Studs Terkel, RIP
Last fall when I was putting together my course on “Documenting Injustice,” one of the writers I considered teaching was Studs Terkel. I’d grown fond of Terkel originally from listening to his Chicago-based radio show when I was living in Illinois, in large part because Terkel had such a unique voice, a raspy, energetic, curious tone, but like others who appreciated Terkel’s often idiosyncratic approach to journalism, it was Terkel’s skill as a listener, his willingness to engage with ordinary people, that I appreciated most. He was a fascinating storyteller who continued to explore, work, and write, long after so many others would have put away their typewriter. He will be missed.
