Marion Stokes
Marion Stokes was a librarian, civil rights activist, and television producer who became a legendary media archivist. From 1977 until her death in 2012, she recorded American television news 24 hours a day, amassing over 70,000 VHS tapes. Her project began during the Iranian Hostage Crisis, driven by a belief that media coverage shaped public perception and that preserving broadcasts was essential to understanding history.
Stokes operated multiple VCRs across her home and several properties, recording channels like CNN, Fox News, and local affiliates. Her dedication created a vast archive that captured not only major events like 9/11 and presidential elections but also everyday broadcasts, commercials, and cultural shifts.
After her death, archivists began digitizing the collection, now partially available through the Internet Archive. Her life and work were featured in the 2019 documentary Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project, which explores her motivations and the significance of her archive.