NPR Icon Susan Stamberg: Inside the Milestones and Untold Stories of Her 50-Year Radio Legacy

Veteran broadcaster Susan Stamberg — one of the original voices that launched National Public Radio in 1971 — has announced she will step down at the end of the year, closing a groundbreaking 54-year run that reshaped American audio journalism. In a new interview aired Tuesday on “All Things Considered,” the 86-year-old “founding mother” reminisced about her first day behind the microphone, the stories that still make her laugh, and the moment she realized public radio had become part of the national conversation. A trailblazer for women in broadcasting When Stamberg became co-host of “All Things Considered” in 1972, she was the first woman to anchor a national nightly news program in the United States. Her signature conversational style—equal parts warmth, curiosity, and intellectual rigor—quickly distinguished NPR from the clipped cadence of commercial radio. Over the decades she opened doors for generations of female journalists, including future hosts such as Audie Cornish, Michele Norris, and Mary Louise Kelly, each of whom cite Stamberg as a personal mentor. Hallmark stories and holiday traditions Listeners often recall her interview with composer Leonard Bernstein, her on-the-ground reporting from India’s Golden Triangle, and, of course, the annual reading of her mother-in-law’s cranberry-horseradish relish recipe every Thanksgiving. That quirky tradition, now immortalized in cookbooks and classroom lesson plans, epitomized Stamberg’s knack for blending the serious and the whimsical in a way that kept audiences coming back year after year. Why leave now? According to NPR’s internal memo obtained by industry outlet Current, Stamberg felt it was time to “make room for new voices” while she still had the energy to savor retirement—plans that include volunteering at the Smithsonian, finishing a memoir, and “catching up on decades of sleep”. She will continue filing occasional cultural segments through December, culminating in a live farewell broadcast slated for the week before Christmas. The legacy: more than a voice • Credited with helping craft the “driveway moment,” where listeners stay parked to hear a story’s ending • Winner of the Edward R. Murrow Award, the duPont-Columbia Silver Baton, and induction into the Radio Hall of Fame • Advocate for arts coverage on the national news agenda, from fringe theater festivals to blockbuster museum exhibits • Mentor to NPR’s renowned corps of interns, many of whom now helm podcasts and newsrooms across the globe Industry reaction Tributes poured in within minutes of the retirement announcement. “Susan showed us you can be authoritative without sacrificing humanity,” said NPR CEO John Lansing in a statement. Former colleague Robert Siegel praised her “unquenchable curiosity,” while Ari Shapiro told listeners, “She built the road the rest of us drive on.” What happens to her signature segments? NPR says the iconic Thanksgiving recipe will live on, potentially rotating among hosts or guest cultural commentators. A special podcast series, “Stamberg: The Archive,” will drop this fall, featuring restored tapes from the network’s early years and behind-the-scenes commentary from Stamberg herself. Search interest surges Google queries for “Susan Stamberg retirement,” “NPR founding mother,” and “Thanksgiving cranberry relish recipe” spiked more than 800 percent in the 24 hours following the on-air announcement, underscoring her enduring cultural resonance. How to listen and participate • Hear the full retrospective interview on the September 2 edition of “All Things Considered” via the NPR One app or local member stations. • Share your favorite Stamberg memory on social media with the hashtag #ThankYouSusan; selected entries may be read on air during her final broadcast. • Sign up for NPR’s Culture newsletter to receive updates on the farewell programming slate. The bottom line From pioneering host to pop-culture touchstone, Susan Stamberg has not only chronicled half a century of history—she has made it. As listeners prepare to say goodbye to the voice that invited them to think, feel, and taste, one thing is certain: the road ahead for public radio bears her unmistakable imprint, and the echoes of her laughter will linger long after the microphone goes silent.