Susan Stamberg hosted NPR's evening news broadcast, "All Things Considered," for 14 years, starting in 1972. When she died recently at age 87, a female friend recalled what a difference it made to hear a woman's voice on the radio. Susan was the host, she recalled, she was authoritative, and it was inspiring.

That memory might seem woefully outdated, but Stamberg, as the first woman ever to host a national news broadcast, made an enormous impact. Katherine Maher, NPR's president, put it this way: "Susan's voice was not only a cornerstone of NPR -- it was a cornerstone of American life. ... She inspired countless journalists to believe they could explore life and truth, and lead with both authority and warmth."

Her assignment almost didn't happen. "There were no role models for me," she t

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