History Starts Here award from the Newport Historical Society

On June 20, 2019, Story in the Public Square co-host and co-producer Jim Lude and I were honored to receive the inaugural History Starts Here award in historic Colony House in Newport, R.I. The award from the Newport Historical Society "will be offered annually to an individual or organization who is making history now or making opportunities for thinking about how history is important to today," according to the society.

We were selected on a vote of the center staff! Folks, it does not get any better than this.

These were my remarks on accepting from society executive director Ruth S. Taylor and Paul McGreevy, president of the board of directors. Jim also spoke.

Paul, Jim, Ruth and me.

Thank you, Ruth. Thank you, Paul. And thank you Newport Historical Society for this amazing honor. Jim Ludes and I were surprised – maybe “shocked” is a better word – when we learned we would be receiving it. And so, with humility, we accept.

My first connection to the Historical Society was in 1983, when I was assigned to The Providence Journal’s old Newport bureau, over there on Thames Street. We were writing stories about the 20th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy and your archives were an invaluable resource to me. That time was but the first of many hours I have since passed researching stories and books at NHS. What a treasure you are.

This being a celebration of history, let me relate a bit of Story in the Public Square’s own.
Seven years ago this February, in a shop that was literally just around the corner here, I joined Jim for a conversation over coffee. We had met the previous October, when the Pell Center hosted the launch party for my biography of Claiborne Pell, “An Uncommon Man.”

On that winter day – February 23, 2012, to be precise -- Jim discussed his ideas for making the Pell Center the robust place it has become. I, in turn, discussed my desire to extend my storytelling into the academic world. 

And so, Story in the Public Square was born. How strange – or maybe not – that our own history began a stone’s throw from Colony House and the Newport Historical Society.

Within a few months, Jim and I had formed a partnership between the Pell Center and The Providence Journal. I was named a visiting fellow and director of Story in the Public Square, and with Teresa Haas, Mia Lupo, and some Salve students, we got to work.

A year later, we staged our first major event: a day-long conference during which we awarded Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dana Priest the inaugural Pell Center Prize for Story in the Public Square. The next year, 2014, we staged our second Story conference, with Emmy-winning actor, screenwriter, producer and hit show Empire creator Danny Strong, recipient of the second annual Pell Prize.

And in June 2015, Lisa Genova, best-selling author of “Still Alice” and other novels, received the third annual Prize. Jim and I had the bright idea that interviewing her would make for a good TV show, and so we built a set at the Pell Center and rolled the cameras.

The production qualities were, in a word, terrible.

Mercifully, the world will never see that tape.

But sometime later, Jim had another idea – and this one actually was bright. Why not record at a real TV studio – namely, Rhode Island PBS? So we did, producing eight monthly episodes broadcast in 2016 as part of the show White House Chronicle. Llewellyn and Linda are here today and thank you.
And then, one more idea: Why not our own weekly program?

Rhode Island PBS was enthusiastic, so we had a set designed and built, and in January 2017 we taped our first two shows: Naval War College professor and author Tom Nichols, and Loren Spears, director of the Tomaquag Museum, Rhode Island’s Native American history and culture center, and Christian Hopkins, a Standing Rock activist.

 It was game on. Jim and I sometimes say we did not have a clue what we were doing – and to an extent still don’t! -- but the awesome crew at RI PBS does. Thanks to them and an incredible roster of guests – more than 120 storytellers to date, from the worlds of books, film, academia, journalism, still photography, politics, art and more – we were able to go national in September 2018. Today, the program is carried in 43 of the top 50 markets in America, with more than 450 total broadcasts weekly – plus weekly audio on SiriusXM Radio.

With Salve Regina University Sr. Jane Gerety, a supporter from day one!

Over the last few weeks, we have been busy recording our National Season Three, which kicks off July 8 with Lisa Genova, who, despite the debacle of 2015, graciously agreed to return. Following Lisa will be Pulitzer-Prize winning editorial cartoonist Adam Zyglis, the brilliant poet Maggie Smith, and Danny Strong. And many more through the end of the year.

In closing, let me again thank the Newport Historical Society – and the Rhode Island PBS crew, our many great guests, Salve Regina University, and The Providence Journal.
And finally, of course, my partner Jim. Who knew where that conversation seven years ago would lead?

We didn’t... but history sure can be funny that way, I think you’ll agree.