ANN ARBOR, MICH. — The National Recording Preservation Foundation (NRPF) has awarded $16,356 to support the digital preservation of two significant and at-risk American audio collections. One of the grants will go to the Pitts Theology Library at Emory University, to support the preservation of audiocassettes with the voice of Howard Thurman, a leading theologian and civil rights leader whose papers are already preserved at the library. A second grant will go to the Data Library and Archives at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to digitize some of the earliest scientific underwater recordings, which were made in the early 1950s.
WHOI will receive $10,000 to digitize, digitally preserve, and make accessible more than 200 rare audograph disc recordings dating from 1949 and later. These underwater recordings, captured by the Gray Audograph, a now-rare, reusable sound recorder, include some of the earliest examples of recorded marine wildlife—predating previously known recordings by several years. Beyond their significance to recorded sound history, these recordings hold immense scientific value as early audio documentation of marine biodiversity from an era when few to no other underwater recordings exist.
The recordings are held by the WHOI Library. “It’s thrilling to know that we will be able to enrich the scientific record by digitizing these discs and providing access to the soundscape of our ocean 75 years ago,” said Dr. Ashley Jester, Director of Research Data and Library Services at WHOI, who will oversee the project. “Data from this time period is irreplaceable as the sounds of the ocean have changed so much. These recordings are an incredible reminder of why we fund scientific research and preserve the data we collect. This collection illustrates how preserving data when it is created is truly investing in the future of science and underscores why our archival collections are so important.” The recordings will be digitized by Mass Productions, and the project will preserve up to 200 hours of this at-risk archival audio collection.
The Pitts Theology Library at Emory University will receive $6,356 to complete the digitization of audio recordings in the Howard Thurman Collection. The project will preserve up to 160 audiocassette recordings featuring the voice of Howard Thurman (1899–1981), the influential Baptist minister, theologian, philosopher, author, educator, and civil rights leader whose teachings on nonviolence profoundly influenced Martin Luther King, Jr. Named one of America’s 12 greatest preachers by Life magazine in 1953, Thurman authored over 20 books and hundreds of articles throughout his remarkable career. These recordings, recently donated to the library, capture sermons, lectures, and meditations spanning from 1952 to 1981.
Emory’s preservation project will be supervised by Nina Rao, Head of Media Preservation at Emory University Libraries. Working with Preserve South, the library will digitize approximately 160 hours of these invaluable recordings. Said Rao, “We are excited for this opportunity to digitize, preserve, and provide access to these important recordings. This grant will expand knowledge of Howard Thurman’s influential work and enable the full sensory experience of hearing his spoken words, so that scholars and the public can encounter Thurman through his voice, as he was primarily known during his lifetime.”
Both grants advance NRPF’s work to preserve America’s at-risk audio heritage and to make it accessible for future generations. “These two projects beautifully illustrate the breadth and significance of America’s recorded sound heritage,” said Dr. Jesse A. Johnston, Executive Director of NRPF. “From the depths of the seas to the higher discourse of our spiritual and civic sphere, these recordings represent significant American audio collections. We’re honored to support the preservation of these recordings and to ensure that these sounds and voices will be heard again by future generations.” By supporting the preservation of both groundbreaking scientific recordings and the voices of transformative cultural leaders, the Foundation ensures that these irreplaceable sounds and stories remain accessible to researchers, educators, and the public for years to come.
The National Recording Preservation Foundation is an independent charitable organization that promotes the preservation of historical and at-risk audio collections through grants, programs, and partnerships. The Foundation’s 2025 preservation grants are made possible with generous support from the Recording Industry Association of America, the Music Library Association, and many individual donors who make the Foundation’s work possible.
###
About the NRPF
The National Recording Preservation Foundation (NRPF) is an independent, charitable organization and registered 501(c)(3) entity. The NRPF works across the United States to foster awareness of the diverse perspectives and communities documented in audio, to support the preservation of historical and at-risk audio collections, and to coordinate resources for the digital preservation of audio recordings. The NRPF was mandated through federal charter by the U.S. Congress under the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-474) and was thereafter duly incorporated in 2010.
### End press release ###
