Diane Orson
Special CorrespondentDiane Orson is a special correspondent with Connecticut Public and a contributing reporter to National Public Radio. Her stories have been heard on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, and The World from PRX. She spent seven years as CT Public’s local host for Morning Edition.
Diane reported and co-produced the award-winning series: Still Here: Native American Resilience in New England (2025) and Unforgotten: Connecticut’s Hidden History of Slavery (2024). Her work has been recognized by the Edward R. Murrow Awards, The Peabody Awards, The Gracie Awards and the New England Emmy Awards.
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Yale University is hosting a conference this week exploring the Declaration’s legacies for Indigenous peoples and Native nations, as the U.S. marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. -
As Native communities face continued challenges to their overall well-being, many find strength in cultural heritage and tradition. Powwow gatherings are a chance to reconnect with family, culture and values. -
A Connecticut singer is taking Native art and culture to new places. He invited Indigenous musicians — as well as one of the world’s most famous cellists — to perform at sunrise on the banks of the Connecticut River. The performance highlights Native peoples’ deep connection to nature and water. -
In the 1930s, runner Tarzan Brown twice won the Boston Marathon – and carried the Narragansett tribe’s name out of obscurity and onto a global stage. “He was like an unsung hero for a long time,” his granddaughter says. “It’s just good to see him get the recognition he deserves.” -
It's a surprising and overlooked story, a blind spot in the narrative of early America: the hidden history of Indigenous slavery. As colonial powers took over Native land, white settlers were enslaving Native people. Some worked in New England. Others were kidnapped and shipped to an isolated tropical island. For generations, a lost tribe in Bermuda wondered about its past. Centuries later, they’ve reconnected with family — in New England. -
For more than 10,000 years before Europeans arrived, the Northeast was home to many tribes with organized leadership and governance; it was among the most prosperous parts of North America. A connection with the land endures — and you care for it like it’s a member of the family. -
Take a fresh look at the history of our region and listen to Indigenous voices today. -
As colonial powers took over Native land, white settlers were enslaving Native people. For generations, a lost tribe in Bermuda wondered about its past. Centuries later, they’ve reconnected with family – in New England.
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Discover how runner Tarzan Brown put his tribe back on the map through endurance running, a tradition that goes back centuries in Native American cultures. -
We take you to the sunrise performance designed to “welcome the dawn with music.”
