Lesson 1:  What is Oral History? Part 1

Setting the Stage for Oral History (Framework from the Smithsonian):

Unlike a typical research process where there is a set procedure for collecting information about a phenomena, an oral history is based on the idea that research is a process. In other words, knowledge that is built through an oral history is created along the process of conducting it. Oral histories also show how everyday people – not just famous historical figures - can add to our understanding of historical events and recent past political, social and cultural eras.

There are usually two people involved in conducting an oral history: a researcher who interviews a person about their past memories and experiences and the person who is being interviewed, which we call a narrator. The researcher usually records the oral history using a digital audio recorder/phone app or video camera.

In an oral history interview, the researcher asks questions to guide the narrator and is fully present with the person narrating their story. The researcher’s task is to facilitate the narrative process in a way that narrators can shape the responses and form of their interviews and speak of their own volition. Oral history researchers often leave the interview sessions open-ended without assuming what the participant will say during the interview. They are also mindful that a narrator’s story is linked holistically to a larger set of experiences. So, in order to think like an oral history researcher, we must:

  1. Listen carefully to what each narrator is saying

    1. Each person narrates their story differently. Their narrative styles might be shaped by a variety of factors including race, gender, age, language, and social class.

  2. Understand that each person’s story leads to a road of stories over a lifetime

    1. Only a tiny portion of each person’s experiences are included within the Path Home archive. Their oral history does not define who they are as a person.

Materials Needed:

Slideshow: What is Oral History?

Worksheet: Oral History Organizer

Teacher Notes for All Lessons

Opening (15 minutes)

1.        Students think about an example of the following and jot it down

·      Write about a time when someone close to you (friend, family member) told you about something that happened to them in their past that you had no idea about.

2.        After students think about example, have them free-write for five minutes: 

  • What did you feel at the moment?

  • How do you think the person felt when telling you their personal story?

  • Think about the vulnerability and the process of sharing the story

    • What kind of space did you mutually create for the conversation?

  • Did you consider their story within broader contexts?

    • For example: societal circumstances, systems of power

3.        A few students share back their story. Pose these questions to the class and have a discussion:

  • What did you feel at the moment?

  • How do you think the person felt when telling you their personal story?

Ask a few students to share their responses with the class

Intro to oral history (25 minutes)

4.        Ask the class, what comes to mind when you think of the term “oral history?” Jot the words or phrases on the board

5.        Show 2-3 examples from oral history projects. You can choose examples from a list of oral history projects.

6.        Freewrite (5 min)

Now that you’ve seen a few examples of oral histories, how would you describe what they are? What value do you think they bring to our understanding of official historical events included in history books?

Exit Slip (5min)

What stories might be left out of official history?

  • Often stories that do not align with dominant narratives about our world.