The Importance of Oral Histories
Samantha Mannuzza
English 201
Professor Zeemont
About This Project
Background
One may ask "What even are oral histories?" They are often described as the first type of history. It is recording and preserving history through word of mouth. There are many forms of oral histories, such as myths or histories; nonetheless, each is an important part of one's culture and life. It also provides a full picture of the past from a first person point of view. Someone was actually there and is retelling their experience.
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This project is to encourage students on taking the time to perform an oral history with someone. One may see different viewpoints from an event through oral histories. We must preserve our own history, and the simplest way is through retelling and listening to a story.
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Through oral histories, we can:
- Determine what has changed and remained the same through history.
- Preserve our culture through storytelling and retelling events to curious future generations.
Merriam-Webster Definition: "A recording containing information about the past obtained from in-depth interviews concerning personal experiences, recollections, and reflections."
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How to Perform an Oral History
Step 1:
Formulate a central question or idea.
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Step 2:
Plan the interview. Take into consideration time and expenses.
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Step 3:
Conduct background research on the subject.
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Step 4:
Conduct the interview.
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Step 5:
Evaluate and reflect on the research and interview.
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Tips on Performing an Oral History
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- Try to ask open ended questions to get your interviewee doing most of the talking.
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- Be a good listener. Use open body language, smile, and nod occasionally to show that you are actively listening.
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- Ask simple questions first to build rapport, such as biographical information.
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- Make sure your questions are not too personal and that the interviewee is comfortable.
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- Decide your research goals to make sure that the questions follow that.
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- Ensure that all technology and devices are working prior to the interview, and do a test run with them.
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Pros & Cons
- Oral histories may be given to anyone by anyone.
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- You can perform them anytime.
- They are relatively inexpensive compared to buying books and other sources.
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- There is clarification because you may ask further questions.
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- It does not go too far into the past since the person is still alive.
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- Oral traditions may be biased. The interviewee may also
exaggerate some aspects of the conversation.
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- May not be accurate since memory fades.
Sources & Websites Used
Interpreting and Using Oral History
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Introduction to Oral History (in depth)
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Video Example of an Oral History
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My Experience with Oral History
I had the chance to interview my uncle, who works at the Wall Street Journal. Oral histories also act as a bonding experience because we had a face to face conversation about a subject I have never discussed with him. I really valued this because we both have busy lives. Oral histories also reveal how different the past was. I interviewed him on the technology he used back then and found out information I never knew before! It was very exciting also because we have not had a long conversation in a while.
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