A Case for Oral History

• In Event: The Evidence of Experience: Situating African American Women Educators in Oral Histories

Abstract

The value of oral history lays not solely in interpreting primary source narratives but also in documenting corresponding histories, which contextualize often variable and sometimes compromising memories. This paper explores shifts in oral history methodology from the 1930s to the early twenty-first century and is part of a larger project examining the contributions of educators in the Black Museums Movement. I utilize oral history as point of entry in examining first-person narratives and archival documents. Learning to systematically invite, hear, and receive (as fact) oral narratives is crucial in situating lived experiences among equally salient archival and primary sources. Whether in museum exhibitions or educational curricula, oral history can be a tool for advancing African American public and institutional histories.

Author

• Lori M. West, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign