Tripwire

Savannah Morning News•www.savannahnow.com

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.

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Episodes

Tripwire, Episode 7: Remembering Woodbine

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...

Mar 15, 2023•29 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast

Tripwire, Episode 6: The Price of a Life

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 companio...

Mar 09, 2023•21 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast

Tripwire, Episode 5: The Normalization of Deviance

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...

Mar 02, 2023•28 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast

Tripwire, Episode 4: The Whole World Changed For Me

After February 3, things were different in Woodbine. Families were broken, mothers lost and Thiokol wanted everyone back to work soon. Condolences came in from President Richard Nixon to Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter, and the state worked to help those affected by the blast to get their homes in order. But that came and went... the effects of the blast still lingered. Follow along with our visual episode companion at SavannahNow.com . Other media in this episode, including songs, newscasts and speec...

Feb 23, 2023•25 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast

Tripwire, Episode 3: The Fire Had A Voice

LISTENER WARNING: There will be graphic descriptions of the explosion and its aftermath in this episode. Listener discretion advised. February 3, 1971 seemed like any other day when Thiokol workers entered the plant that morning for their shift. By 10:53 a.m., the world as they knew it would change in an instant. 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 pr...

Feb 16, 2023•22 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast

Tripwire, Episode 2: Woodbine, We Have A Problem

As the U.S. was embroiled in the space race and the Vietnam War, Thiokol saw an opportunity in Woodbine in both realms. After securing a space contract with NASA, the prospect of 2,000 jobs in the small town was on the horizon until budget cuts from the federal government cut it short. Then came Vietnam and the need for weapons such as the trip flare. With the new contract came ample employment opportunities for African American women in Woodbine, but it also came at a risk. Follow along with ou...

Feb 09, 2023•19 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast

Tripwire, Episode 1: We Sang While We Worked

Welcome to the town of Woodbine, Georgia. It's the end of the 1960s. A small town in Camden County, Woodbine was selected to house the Thiokol Chemical Corporation plant, which provided ample employment opportunities to Black women in the area, who previously could only find domestic work, line work at the shrimp factory in Brunswick or field work picking rice, lettuce, etc. The jobs were well-paid at the time and allowed the women to provide for their families. On Feb. 3, 1971, the town was roc...

Feb 02, 2023•18 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast

Introducing Tripwire, a podcast investigating the 1971 Thiokol chemical explosion

Jan 27, 2023•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast