Summer love, family trips, lazy afternoons … everyone’s got their own sweet memories from the sunnier months. Listen to some of our favorite stories about whimsical summer days and reflections on seasons past.  

Do you want to have a conversation like these with someone you love? Just download the StoryCorps App to record your conversation and upload it directly to the Archive, housed at the Library of Congress. Or, if an in-person interview isn’t possible, use StoryCorps Connect to conduct it remotely.


Beat by Beat

In the 1980s, Ed Cage fell in love with beatboxing through the St. Louis hip hop scene. When he became a dad, his talent became a way to connect with his daughter, Nicole Paris. At StoryCorps, Ed and Nicole talk about how he passed the beat on to the next generation.


Dreamer’s Gift

In the 1980s, Ed Cage fell in love with beatboxing through the St. Louis hip hop scene. When he became a dad, his talent became a way to connect with his daughter, Nicole Paris. At StoryCorps, Ed and Nicole talk about how he passed the beat on to the next generation.


What’s For Dinner

George Ju was born in China then later immigrated to Miami, where he ran a Chinese restaurant. One day while working at a party, he met Angela Rivas and immediately knew she was the one. A few days later, Angela agreed. After nearly 50 years of marriage, the two continue to share their lives, laughter, and love.


Joyce’s Neighborhood

All the children in a quiet California neighborhood wanted to play at Mary Mills’ house where they would hang out with Mary and her mom, Joyce Carter Mills.


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The Phantom of the World’s Fair
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The Phantom of the World’s Fair

In 1964, a 12-year-old paperboy from suburban Long Island spent nearly two weeks hiding among the gleaming attractions of the New York World’s Fair. His adventure caused a media sensation, but the world only learned half the story.


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“Your love for animals made me have a deeper love for you.”
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Joy and Wisdom In A Life With Animals

As  a child, Christy Stewart repeatedly asked her parents for various pets, but her requests were always denied. As an adult, she and Glenn Turner fulfilled her childhood wish by owning a multitude of animals, so many that they’ve lost count. The two discuss their pet-filled household and the life lessons it has imparted to them. 


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“It's not just swimming around looking at fish. You're swimming around looking at history.”
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Divers Reflect on Discovering their History

As a senior in college in 1959, Albert José Jones founded the nation’s inaugural Black scuba diving club. Since then, the club has trained numerous divers, totaling in the thousands. Albert’s diving adventures have taken him worldwide, allowing him to encounter historical moments firsthand.


Silvia’s Legacy

Ellaraino spent the summer with her great-grandma Silvia, who lived through the Civil War and had a lot to teach about the true meaning of freedom.


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"Girl, you bad.”
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A Blues Legend Reflects on 70 years Of Ripping Up the Stage

Growing up in the Fillmore district of San Francisco, Peylia Balinton only remembers her mother playing classical piano at home. It wasn’t until she visited a friend’s house that she was exposed to Blues music. That was the start of a lifelong career on stage as Sugar Pie DeSanto.


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"This is where we can find the things that are familiar to us and that no one's going to laugh at us.”
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A Daughter Reflects on What Philadelphia’s Chinatown Meant to Her Mother

Deborah Wei’s parents came to the U.S. from China in the 1960’s. When they settled in the Philadelphia suburbs, they were the only Asian family in their neighborhood. Deborah came to StoryCorps with her daughter, Kaia Chau, to remember how her mom began to feel at home.


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