We are absolutely thrilled to announce that State of the Re:Union, in partnership with independent producer Lu Olkowski, has won a prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for “As Black As We Wish to Be.”

You can see the full list of winners here. We are proud to be listed alongside major news organizations like CNN Radio, CBS Radio News, ABC News Radio, Public Radio International, NPR.org, as well as public radio stations like WLRN, WBEZ and KQED.

Lu and Al plan their route. Photo by Lloyd Cederstrand.

Lu is an independent producer who came to us with an audio documentary that she had been working on for almost a year – the story of a tiny town in the Appalachian foothills of Ohio where residents have shared the bond of identifying as African-American despite the fact that they look white.

This partnership was also honored with an RTDNA/UNITY Award which recognizes organizations for their commitment to covering the cultural diversity of communities they serve. It has additionally picked up a Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists and a Gracie Award in the outstanding documentary category.

If you haven’t heard the episode, you can listen to it below:

Also be sure to check out our pictures from Pike County, while Lu and Al were on the road.

This episode was sponsored by the Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area and made possible with funding from the Ohio Humanities Council.

Photo Credit: Lloyd Cederstrand

In this episode Al Letson and guest producer Lu Olkowski visit a tiny town in the Appalachian foothills of Ohio where, for a century, residents have shared the common bond of identifying as African-American despite the fact that they look white. Racial lines have been blurred to invisibility, and people inside the same family can vehemently disagree about whether they are black or white. It can be tense and confusing. As a result, everyone’s choosing: Am I black? Am I mixed race? Or, am I white?

For more information on “As Black As We Wish to Be” visit our episode page for photos, links and music information.

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