Table of Contents
- Susan Stamberg’s Legacy
- Breaking Barriers in Broadcasting
- Career Highlights and Iconic Moments
- Personal Life and Lasting Influence
- Sources
Susan Stamberg’s Legacy
Susan Stamberg, the pioneering voice of public radio and the first woman to anchor a national evening news broadcast in the U.S., has died at age 87. Her passing, confirmed by NPR, marks the end of an era for American journalism and a profound loss for listeners who grew up with her warm, incisive presence on the airwaves.
Stamberg retired just this past September after an extraordinary 50-year career with National Public Radio. Known for her thoughtful interviews, deep preparation, and signature cranberry-horseradish relish recipe shared every Thanksgiving, she became a beloved fixture in millions of American homes.
Breaking Barriers in Broadcasting
In 1972, Susan Stamberg made history by becoming the first woman to co-host a national evening news program—NPR’s All Things Considered. At a time when female voices were often dismissed as “not authoritative enough” for serious news, Stamberg defied convention with her intelligence, curiosity, and conversational yet rigorous style.
She once admitted she initially tried to lower her voice to sound more “serious,” but eventually embraced her natural tone—and in doing so, helped reshape what a news anchor could sound like. Alongside Nina Totenberg, Linda Wertheimer, and Cokie Roberts, Stamberg was affectionately dubbed one of NPR’s “founding mothers.”
Career Highlights and Iconic Moments
Over five decades, Stamberg interviewed some of the most influential figures of our time:
- President Jimmy Carter
- First Lady Laura Bush
- Civil rights icon Rosa Parks
- Opera legend Luciano Pavarotti
Her 14-year tenure as host of All Things Considered (1972–1986) helped transform the show into NPR’s flagship program. After stepping down to battle breast cancer in 1986, she returned in 1987 to launch Weekend Edition Sunday, where she introduced now-classic segments like the Sunday puzzle and the debut of “Car Talk” with the Magliozzi brothers.
One of her most endearing traditions? The annual Thanksgiving reading of her mother-in-law’s cranberry relish recipe—often performed by surprise celebrity guests like Martha Stewart and rapper Coolio. “That’s going to be on my obituary,” she once joked. And perhaps fittingly, it is.
Personal Life and Lasting Influence
Born Susan Levitt on September 7, 1938, in Newark, New Jersey, she grew up on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. A graduate of Barnard College with a degree in English, she began her journalism career at The New Republic before joining WAMU-FM in Washington, D.C., where she quickly rose from weather reporter to station manager.
She is survived by her son, Josh Stamberg, and two granddaughters. Her husband, Louis Stamberg, a State Department employee, passed away in 2020.
Stamberg’s impact extends far beyond airtime. She proved that empathy and intellect could coexist in journalism—and that a woman’s voice could lead, not just accompany, the national conversation.
