On this day in 1912, Louis Terkel was born in New York City. His family moved to Chicago when he was a child, where he found not only a new name, Studs, but a place that perfectly matched his own personality in its energy, swagger, charms, and heart. Studs and the city made a perfect and enduring pair. A television institution for years, a radio staple for decades, and a literary lion since his mid-forties, he also served as the Chicago History Museum’s distinguished scholar-in-residence from 1997 to about 2005. 

In our latest blog post, Peter T. Alter, CHM chief historian and director of the Studs Terkel Center for Oral History, reflects on the memorable moments he shared with Studs at the Museum and Studs’s enduring cultural influence. Read the post.

Explore the Studs Terkel Radio Archive, which features more than 1,200 programs and interviews with the twentieth century’s most fascinating people. Explore the archive.