Oral History 101
"Memory is history recorded in our brain, memory is a painter, it paints pictures of the past and of the day."
Anna Mary Robertson "Grandma" Moses
In recent years, historians have come to realize that some of the best insights about the past come from
the people who were there. You just have to ask.
The following principles guided students while conducting the oral histories for Hear's My Story. If you
decide to do an oral history project, here are some things to keep in mind:
WHO? Decide who you want to interview and find out if they are willing to participate.
WHAT? Make a list of questions to ask. What do you want to know?
WHERE? Set up your equipment in an area that's not too noisy, where you
won't be interrupted. (You can't imagine how noisy air conditioning is when
you put a microphone next to it!)
HOW? Before and during the interview, make sure your equipment works. If
your recorder fails, you may never have a chance to record that amazing
story again.
WHY? Oral historians are concerned with the stories people tell. Even if
someone's memory isn't accurate, their story, along with the stories of
others, can shine a different light on events.
BE FLEXIBLE! If a participant has an interesting story to tell, you might set
aside the questions you planned to ask.
BE RESPECTFUL of the people you interview. That includes making sure they understand how their words
might be used and preserved. What do you do with all the information you record?
SAVE IT! The oral histories conducted for this project will be housed in the archives at the University of
North Carolina Greensboro.
SHARE IT! Through projects like this exhibition, publications, or the internet, historians can share
people's words with others.
To read more about what students' learned from the project, visit the Student Voices page.
The website contains studentcreated
resources. The University Libraries makes no claim as to the
accuracy of the views or information presented herein.
