Studs Terkel, broadcaster, historian, author, and musicologist, died on October 31st, 2008, at the age of 96. Born in New York to a tailor and seamstress in 1912, Terkel chronicled America's 20th century in his many books and on his radio program. In many ways, Terkel who hosted a radio show for nearly fifty years on WFMT in Chicago was the country's premier oral historian.

On December 7, 2008, in the Great Hall at Cooper Union in New York city, many of those closest to him gathered to reflect on and celebrate his life. Among them--Steve Earle, Katrina vanden Heuvel, Howard Zinn and Walter Moseley. Tonight on GRITtv we are showing excerpts from that event. You can find out more about Terkel and access many of the conversations he conducted for his books and radio program here.