Studs Terkel recently passed away - in fact, he died right before the election. If there was anyone who believed in hope more than Obama does, I'm sure it was Studs. My hunch is that he knew - probably before the rest of us - that Obama would win the election.
I was able to see Studs in Berkeley several years ago and I loved him (that talk is posted below). Studs was best known for what we'd now call "documentary journalism" I suppose; he was interested in the story of the average person, and did what he could to promote those everyday voices.
Just like Dorothea Lange and to some degree Richard Avedon, he captured moments in the life of people you might otherwise miss. Arguably, his legacy is reflected in the series This American Life. I hope he continues to inspire others, as he does me!
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