From Forgotten to Remembered: Using Oral Histories to Reclaim Rural BIPOC Educational Experiences through a Black Feminist-Womanist Lens

• In Event: Virtual Poster Session
  In Virtual iPresentation Only: SIG-Biographical and Documentary Research Virtual Poster Session

Abstract

This paper explores the methodological and ethical complexities of documenting the educational experiences of Black, Indigenous, Latinx and other people of color in rural communities. Using a restorative oral history approach grounded in Black feminist communist theory, the study gathers and preserves first generation participants educational narratives. New challenges include increased distrust and gatekeeping among community leaders, shaped by anti-DEI backlash and surveillance fears. Despite these barriers, BIPOC participants have been open and eager to share, revealing nuanced experiences that challenge assumptions about race, gender, and rural life. This research offers practical lessons for scholars seeking to reclaim and preserve marginalized voices and rural education, emphasizing the importance of participant agency, trust building, and culturally responsive, justice oriented qualitative methods.

Author

• Alexis Grant-Panting, Texas Woman's University