Voices from the River
Over 200 hours of interviews gathered along America’s waterways—stories of resilience, displacement, survival, and life shaped by the river.
This archive is a collection of raw video and audio recordings, typically captured riverside, near where each interviewee lives. These are unfiltered conversations—moments of honesty, humor, memory, and reflection, told in the voices of those who know the river best.
Listening to the River
The recordings offer a glimpse into the everyday lives of river people—fishermen, houseboat dwellers, environmental activists, historians, and those whose lives are intertwined with the water. Their stories document:
- Personal histories and lived experiences
- Generations of knowledge about the river
- Struggles with displacement and environmental change
- The rhythms of life along the water
For now, the archive consists of raw recordings with selected transcripts. More content will be added as the project continues.
Access the Archive
Explore firsthand accounts of river life. Browse by location, theme, or speaker.