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Stories are powerful.  Through story telling we make sense of our world, spread ideas, and document our history. the stories of the social work profession represent the efforts of social workers, the communities they served, the lives they changed, and the policies they drove. 

The history of the social work profession is long and deep—marked by the deeds of advocates who led us, teachers and who inspired us, colleagues who mentored us, and coworkers who uplifted us on the hardest of days.  Their stories are those of change agents, leaders and helpers—generations of social workers who uplifted communities and the legacies they have built. 

These stories must be documented and preserved for generations to come.  They enrich our understanding of our past, allow us a glimpse into the lives of those on the front lines, and help us understand how our profession changes the lives of everyday people, families, and communities across our nation. 

We are proud to launch “Stories of Change: The Social Work Oral History Institute” in collaboration with StoryCorps. These stories will be preserved for generations to come in the American Folklife Center at the U.S. Library of Congress. 

We invite you to listen to the stories we’ve captured already and also to help shape the institute as well by capturing the stories you hold and those of the colleagues you know. 

Each social worker has a powerful story to tell—a story of a life touched, a community uplifted, a project that affected change, and more.  We invite you to share yours. 

Listen to All the Stories of Change on the StoryCorps Website

Featured Stories

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Mildred "Mit" Joyner

Agents of Change

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Barbara Milton

Social Worker of The Year

Listen Now

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Phylis Peterman

Giving Back is Academic

Listen Now


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Bill Goldberg, LCSW

Cult Recovery & Social Work

Listen Now

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Bill Waldman, CSWM

Social Work & Public Service

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Margaret

Margaret Carne, MSW, LCSW

When Life Comes Full Circle

Listen Now

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Get Involved

Record a story of a social worker
We all know someone who has a story to tell.  A mentor.  A colleague.  A friend.  Your mother, a cousin, or even a social worker who changed your life.  Capturing their story is as easy as creating a free account, jumping on a call with the StoryCorp app and asking them a series of questions!  (We even provide a starter list!). 

It's that easy.   Record today.

Volunteer to share your story
You have a story we want to hear.  Consider this your invitation to share it with us.  Shoot us an email so that we can connect you with a volunteer who will help us capture your story. 

Don't be shy, your story is one for the books! 

Shoot us an email to connect today!

Support the Institute of Oral History 
Creating an institute that captures the depth and breath of a profession as remarkable as social work requires partnerships.  Committed people and organizations who support this work continually.  

Support the Institute.