Al Letson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Al Letson
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| Born | August 8, 1972 |
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| Known for | Reveal |
Al Letson, born on August 8, 1972, is an American writer, journalist, and radio host. He also writes for TV and movies. Since 2013, he has hosted the popular radio show and podcast Reveal. This show comes from the Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX. Before Reveal, he created and hosted a show called State of the Re:Union. That show was shared by National Public Radio and PRX.
Contents
Early Life and Creative Beginnings
Al Letson was born in Plainfield, New Jersey. His father was a minister. When Al was twelve, his family moved to Orange Park, Florida. This is a town near Jacksonville. As a teenager, he loved recording music and hip hop. He spent a lot of time in music studios. He was a big part of Jacksonville's music and art scene. After finishing Orange Park High School, he worked as a flight attendant for American Airlines. This job let him travel and take part in poetry slams all over the country.
Discovering Performance Poetry
Al Letson became well-known for his slam poetry. He performed on TV shows like Russell Simmons's Def Poetry Jam. He also appeared on CBS's Final Four Pre-Game Show. In 2000, he won the Atlanta Grand Slam. He also placed third in the National Poetry Slam competition that year.
Writing Plays and Acting
Letson started writing plays and acting. In 2001, he put on his first one-man show in Jacksonville. It was called Essential Personnel. This show was very successful. It led to more opportunities for him to write and perform across the country. In 2004, the Baltimore School for the Arts asked him to write a play. It was called Chalk and mixed acting with poetry. He also wrote other plays like Griot and Julius X. Julius X was a new version of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. It was set in Harlem in 1965. His solo show Summer in Sanctuary opened in New York City in 2011.
In 2007, Letson made a short film. He shared it online. This led to him appearing on the Fox reality show On the Lot, which was about filmmaking.
Al Letson and Comic Books
Letson says that comic books helped him learn to read. They also helped him overcome dyslexia. He worked on two independent comic books called Imperfect and Planetfall. In 2016, DC Comics chose him for their writer's workshop. Letson and other writers learned how DC Comics makes its books. They also got to write for the company. His first story for DC Comics came out in November 2017.
In 2025, Al Letson wrote Mister Terrific: Year One. This was a six-issue comic series. It told a new version of the superhero Mister Terrific's origin story. Letson worked with artists Valentine DeLandro, Edwin Galmon, Marissa Louise, and Lucas Gatton to redefine the character.
Making Waves in Public Radio
In 2007, Al Letson found a radio contest called the Public Radio Talent Quest. This contest was organized by the Public Radio Exchange (PRX) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). It was a search for new voices in public radio. More than 1,400 people applied. Fans, experts, and famous judges voted in five rounds. Letson sent in a test episode for his show, State of the Re:Union. He was chosen as one of three winners. After that, Letson's State of the Re:Union and Glynn Washington's Snap Judgement Radio received money from the CPB.
Success with State of the Re:Union
The first season of State of the Re:Union aired in 2010. The show ran for six seasons and ended in 2015. State of the Re:Union won many awards. It won three Edward R. Murrow awards in a row. It also won two NABJ Awards, three NLGJA Awards, and a Peabody Award in 2015.
Hosting Reveal and Other Podcasts
In 2013, Letson hosted test episodes of Reveal. This is a podcast and public radio show from PRX and The Center for Investigative Reporting. The first test episode of Reveal won a Peabody Award. The show then started full production in 2014. Letson became the full-time host of Reveal. In 2020, he won the Gerald Loeb Award for Audio for an episode called "Amazon: Behind the Smiles."
In 2016, Letson started his own storytelling podcast, Errthang Show!. In 2021, he hosted a radio show called Mississippi ...: The Ballad of Billy Joe. This show was nominated for a Peabody Award.
Rally Against Hate Incident
On August 27, 2017, Al Letson helped stop a man from being hurt during a protest. He was covering a "Rally Against Hate" event in Berkeley, California. Letson saw five masked protesters hitting an unarmed man with sticks. He worried for the man's safety. Letson used his own body to protect the man. He encouraged the protesters to stop their attacks.
Awards and Recognitions
- 2013: The first episode of Reveal, called "The VA’s Opiate Overload," won a Peabody Award. This was the show's first big award.
- 2014: State of the Re:Union received a Peabody Award. It was honored for its great stories about American communities.
- 2018: Reveal won two more Peabody Awards. These were for the episodes "Kept Out" and "Monumental Lies."
- 2022: Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award: Al Letson won this award in the radio category. The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization gave it to him. It recognized his important reporting on human rights and social justice.
- 2022 Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE) Award: He received the top honor in the audio category. This award highlighted his excellent investigative journalism for the series Mississippi ...: The Ballad of Billey Joe.
