R.I.P.: Susan Stamberg: A Pioneering Voice in Public Radio

Sus Stamberg ('36='25)

Susan Stamberg, one of the "founding mothers" of National Public Radio (NPR) and a trailblazing journalist who broke barriers for women in broadcasting, died on October 16, 2025, at the age of 87. 

Her death was announced by NPR, though no specific cause was disclosed. 

Remarkably, Stamberg had retired from NPR just six weeks earlier, capping a career that spanned more than 50 years and made her one of the most recognizable voices in American radio.

Born Susan Levitt on October 7, 1938, in Newark, New Jersey, and raised in Manhattan, Stamberg graduated from Barnard College. She began her radio career at WAMU in Washington, D.C., before joining NPR at its inception in 1971, when it was little more than a fledgling network of public radio stations. Starting as an audio editor—splicing tape with a razor blade—she quickly rose through the ranks.

Stamberg coined the term "founding mothers" to describe herself and fellow NPR pioneers Cokie Roberts, Nina Totenberg, and Linda Wertheimer, pushing back against the male-dominated narrative of the network's origins. "I got tired of hearing about Founding Fathers, and I knew we were not that, so we were obviously Founding Mothers, and I was going to put that on the map," she once said. 

Her colleague Linda Wertheimer recalled sharing a cramped office with photocopiers, where their political disagreements fueled lively discussions that shaped NPR's early culture.

Stamberg ('72)

In 1972, Stamberg made history as the first woman in the United States to anchor a national nightly news program, co-hosting NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. With just five reporters to fill a 90-minute show, she brought an "earthy informality" to her interviews, blending rigorous journalism with warmth and wit. Her distinctive New York accent became a signature, as noted by colleague Jack Mitchell.

Later, she hosted Weekend Edition Sunday, where she introduced beloved segments like a puzzle feature and early appearances by the Car Talk brothers. Throughout her tenure, Stamberg interviewed icons such as Rosa Parks, Milton Friedman, Fred Rogers, Sarah Vaughan, and Joan Didion, always making listeners feel included in the conversation. 

NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher eulogized her as someone whose voice was "a cornerstone of American life," proving that journalism could be "rigorous and deeply personal."

Stamberg's honors included a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (unveiled in 2020), induction into the Radio Hall of Fame, and numerous awards for her contributions to broadcasting.