WUKY, StoryCorps partner to preserve stories of Central Kentucky residents

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 18, 2025) — StoryCorps, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving and sharing the stories of people from all backgrounds and beliefs, comes to downtown Lexington March 20 through April 16 at Woodland Park to record interviews, in-person and virtually, as part of its Mobile Tour and Lexington’s 250th anniversary.

“I am excited Lexington will be hosting StoryCorps as part of our city’s 250th anniversary celebrations,” said Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton. “Our community has a long history, and many stories to tell. Having StoryCorps here will allow so many of those stories to be recorded for others to hear, long into the future.”

Now in its 17th year, the StoryCorps Mobile Tour has facilitated thousands of meaningful conversations between people who know and care about one another. StoryCorps is committed to creating a safe recording environment and has introduced several measures to its recording process in Lexington, where participants have the option of recording in-person or via StoryCorps’ Virtual Recording Booth, a video-conferencing platform that can be accessed remotely using an internet-connected device. Participants can learn more about safety precautions for in-person recording at storycorps.org.

Reservations to record are now open and can be made by calling StoryCorps’ 24-hour toll-free reservation line at 800-850-4406 or visiting storycorps.org. In a StoryCorps interview, two people record a meaningful conversation with one another about who they are, what they’ve learned in life and how they want to be remembered. A trained StoryCorps facilitator guides them through the interview process. After each 40-minute recording session, participants receive a digital copy of their interview. With participant permission, a second copy is archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for future generations to hear.

Founded in 2003 by award-winning documentary producer and MacArthur Fellow Dave Isay, StoryCorps has traveled to every corner of the country to record interviews in the organization’s effort to create a world where we listen closely to each other and recognize the beauty, grace and poetry in the lives and stories we find all around us. 

“StoryCorps tells an authentic American story — that we are a people defined by small acts of courage, kindness and heroism. Each interview reminds people that their lives matter and will not be forgotten,” Isay said. “During [the] pandemic, the value of preserving these stories, and of strengthening connections between people who may feel physically isolated, is more important than ever.”

In Central Kentucky, StoryCorps will partner with NPR affiliate station WUKY. WUKY will air a selection of the local interviews and create special programs around the project. StoryCorps may also share excerpts of these stories with the world through the project’s popular weekly NPR broadcasts, animated shorts, digital platforms and best-selling books.

“The spirit of StoryCorps follows much of the philosophy that I want to instill in Lexington’s very own public radio station, WUKY...  And that philosophy is public radio should be ‘of the public, by the public, for the public,’”  said Bryan Lane, the new station manager at WUKY.  “We want the people of Central Kentucky to come out and let their stories be heard and archived for future generations.”  

StoryCorps is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people. 

Learn more about StoryCorps’ visit to Central Kentucky here.