National Day of Listening facts for kids
The National Day of Listening is a special day in the United States. It encourages people to record stories from their families, friends, and local communities. It's a chance to listen and learn about each other's lives.
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The National Day of Listening
The National Day of Listening is an unofficial day of observance. This means it's not a public holiday, but many people choose to take part. It happens every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving Day. This is a time when families often spend time together.
Why We Listen
The idea for this day came from StoryCorps, a national project that collects and shares people's stories. It started in 2008. The day was suggested as a different way to spend the Friday after Thanksgiving. This Friday is often called "Black Friday" and is known for big sales and busy shopping. The National Day of Listening offers a chance to connect with people instead of just shopping.
Who Participates?
Tens of thousands of Americans have taken part in the National Day of Listening. In 2008, even President George W. Bush and his wife Laura Bush recorded an interview. President Bush's sister, Dorothy Bush Koch, interviewed them. Many famous radio hosts from National Public Radio (NPR) also did interviews and shared them on the air. These included Scott Simon, Liane Hansen, and Steve Inskeep.
How to Take Part
Anyone can conduct an interview for the National Day of Listening. There are no strict rules about how to do it. StoryCorps provides helpful guides and tips. They offer "Do-It-Yourself Resources" and suggestions for recording equipment. These guides can help you learn how to ask good questions and record clear stories. Teachers and librarians can also find guides to help bring this idea into classrooms and libraries.
About StoryCorps
StoryCorps is a national nonprofit organization. It was inspired by a project from the 1930s called the Federal Writers' Project. StoryCorps helps people record and share their personal stories. They collect these interviews and keep them safe at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. This means the stories are preserved for future generations. StoryCorps also helps people learn about oral history, which is the study of history through spoken stories.
In 2007, StoryCorps released its first book. It was called Listening Is an Act of Love: A Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project. The book shares many of the wonderful stories collected by the project.
