Samuel J. Redman, Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Proposal Type: Roundtable
Abstract: The session focuses on exploring and expanding the many potential connections between the fields of oral history and public history. Oral history provides potential source materials for a range of public history activities. These may include, but are not limited to, preservation of memories in archives, as sources in writing for broad audiences, material for documentary films, and as integral parts of museum displays.
Seeking: This session seeks to open a dialogue on the many possible uses of oral history for public historians. Drawing from experiences with both large and small oral history projects, this roundtable, workshop, or structured conversation aims to bring together several engaged oral historians with experience in presenting materials to broader audiences on a number of different platforms. Audience members will be invited to comment, offer questions, and engage in a dialogue with other audience members about the possibilities and challenges of working with oral history recordings, transcripts, and other materials in public history activities. Topics might include, for example, presenting oral history materials online and within museum exhibit spaces.
Related Topics: Digital, Museums/Exhibits, Oral History
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to share contact information for other people the proposer should reach out to, please get in contact directly: Samuel J. Redman, sredman[at]history.umass.edu
If you have general ideas or feedback to share please feel free to use the comments feature below.
In addition to oral historians, perhaps the presence of a radio/TV program producer could help to discuss how oral history is used – transformed and edited – for very large audiences. I know David Dunaway intends to come to the conference (see his proposal about Broadcasting). In addition, although I guess it can be difficult to attract producers at the conference, the Local Arrangements Committee might know people from the Nashville area.
I think including an indigenous/Aboriginal oral history component could bring an interesting (and often forgotten) perspective to the use and importance of Oral History.
Hi Sam,
Seth Kotch at UNC worked with folks in the UNC Digital Innovation Lab to develop a major online exhibit around interviews contained in the Southern Oral History Program collection, and he might be someone good for you to connect with. See “Mapping the Long Women’s Movement” here: http://dhpress.org/mapping-the-long-womens-movement/