Pushed to the side and rarely credited for her architectural work at Davis Brody, Phyllis Birkby became a significant figure... more

It is Tuesday, November 5, 2024, the day when millions of Americans go to the polls to vote for who... more

July 17, 2024, Washington, D.C. Some 200 young people from across the nation aged 14-19 — aspiring poets, storytellers, MC's,... more

Today, The Kitchen Sisters Present: “Tupperware” — an homage and a eulogy. It was 1980. Nikki and I had just met.... more

As elections loom, we need to get involved, step up to the civic plate, take part in discourse. And that’s... more

There was a moment at the 2024 Democratic National Convention when Oprah took the stage — and the crowd went... more

On the night of Summer Solstice 1986, Larry Harvey and Jerry James built and burned an eight-foot wooden figure on... more

In honor of the Paris Olympics and the astounding contribution of the French to culture and art of the world,... more

San Francisco officially declared July 15th Linda Ronstadt Day. In her honor, The Kitchen Sisters Present this story about her... more

Route 66—The Main Street of America— the first continuously paved highway linking east and west was the most traveled and... more

In 1977, a cavernous, rarely used sculpture gallery in the Brooklyn Museum was filled with drafting tables, their tops tilted... more

As this year's hurricane season ramps up, we go to New Orleans for a kind of biblical reckoning. A story... more

On February 16, 2024 Russian dissident Alexei Navalny died under unexplained circumstances in a penal colony in the Russian Arctic... more

On April 12, 2024, Eleanor Coppola, artist, filmmaker, mother and wife of director Francis Ford Coppola, died at her home... more

Over the years, The Kitchen Sisters have zeroed in on Memphis, Tennessee in a big way. The inspiration for that... more

In 1898, the United States Department of Agriculture created a special department of men, called “Agriculture Explorers,” to travel the... more

Niloufer Ichaporia King lives in a house with three kitchens. She prowls through six farmer’s markets a week in search... more

Little known stories of pioneering architects — Julia Morgan, the first accredited female architect in California, who designed Hearst Castle... more

A look at the President’s kitchen and some of the first cooks to feed the Founding Fathers—Hercules and James Hemings—the... more

Jelly Roll Morton talks of being a “Spy Boy” in the Mardi Gras Indian parades of his youth. Bo Dollis,... more

Sarah “Sally” Pillsbury and Jean B. Fletcher were both architects who married architects. The two women and their husbands were... more

For five years Davia’s father, Lenny Nelson, asked her to go to Rattlesden, England, to visit the Air Force base where he was stationed... more

Deep in the hidden archives of Harvard’s Houghton Library are the butter stained recipes of Emily Dickinson. Who knew? Emily Dickinson was... more

Lou Reed, musician, rock icon, poet, leader of the legendary Velvet Underground, was obsessed with tai chi — the practice,... more

Late autumn is Kimjang season in the Republic of Korea when families and communities come together to make and share... more

Anna Wagner Keichline (1889–1943) was the first registered woman architect in Pennsylvania and was among the first registered women architects... more

In this episode, we borrow a cup of sound from the podcast, What You’re Eating, a production of FoodPrint.org, hosted... more

Since the start of the pandemic, more than 90 colleges have merged or closed permanently. One of these schools, Lincoln... more

Filmmaker Wim Wenders premiered two new films at Cannes this year — Anselm, a 3-D, cutting edge documentary about the... more

When Lena Richard cooked her first chicken on television, she beat Julia Child to the screen by over a decade. At a... more

We delve into the story of the founding of the Hiphop Archive and Research Institute at Harvard by Dr. Marcyliena... more

It was top secret. But everyone in Santa Fe knew there was something going on up on the hill in... more

In 1981, The Kitchen Sisters interviewed filmmaker Jon Else about his Academy Award nominated documentary, The Day After Trinity, a... more

Behind the scenes at the International Congress of Youth Voices when 131 youth activists,13 to 26 years old, from 37... more

Born in 1895 in Lynchburg, VA, Amaza Lee Meredith was an African American architect, artist and educator who taught at... more

In 1983 Prince hired LA sound technician Susan Rogers, one of the few women in the industry, to move to... more

Chris was a man possessed. “El Fanatico,” Ry Cooder called him. A song catcher, dedicated to recording the traditional, regional, down... more

Ada Louise Huxtable, who “invented” the profession of architecture critic, wrote countless articles for two great daily newspapers and had... more

Cab drivers, children’s jump rope rhymes, folk songs, dialects, controversial TV ads, interviews with blacklisted artists and writers during the McCarthy... more

For some eight years now thirty-four Black women have gathered monthly around a big dining room table in the orange... more

Many know Ray Eames as the small, dirndled woman behind her more famous husband, Charles Eames. But Ray was the... more

In 1935, W. E. B. Du Bois, scholar, public intellectual, and social and political activist, published his magnum opus: Black... more

In the early 1980s, Black students and the African American community at American University had been demonstrating for more access... more

Criticisms of fast food often focus on the industrialized system that produces the burgers, buns and fries, or the food’s... more

In 2015 we presented this story about Curtis Carroll, the Stock Market Wizard of San Quentin. Everyone in San Quentin... more

Since the devastating 2019 fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the ringing of the cathedral’s bells has ceased. Sound artist,... more

Over 7000 hours of interviews, oral histories, songs, field recordings, along with photographs, notebooks, journals, and research material created by... more

Edmond Richardson is an audio producer for Uncuffed, a KALW podcast produced by people in prison. Recently, Edmond and his... more

Each fall, the Ojibwe tribes of northern Minnesota harvest wild rice by hand. It’s a long process that begins with... more

We trace the history of country music in Kenya, dating back to the 1920s and 30s when local populations first... more

As elections loom, we need to get involved, step up to the civic plate, take part in discourse. And that’s... more

The legendary Linda Ronstadt has a new book out. Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands — a historical, musical, edible memoir that spans the... more

The story of The Real Ambassadors, a jazz musical created by Dave Brubeck and Iola Brubeck for Louis Armstrong in... more

In the early morning hours of August 16, 2020, 12,000 lightning strikes exploded across northern California, igniting more than 585... more

In August, 2021, a group of young Afghan women journalists, musicians and activists fled their country in fear for their lives... more

A blind oud player from humble beginnings, Sheikh Imam’s destiny changed drastically when he met a dissident poet called Ahmed... more

Originally a Filipino restaurant and music club, The Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco’s North Beach transformed into a mecca for... more

The story of a group of young Afghan women journalists, musicians and activists, how they fled their country in fear for... more

Long before there was Coachella, Outside Lands Festival, and the popular music gatherings of today, the Monterey Pop Festival was... more

The Egg Wars—a hidden Gold Rush kitchen—when food was scarce and men died for eggs. We travel out to the forbidding... more

As an architect, Florence Knoll was the force behind the seamless integration of furniture, space, textile, art, graphic design into... more

Late last year Hillary Rodham Clinton and best-selling Canadian mystery writer, Louise Penny, came out with a ripping geo-political thriller... more

Helen Fong, one of the few women practicing architecture in the US in the 1950s, is best known for her... more

Norma Sklarek (1926-2012) had many “firsts”. She was often credited at the start of her career as the first Black... more

Coal + Ice, a powerful global exhibition of photographs, videos, and immersive imagery that focuses on the climate crisis and... more

Natalie de Blois loved systems – understanding how things worked.  For her, it wasn’t just pretty buildings, she challenged the... more

We first caught sight of him in a convenience store buying Marlboros and a Coke for the road. He was... more

Cheap rotisserie chicken sold everywhere in markets and grocery outlets. Why is that chicken so cheap? How was it raised... more

In the early 20th century, the largest employer of Black men in the United States was the Pullman Car Company,... more

The Wooster Group, perched on a street corner in Soho in downtown New York, at the forefront of experimental theater... more

On Sunday, December 19, 2021, The Cleveland Clinic and five other major health care institutions in Northeastern Ohio took out... more

She rose every day at dusk and rehearsed, performed, ate and drank until dawn. Then slept all day, woke up and began... more

Hidden Kitchens, the duPont-Columbia and James Beard Award winning radio series on NPR’s Morning Edition, explores the world of unexpected, below the... more

One hundred-twenty-five years after he was arrested for sitting down in a whites-only train car, Homer Plessy may be pardoned... more

Arctic Ice, Extreme Weather, the Reckoning at Standing Rock—a journey into the deep rich world of photographer Camille Seaman. Born to... more

Julia Morgan, the first woman architect to be licensed in California, designed over 700 buildings in California including Hearst Castle... more

The Braveheart Women’s Society, a group of Yankton Sioux grandmothers and tribal elders, have re-established an almost forgotten coming of... more

Betty Reid Soskin, the nation's oldest serving Park Ranger, works at the Rosie the Riveter Home Front World War II... more

An intimate and historic documentary commemorating the life and history of The World Trade Center and its surrounding neighborhood, through... more

In the early morning hours of August 16, 2020, 12,000 lightning strikes exploded across northern California, igniting more than 585... more

John Steinbeck called it the “Mother Road.” Songwriter Bobby Troup described it as the route to get your kicks on.... more

Today we’re thinking about Pack Creek Ranch in southern Utah and an incredible archive of material, gathered by river guide... more

In 1985, Gert McMullin was one of the first San Franciscans to put a stitch on the AIDS Quilt, the... more

Fifty years ago, a group of some of the top musicians from the United States — Ike and Tina Turner,... more

We’re excited about The Genius Generation, a new podcast hosted by Danni Washington, and we want you to get in... more

“A blue note in a minor key—America has its secret sonic weapon—Jazz.” That was the headline in 1955 when the United... more

Lured in by a blackboard sign on the street in Davia’s neighborhood announcing “Spotlight on Black Entrepreneurs,” we enter the... more

Francis Ford Coppola talks about homelessness, life, friendship, neighborhood history, and his ideas about the future as he tells the... more

The women who were murdered in Atlanta were Korean, not Vietnamese. They were doing massage, not manicures. But they faced... more

The impact of Shonen Knife, the 1980s all-girl punk band from Osaka—a story of cultural exchange through the cassette tape. Shonen... more

It’s February 23, 2021— and we’ve just received word that our dear friend and North Beach neighbor, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, has passed... more

Stories of Black pioneers, seekers and entrepreneurs — self-made men and self-taught women, neighborhood heroes and visionaries. People who said... more

Sometimes you read a book and it alters the course of your life. That’s what happened to Frances McDormand. Twice.... more

Music and poetry were powerful headliners at the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris signaling change and new beginnings.... more

A mushroom farmer, food activist, business entrepreneur, foster mother to more than a dozen girls—Chido Govera is a kitchen visionary... more

It was Friday, April 10th, 2020. The pandemic was really starting to roar. PPE was scarce and the supply chains... more

Frances McDormand talks about her extraordinary new film—Nomadland directed by Chloe Zhao, based on the nonfiction book Nomadland: Surviving in... more

With all of us thinking of home and family and of all the things we love and miss, we thought... more

In 1966, a young Marine took a reel-to-reel tape recorder with him into the Vietnam War. For two months, Michael... more

For Winona LaDuke the best part of running for Vice President in 1996 and 2000 on the Green Party ticket... more

Sometimes we find the story, sometimes the story finds us. Such is the case with this tale of two Keepers... more

We go to New Orleans for a kind of biblical reckoning. A story of science and prayer, with a cast... more

The Peabody Award winning Sonic Memorial Project, an intimate and historic documentary commemorating the life and history of the World... more

Picture this: 131 young people, 13 to 26 years old, from 37 countries—youth activists from around the globe— students, writers,... more

On Tuesday August 4th, a massive explosion devastated Beirut, shattering the port and the heart of the city. Over 150... more

In honor of the many people who work in nail salons across the country who are struggling to keep their... more

Louis Jones, Field Archivist, is a Keeper. For 27 years he has worked building and caring for the largest labor archive... more

In 1985, Gert McMullin was one of the first San Franciscans to put a stitch on the AIDS Quilt, the... more

November 14, 1960, New Orleans. Three six-year-old girls, flanked by Federal Marshals, walked through screaming crowds and policemen on horseback... more

Eel Pie Island, a tiny bit of land in the River Thames has a flamboyant history involving King Henry VIII,... more

An intimate, inspiring, hopeful conversation with Mexican chef and cookbook author, Pati Jinich, host of the James Beard Award winning... more

Al Gore is back and he’s got a new slide show. Better take heed. Last October the former Vice President,... more

April 1993: A small village in Sicily prepares for the first visit of 78-year-old baseball legend Joe DiMaggio to the... more

The Keepers, from The Kitchen Sisters and PRX with host, Academy Award-winning actress Frances McDormand. Stories of activist archivists, rogue... more

The Keepers, from The Kitchen Sisters and PRX with host, Academy Award-winning actress, Frances McDormand. Stories of activist archivists, rogue... more

Lou Reed—music icon, poet, photographer, Tai Chi master, vital force in the cultural life and underworld of New York City.... more

In celebration of truckers everywhere and of Radiotopia’s new show Over the Road, The Kitchen Sisters visit some of their... more

When Sam Phillips sold Elvis’ contract in 1955 he used the money to start an all-girl radio station in Memphis,... more

The Archive House, The Listening House, The Stony Island Arts Bank, The Dorchester Projects. Theaster Gates is a keeper of... more

For five years Davia’s father, Lenny Nelson, asked her to go to Rattlesden, England, to visit the Air Force base where he was stationed... more

Since we started our intern and mentoring program in 2000, over 100 young people, ranging from age 15 to 35,... more

They say the average woman dies with a pound of lipstick in her stomach. “I have a feeling when I... more

An onstage conversation with this master filmmaker about his extraordinary documentary work. Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Alice Doesn’t Live Here... more

November 14, 1960 — Four six-year-old girls, flanked by Federal Marshals, walked through screaming crowds and policemen on horseback as... more

Award winning producer Robert Krulwich talks about storytelling techniques and his early career in radio and television as part of... more

As part of The Keepers, The Kitchen Sisters series about activist archivists, rogue librarians and keepers of the truth and... more

Chris Strachwitz is a man possessed. “El Fanatico,” Ry Cooder calls him. A song catcher, dedicated to recording the traditional, regional,... more

PBS is going to be juiced this year with two remarkable projects from The Brothers Burns — Ken and Ric.... more

In the late 1930s, during the depths of the Depression, 300 craftspeople came together for two years to build an... more

"Hello Kitchen Sisters, I am a rogue archivist, the archivist for Burning Man.  Come to Burning Man headquarters and I’ll... more

In the late 1930s, during the depths of the Depression, 300 craftspeople came together for two years to build an... more

In the late 1930s, during the depths of the Depression, 300 craftspeople came together for two years to build an... more

Nancy Pearl—she’s been called “one of the 10 coolest librarians alive.” She’s the bestselling author of “Book Lust: Recommended Reading for... more

“From the very beginning the intent was that the American people needed to be able to access the records so... more

Dieter Koslick is is one of the film world’s most gregarious, hilarious and controversial Film Festival Directors. He’s put his... more

It may come as no surprise but Bob Dylan is a Keeper. Bob and his team have been archiving his... more

In celebration of National Barbecue Month, which is every month in our book, stories from C.B. “Stubb” Stubblefield and his... more

On the gang-ridden streets of Chamelecon in Honduras, artists are protected and respected — exempt from the ongoing war that... more

Today we honor pioneering filmmaker Agnés Varda, part of the French New Wave of the 1960s, who died on March... more

Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the famed poet of North Beach, San Francisco, creator of City Lights Bookstore, publisher of the beat poets... more

As part of our series, The Keepers, The Kitchen Sisters Present an episode of the New York Public Library’s podcast... more

Filmmaker Wim Wenders talks about his early influences — Cinémathèque Française, Henri Langlois, Lotte Eisner — and tells stories of... more

Best selling author Linda Spalding is a keeper. A keeper of her family history, a keeper of words, a keeper... more

Melvil Dewey, the father of library science and the inventor of the most popular library classification system in the world,... more

Folklorist and Professor Bill Ferris, a Grammy nominee this year for his "Voices of Mississippi" 3 CD Box set, has... more

Paper airplanes, photographs of men in rows, birds nests, gay bar matchbooks, dolls hats —an untraditional take on what warrants... more

We've got something extra for you today as part of the Radiotopia fundraiser that is happening now. You can join... more

After a devastating car accident that made his work as a janitor impossible, civil rights activist Eddie McCoy, picked up... more

Deep in the hidden archives of Harvard’s Houghton Library are the butter stained recipes of Emily Dickinson. Who knew? Emily... more

One of the most controversial, outspoken men of the last century, comedian Lenny Bruce spent much of his life in... more