about the disorder. More on this story... For many soldiers, the end of their tour of duty doesn’t mean the end of their battles. Around 11 to 20% of soldiers who fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom are diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD . Around 12% of soldiers who fought in Operation Desert Storm are diagnosed with PTSD. For those veterans, every day can seem like an uphill battle. (For additional statistics regarding PTSD,

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project based on the idea that the stories of everyday people are the most important and interesting of all. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Amanda Lozon spoke with her parents, Patty and Bill Lozon. Also her grandparents, Patty and Bill adopted Amanda and raised her from age twelve. Here, Patty and Bill tell Amanda what the experience was like.

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project where friends and loved ones interview each other. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Barbara Howard spoke with her daughter, Brooke Howard, about her late husband, James William Howard, who was a "one in a million" father to Brooke and her siblings. Here, Brooke asks her mom to share some memories from the early years in their relationship.

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project that collects the voices of our times. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Thomas and Ann Edwards sat down to talk about their marriage and the family they made together over 50 years. They both grew up in South Carolina, and here Ann and Thomas remember childhood in the 1950s and their own grandparents.

This edition of Narrative features an interview with Columbia resident Hippie Torrales , who came of age in New Jersey with the dream of becoming a professional DJ. By age 20 he was mainstay of the New Jersey club scene, opening one of the biggest clubs of the era, Zanzibar . Here, Hippie explains how he and his contemporaries became the innovators of a new musical style in the 1980s. Hippie Torrales is still an active DJ and also works at the North Main branch of the Richland County Public Library , which has a small production studio. Click here for more music by Hippie Torrales and check out his podcast, What Is Hip .

This edition of Narrative features an interview by Christian McBride , host of NPR’s Jazz Night in America . He had a conversation with South Carolina Public Radio’s own Shari Hutchinson , who produced Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz for more than 25 years. This year, March 20th, would have been McPartland’s 100th birthday. Here, Christian and Shari remember Marian as a musician, mentor, and friend. More of this interview will be broadcast on an upcoming episode of Jazz Night in America . Below is a bonus clip from the conversation, offering a behind-the-scenes story of a Piano Jazz session gone wrong. This weekend, Jazz Night in America will feature selections from Piano Jazz in honor of Marian McPartland’s centennial. You can hear the program on South Carolina Public Radio: March 17 at 9 pm on our New/Talk stations March 18 at 8 pm on our News/Music stations

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project where friends and loved ones interview each other. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Shannon Bobertz spoke with her nine-year-old daughter Sarah about her grandmother, Ann Longwell Furr, who passed away a month before this interview.

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project based on the idea that the stories of everyday people are the most important and interesting of all. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Kelvin Moore and his wife Chanta Moore remembered how their relationship grew as they got used to living together for the first time.

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project where friends and loved ones interview each other. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Tonya German spoke with her mother Nancy Wegner about her early life, starting with the last time Nancy saw her own mother as a child. Here’s Tonya.

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project that collects the voices of our times. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, George Bradley spoke with his wife and colleague Tina Marshall-Bradley about his term as president of Paine College , a historically black college in Augusta, Georgia. Here’s Tina. Learn more about HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) here .

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project where friends and loved ones interview each other. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Jason Jeffords talked with his father Jackie Jeffords about his life as a musician and songwriter. Here, Jackie describes his musical childhood in a family with eight brothers and sisters.

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project based on the idea that the stories of everyday people are the most important and interesting of all. When StoryCorps visited Columbia in 2016, Marcia Peters talked with facilitator Felix Lopez about her experience raising three children as a single mom.

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project based on the idea that the stories of everyday people are the most important and interesting of all. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Jack and Patricia Stewart sat down to talk about their marriage of more than 60 years and their seven children. One year, the family had relocated to France for Jack’s job. Here, Jack remembers how he tried to make Christmas special for their kids while living abroad.\

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project where friends and loved ones interview each other. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Ilene Fins talked with her mother Caroline Fins about moving her family to South Carolina from a large Jewish community in Brooklyn, New York. Here’s Ilene.

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project that collects the voices of our times. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Margaret Clarkson interviewed her uncle and mother about growing up in Georgetown, South Carolina. Both in their late eighties at the time of taping, Henry Bull Jr., who goes by Harry, and Sarah Clarkson, are two remaining siblings of a family of seven children. Here’s Sarah Clarkson with her recollections of their childhood.

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project where friends and loved ones interview each other. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Scott Barnes sat down with his son Scotty and his grandson Richard, to tell them about his life and family history. Scott Barnes was celebrating his 92 nd birthday at the time of the interview. Here’s Scotty Barnes, speaking to his father.

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project based on the idea that the stories of everyday people are the most important and interesting of all. When StoryCorps visited Columbia in 2016, Lori Risk talked with her husband James Risk about their family. Here, Lori and James tell the story of how they met and fell in love after being pen pals for 14 years.

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, an oral history project where friends and loved ones interview each other. At the StoryCorps mobile booth in Columbia in 2016, Scottie Dean talked with his son Jonathan about their family, and why he values every day with them. Here, seven-year-old Jonathan asks his dad how he likes his life now.

This edition of Narrative features an interview from StoryCorps, a unique oral history project that collects the voices of our times. Here, eight-year-old Jack Paolucci asks his grandfather Colonel John Paolucci about his time in the army.