My friend introduced me to this exhilarating podcast called the Atlanta Monster, now known as Wayne Williams. After listening to the first episode, I was shocked that I didn't know about this man beforehand. He incited fear into the state of Georgia and sparked interest in the entire nation.
From 1979-1981, children, specifically young African American boys, were disappearing and found dead around a week later. This sparked not only fear, but racial disputes, considering that the civil rights movement ended not long before the killings. According the the podcast, around 30 kids were found dead in one summer, and that's only counting the bodies that were found. This was obviously terrifying to the African American community and the entire police force, and even the FBI, dedicated their resources to this case. Even though the case is well-known and a summary could be found on google within minutes, HowStuffWorks & Tenderfoot TV kept me enthralled with the riveting music and the emotional interviews. The creators interviewed relatives of the victims and asked them to recall how they felt during those years of unrest and how they felt about the arrest. This humanized the victims and I felt empathy, a feeling that could not have been provoked after reading a Wikipedia summary. The creators not only interviewed the victims, but also the FBI agents and police officers that were involved. The way they told the story made me feel as though I was with them trying gather evidence and ultimately catch the perpetrator. The interviews kept the story going, but the music and news reports made the podcast a horrifying reality. The creators included various reporters asking "It's 10pm, do you know where your kids are?". When I heard that, I felt truly afraid (and I don't scare easily). The podcast also included news reports of the missing children and the imprisonment of Williams. However, all of this would not have the same effect without the enticing music. The upbeat music matched perfectly with the police chase, while the melancholy music accompanied the emotional interviews and the revealing of the deaths. I could provide endless examples that show how well this podcast was made, but I don't want to ruin it for you. I also don't want you to be scared to listen to it. The horror of the crime itself is definitely frightening, however the podcast does more than just focus on the crime. It reveals the controversy over the arrest of Williams, who was only prosecuted for killing two adults. He never pleaded guilty to the child murders, and this made the people, even the victims' families, question if he was the true perpetrator. So, what I'm trying to say is, listen to the podcast because it dives deeper into the crime and asks if justice was truly attained. There have only been 3 episodes so far of the podcast; the creators are releasing one episode a week. So I urge you to listen to the first three and join me on this journey through history. Listening to this podcast is an experience I will never forget, and I didn't even have to get up from the sofa!
6 Comments
Quinn Salverson
1/29/2018 07:04:03 am
Wayne Williams seemed like a messed up dude. Just listening to the news I would probably ignore the story but if I listened to the podcast I would probably pay attention to the story. The podcast would actually make me pay attention and understand what the people were going through during that period in history. I wish the news was like a podcast.
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Abigail
1/31/2018 06:32:53 am
After your recommendation of this podcast, I decided to give it a shot during my drive to Champaign. As you promised, the podcast had me enthralled and a little bit spooked. I agree with you that the music added a more intense aspect of the story. It makes the podcast more dimensional, which is not something you can find through a simple summary online. Although I have only listened to the first episode, I'll be excited to continue following the story week by week!
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Justin Monge
2/1/2018 06:48:17 am
Dear Huda, this blog post was very interesting. I especially liked it because the other day in forensics class we watched a Forensic File documentary on Wayne Williams. I found the story to be very exciting and made me want to listen to the podcast. Just wanted to let you know that you incorrectly wrote "FBI". Not a problem, don't worry just a small comment. Just lets not make that mistake again.
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Jenna Moore
2/1/2018 11:31:54 am
The title of your blog post was enough to draw me to click and read it. I, too, love podcasts. My mom and I listen to murder mysteries and other suspenseful stories on long road-trips. I remember learning about Wayne Williams in my Forensics Science class last year. I was both fascinated and deeply saddened by the case. Your blog definitely has convinced me to listen to the Atlanta Monster podcast… I can’t wait to listen to it!!
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2/2/2018 11:16:04 am
I love the idea of your blog, it is really refreshing to see your point of view on each podcast you listen to. As your sister, I do know that you don't get scared easily, and I think you describe your experience listening to it perfectly because I was there to witness you listening to it and your reactions. I love the last sentence as well, super funny!
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Huda Aldadah
2/15/2018 06:37:01 am
Dear Ayah,
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AuthorHuda Aldadah |