Caption: Richard Bennett (R) talks with Craig Williams (L)
Richard Bennett (R) talks with Craig Williams (L)  

StoryCorps Griot: Richard Bennett and Craig Williams

From: StoryCorps
Length: 00:01:53

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Iraq War veteran Richard Bennett talks with Craig Williams about how they became unlikely business partners. Read the full description.

Bennett_small Iraq War veteran Richard Bennett talks with Craig Williams about how they became unlikely business partners.

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Piece Description

Iraq War veteran Richard Bennett talks with Craig Williams about how they became unlikely business partners.

Broadcast History

NPR's Morning Edition 1/6/12

Transcript

Craig Williams (CW): I had developed a pretty solid construction company and I wanted a partner. As an African American businessman, I wanted a young African-American soldier coming home. It seemed like a great opportunity to provide an opportunity. And I was in a restaurant that I don't normally frequent, and picked up a newspaper that I don't normally read, opened it up, and staring up at me from the page was you. I read the article and the thing that struck me the most was that here was a young man who had been injured serving our country and the main thing he was interested in was a risky surgery that would allow him to go back and join his unit. So it was very clear that I had found the man that I was looking for.

Richard Bennett (RB): I was at home one afternoon, got a call on my cell. "Calling on behalf of Mr. Williams. He saw your article in the paper and he would like to meet y...
Read the full transcript

Intro and Outro

INTRO:

Time again for StoryCorps.

Family and friends are recording conversations for this project.

Today -- a chance encounter that changed the lives of two men.

In 2008, Richard Bennett had returned home from serving twice in Iraq.

He'd been injured during his last tour.

CRAIG WILLIAMS was running a successful business at the time ...

... looking to expand.

OUTRO:

Craig Williams with business partner, Richard Bennett, at StoryCorps in Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Their conversation will be archived with all the others at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

Get the project's PODCAST at NPR-dot-ORG.

Musical Works

Title Artist Album Label Year Length
11 Years Fredrik Na Na Ni. Kora Records 2008 00:20

Additional Credits

Capella University

Related Website

www.storycorps.org/listen