Oral History Workshop

1. Oral History Workshop History 300B March 9, 2009

2. Center for Oral & Public History California State University, Fullerton http://coph.fullerton.edu/

3. 9/11, war Event Evidence Survival Repositories Access Newspapers, diaries, photographs Fires, floods, thrown away Archives, libraries, museums, person collections Must be available

4. What is Oral History? Valerie Yow: Oral history is the recording of personal testimony delivered in oral form. Donald Ritchie: collection of spoken memories and personal commentaries of historical significance through recorded interviews. From Internet (Answers.com): Historical information, usually tape-recorded or videotaped, obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Terms often used interchangeably with oral history: self-report, personal narrative, life story, memoir, life testament. Other terms used: life history, recorded memories, life review. (implies someone else involved)

5. Why is Oral History Important? • historical documents and books can't tell us everything about our past. • often concentrate on famous people and big events, and tend to miss the ordinary people living ordinary lives. • Neglect people on the fringes of society, e.g., the poor, disabled, ethnic communities. • Oral history fills the gaps and gives voice to history that includes everyone.

6. Oral History and Memory • Remembering – Constructing Narratives from our Memories • Even young children create stories from their memories • Psychologist David Rubin shows that most people begin reminiscing in their forties. • We remember what is important to us. • Memory – Fallible or Trustworthy? • Aging and Memory • Consistencies in Feelings • Individual Memory v. Collective Memory • Whenever memory is involved, we need to ask: by whom, in what context?

7. Legal Stuff • Copyright • Who owns the material? • Legal agreements • Libel • Libel is the published statement that is false and that is intended to harm a person’s reputation. • Cannot libel someone who is deceased. • Slander • Defamation that is spoken. • Anonymity • Make copy of tape and include pseudonym • Ack! What if they won’t sign the release?

8. A Few More Forms • IRB • Deed of Gift • Restriction Agreement (we’ll talk about these a little bit more as they appear in the packet.)

9. Ethics and Privacy • No taping without narrator’s knowledge • Recording without narrator’s knowledge is invasion of privacy • Doesn’t hurt to get narrator’s permission on tape • Explain why and how oral histories will be used • Don’t make promises you can’t keep • Interviewers and transcribers must understand: this is confidential until completed. • Remind narrators that information will be made public • Revealing too much about personal life • Revealing too much about ANOTHER person’s life

10. Before You Proceed • Acquaint yourself with Oral History Association • Check out other professional organizations • Work with instructor or supervising entity • Read, read, read!

11. Preparing for Oral History Project • Do your homework – Research! • Are there similar projects? Are we offering new information? • Conceptualize the project • What is it that we wish to accomplish? Focus • How do we finance this project? This interview? • Interviewing, Transcribing, Archiving

12. Interview Steps • Identify narrators • Letter of introduction • Research • People’s lives do not take place in a vacuum • Prepare for pre-interview • Develop questions/outline • Recorders - Equipment

13. Equipment • Analog tape v. digital files • Magnetic tape still viewed as most stable • Commitment to digital files • Recorder • Microphone • Tapes

14. Preparation is the Key • Equipment • Questions/outline • Directions • Release forms • Prompts • Review your checklist • Know your narrator

15. Agreement Form(s) • Do YOU understand it? • Can you explain it? • Keep it visible • Ask narrator to sign AFTER interview

16. Rapport, Rapport, Rapport

17. More Forms! • Labeling Cassette • Creating Field Notes • Creating Tape Log

18. And, Still More! • Deed of Gift • Understanding nature of use • Restriction • What’s reasonable? • Role of rapport • “It’s just my family.”

19. Developing Questions • Who • What • When • Where • How • Why • How did you feel?

20. Format • Introduction – on tape • Narrator name, interviewer name, date, where interview is taking place, project name • Verbal agreement • Biographical sketch • Parents, earlier years, schooling, adulthood • “Meat” of the interview • Closing remarks • “Is there anything else you’d like to add?”

21. Questioning • Opened-ended v. closed-ended questions  What do you remember about your grandparents?  What was your grandfather’s name?  What kind of reception did the Cambodians receive when they moved into town?  Was there prejudice against Cambodians moving to your town?

22. More Questions • Childhood • Teens • Family • Military • Vocation • Marriage/Family • Religion • Attitudes/beliefs • Retirement • Historic events • Folklore, superstitions, customs, holidays, celebrating

23. Post-Oral HistoryWhat do we do now? • Publications • Theatrical productions • Museum exhibits • Document events, businesses, community • Identify artifacts and photographs • Add to the historic record

24. Wrap Up/Questions