"Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about people, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews."
A narrative of memories and experiences passed down through generations, typically told through interviews.
Introduction to Oral History: An overview of the field and its methods, including interview techniques and ethical considerations.
The Interview: Strategies for developing interview questions, conducting interviews, recording and transcribing interviews, and preserving oral histories.
Memory and Narrative: Exploring memory, the role of storytelling, and how personal narratives shape our understanding of history.
Biographical Research: Researching individuals and their life stories, including the use of primary and secondary sources, genealogy, and archival research.
Historical Background: Understanding the historical context that shaped the lives of interviewees, including social, cultural, economic, and political factors.
Social History: Exploring the experiences of ordinary people, including topics such as family life, work, education, and community.
Gender and Ethnicity: Understanding the ways in which gender and ethnicity shape personal experiences and perceptions of history.
Trauma and Resistance: Exploring how individuals and communities respond to traumatic events, including war, genocide, and social injustice.
Life Course Analysis: Examining the ways in which individuals transition through different stages of life, including childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age.
Oral History and Public Memory: Exploring the ways in which oral histories are used in public discourse, such as in museum exhibits, documentaries, and commemoration events.
Life history interviews: A comprehensive account of an individual's life both personal and professional, including their family background and their work history, with a focus on their past experiences and relevant events.
Family oral history interviews: Interviewing family members to learn and share family stories, traditions, and personal experiences.
Institutional history interviews: Documentation of the history and memories of specific institutions, such as businesses or religious organizations.
Event-based interviews: Planned interviews related to specific events, such as natural disasters or historical celebrations, capturing people's reactions and experiences.
Ethnic history interviews: Documenting the oral history of marginalized groups, such as Native Americans, African Americans, or of different cultures, to learn about their experiences from their own perspective.
Veterans history interviews: Collecting stories and accounts of war veterans to preserve their experiences and document their sacrifices.
Political history interviews: Documenting the memories and experiences of political figures, such as government officials and leaders.
Cultural history interviews: Exploring the heritage and traditions of cultural groups, such as the history of music in a particular region or the story of a local art scene.
Environmental history interviews: Interviewing people about the history and evolution of their environment and their experiences related to climate change and environmental issues.
Scientific and technical history interviews: Documenting the history of science and technology from the perspectives of scientists and technical experts who played vital roles in events, discoveries, and inventions.
"These interviews are conducted with people who participated in or observed past events and whose memories and perceptions of these are to be preserved as an aural record for future generations."
"Oral history strives to obtain information from different perspectives and most of these cannot be found in written sources."
"Knowledge presented by Oral History (OH) is unique in that it shares the tacit perspective, thoughts, opinions, and understanding of the interviewee in its primary form."
"To preserve memories and perceptions of past events for future generations as an aural record."
"Often preserved in archives and large libraries."
"In Western society, the use of oral material goes back to the early Greek historians Herodotus and Thucydides, both of whom made extensive use of oral reports from witnesses."
"The modern concept of oral history was developed in the 1940s by Allan Nevins and his associates at Columbia University."
"Primitive societies have long relied on oral tradition to preserve a record of the past in the absence of written histories."
"Professional historians usually consider oral tradition to be any information about past events that witnesses told anybody else."
"Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about people, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews."
"Oral history strives to obtain information from different perspectives and most of these cannot be found in written sources."
"Knowledge presented by Oral History (OH) is unique in that it shares the tacit perspective, thoughts, opinions, and understanding of the interviewee in its primary form."
"These interviews are conducted with people who participated in or observed past events, and whose memories and perceptions of these are to be preserved as an aural record for future generations."
"Oral history complements written histories by providing a different source of information, often capturing details and perspectives not found in written sources."
"Preserving oral history data ensures that memories and perspectives of past events are not lost and can be accessed by future generations."
"Oral history enhances our understanding of the past by incorporating personal experiences and subjective accounts, which offer unique insights into historical events."
"Oral history interviews are often preserved in archives and large libraries."
"The early Greek historians Herodotus and Thucydides made extensive use of oral reports from witnesses."
"The primary objective of oral history is to collect and study historical information about people, families, important events, or everyday life using various mediums."