A Story That Begins With a Stone

Season 3 of Podeia, The Kennedys of Decorah, follows the little known story of a Black family who lived in Decorah, Iowa, just after the Civil War. Through census records, newspaper archives, and local memory, host Lindsey Row-Heyveld traces the lives of George and Sarah Jane Kennedy and their children. Podeia explores what it means to belong to a place, and what it means for that place to remember you in return.This season begins with a gravestone in Phelps Cemetery: a fragile obelisk made from local limestone, marking the resting place of two Kennedy sons. As the stone crumbles, it raises questions about how we preserve memory and who gets remembered. With insights from local historian Stacey Gossling and geologist Laura Peterson, Lindsey begins uncovering the Kennedy family’s remarkable story, and why it matters today.Credits:Written, hosted, and co-produced by Lindsey Row-HeyveldCo-produced and edited by Asher Elliott SmithExecutive Producer: Andy HagemanTheme music by Andrew MurraySponsored by the Center for Ethics and Public Engagement at Luther College, in partnership with KWLC, Luther College’s student radio station