activism & Oral History
What is oral history?
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Oral history is a method for preserving people's memories and interpretations. Oral historians use sound recordings to record people talking about their personal experiences of past events and cultural practices.
How do oral historians define their work? Check out this video from the University of Winnipeg Oral History Centre!
Let's see an example!
Oral histories aren't always recorded as videos, though. Sometimes, oral histories can be recordings only with no video, or they can be transcripts of recorded conversations. For transcriptions, the oral historian's questions can either be included or edited out. It's up to the oral historian and their narrator to chose which form works best!
One of the most famous American oral historians was Studs Terkel. Over his long career he interviewed thousands of people, from waitresses to rock stars. Check out his 1960 interview with Simone de Beauvoir here:
Oral history is still an important genre. Two popular shows being created now that draw on oral history techniques are StoryCorps and This American Life. Check them out below!