Diane Orson
Special CorrespondentDiane Orson is a special correspondent with Connecticut Public. She is a reporter and contributor to National Public Radio. Her stories have been heard on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Here and Now; and The World from PRX. She spent seven years as CT Public Radio's local host for Morning Edition.
Diane reported and co-produced the 2024 series Unforgotten: Connecticut’s Hidden History of Slavery. Her work has been recognized by the regional Edward R. Murrow Awards; the New England Emmy Awards; the Gracie Awards; the Public Media Journalists Association; the Local Media Association Digital Innovation Awards; and the Connecticut Broadcasters Association. Diane is also the co-recipient of a Peabody Award.
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A phone call from a stranger would link a Connecticut woman with ancestors enslaved before the American Revolution — and reshape her view of patriotism. -
There’s a deeply-rooted perception that the North was home to the “good guys,” the abolitionists. The truth is far different. -
Researching your family tree can provide a feeling of belonging and a sense of identity. But for those Americans whose ancestors were enslaved, searching for their roots can be difficult if not impossible. One group of women honors its ancestors through the art of quilting. -
When we think of slavery in the U.S, we don’t often think of the North. But residents of one Connecticut town recently honored the legacy of a woman who — centuries ago — was enslaved in their community. Her story and those of other enslaved people who lived in Connecticut are coming to light through a program called Witness Stones. -
A new federal program has begun training everyday Americans to privately sponsor refugees coming to the U.S. "Welcome Corps" is largely modeled on a refugee resettlement program in Connecticut. -
A Yale archaeologist has co-curated an exhibition, "Lives of the Gods: Divinity in Maya Art," running at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It features more than 100 rarely seen Maya masterpieces depicting ancient gods of the Maya peoples. -
It’s a heartbreakingly familiar pattern across the U.S. Another mass shooting. Another shrine appears at the site of the tragedy — flowers, teddy bears, candles. Later, communities have to decide what to save and how to tell the story. Here's how some choose to archive the aftermath. -
Reynaldo Cruz Diaz is the founder and editor of Universo Beisbol, an online baseball magazine hosted by MLBlogs. He left Cuba amid increasing restrictions on freedom of expression and several targeted threats. -
‘The weight of the responsibility’: Teaching genocide and the Holocaust in one Connecticut classroomLast year, Connecticut saw a record number of antisemitic incidents — up more than 40% in 2021 over the year before, according to the ADL. Meanwhile, nationwide surveys show a worrying lack of knowledge of the Holocaust. Connecticut requires schools to teach students about the Holocaust. We visit a classroom to learn more. -
Antisemitism is rising nationwide and in Connecticut. Neo-Nazi and white supremacist flyers have been found in 20 towns in the state since February, according to the ADL. A look at what’s driving the worrying trend.
