Marion Stokes, a former librarian and civil rights activist, dedicated over three decades of her life to recording live television broadcasts—creating one of the most important and comprehensive VHS archives in media history.
Why Did Marion Stokes Record So Much Television?
Stokes believed in protecting the truth. She feared that media corporations and governments could rewrite history by editing or deleting broadcasts. To stop this, she began recording everything—from breaking news to sitcoms—in the late 1970s.
By 1979, Marion had up to eight VCRs running 24/7. Her family, including her son Michael, helped with tape changes, often interrupting their daily lives. Over 35 years, she accumulated around 71,000 VHS tapes, totaling an estimated 300,000+ hours of content.
Legacy Digitized: Available on the Internet Archive
After her death in 2012, Stokes’ archive was donated to the Internet Archive. Today, it’s being digitized so researchers, students, and the general public can access decades of original broadcasts online.
This collection offers rare footage of live news events, historical moments, and evolving narratives, proving that Marion Stokes saved history on tape.
Connection to the Mandela Effect
Many believe Marion’s collection offers evidence to support or debunk the popular phenomenon known as the Mandela Effect, where people remember events or facts differently than what’s officially recorded. Her archive acts as a digital time capsule, preserving the past exactly as it aired.
Conclusion: A Visionary Ahead of Her Time
Some considered her obsessive. Others now call her a visionary in digital preservation. In an era where online content disappears overnight, Marion’s efforts remind us that archiving matters.
Thanks to her dedication, the world now has a reliable, unbiased window into media history — accessible to anyone, anywhere.
