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Tripwire

Tripwire

Written by: Savannah Morning News
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Tripwire, a production of the Savannah Morning News, investigates the 1971 chemical explosion at the Thiokol Chemical Corp. plant in Woodbine, Georgia. The blast killed 29 people, predominately Black women, and injured nearly 50 others, leading to decades of legal battles between the families of victims and survivors, and the company and U.S. government.

 Politics & Government Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • Tripwire, Episode 7: Remembering Woodbine

    Tripwire, Episode 7: Remembering Woodbine
    Mar 15 2023

    It's been more than 50 years since the Thiokol explosion. Today, it's remembered by two lines in history books. But one group aims to change that.

    Follow along with our visual episode companion at SavannahNow.com.

    Other media in this episode, including songs, newscasts and speeches were used for educational purposes.

    Executive producers: Anne and Pat Longstreth, Nancy Guan, Zach Dennis

    Host: Nancy Guan

    Music: Andrew Sovine

    Special thanks to Jannie Everette with the Thiokol Memorial Project
    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • Tripwire, Episode 6: The Price of a Life

    Tripwire, Episode 6: The Price of a Life
    Mar 9 2023

    While the courts had come to a resolution on who was liable for the 1971 explosion at Thiokol, it wasn't the end of the road for many of the victims. The next years forced many survivors and family members of the victims to relive the day over and over again in front of a judge.

    What was the cost of a life? As litigators calculated what a person's life meant in dollars, the families just wished they could try and forget the day that hurt them deeply.

    Follow along with our visual episode companion at SavannahNow.com.

    Other media in this episode, including songs, newscasts and speeches were used for educational purposes.

    Executive producers: Anne and Pat Longstreth, Nancy Guan, Zach Dennis

    Host: Nancy Guan

    Music: Andrew Sovine

    Special thanks to Jannie Everette with the Thiokol Memorial Project
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
  • Tripwire, Episode 5: The Normalization of Deviance

    Tripwire, Episode 5: The Normalization of Deviance
    Mar 2 2023

    The dust had begun to settle in Woodbine and a new owner had taken over at the former Thiokol site. But the infamous day still lingered in the minds of survivors and victims as the legal battle began.

    Thiokol and the U.S. government were pointing fingers at one another, but the former was protected by Georgia law. So the victims' families and the survivors went after the only one left: the federal government.

    Follow along with our visual episode companion at SavannahNow.com.

    Other media in this episode, including songs, newscasts and speeches were used for educational purposes.

    Executive producers: Anne and Pat Longstreth, Nancy Guan, Zach Dennis

    Host: Nancy Guan

    Music: Andrew Sovine

    Special thanks to Jannie Everette with the Thiokol Memorial Project
    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
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