History a distillation of rumour.
--Thomas Carlyle
Before there was writing (and today among non-literate cultures) oral tradition or
"history" gave a community its sense of collective self. The deeds of heroes and
villains, the intercession of the gods, and migrations were the stuff of tales handed down
from generation to generation, often in the form of verse for easier recollection.
Today oral history is a tool of historians wishing to collect evidence of the recent past
from participants in the events. Social historians interested in rural life in Texas
during the Great Depression might take tape recorder in hand and drive through the Hill
Country interviewing octogenarians whose early adult years were spent dealing with the
depression. A military historian interested in the Battle of the Bulge might track down
surviving members of the 101st Airborne Division and gather the recollections of that
unit's involvement.
Oral history, in other words, can be driven by the quest for general information or very
precise information, depending on the subject of the paper. The guidelines below are
general and meant to provide you with enough information to carry out the oral history
interview and prepare a paper of sufficient length to meet the course requirement. For
specific details on the topic of the paper, please consult the course syllabus.
Mechanics
Because you will be dealing with another person, one who has been kind enough to give you
of his or her time, you should be as professional as possible. That means going in with
the right equipment, the right questions, and the right attitude.
Interviewee: Select an interviewee that is appropriate to your subject matter. You do not
want to interview your mother on what it was like for your great-grandparents to come to
Texas during the Mexican Revolution. She might have heard those stories, but she is a
second- or third-hand source. If in doubt about the appropriateness of a potential
interviewee, consult your instructor.
Requirements:
A. 2, two-hour (one hour each side) audio cassettes. Do not get caught short. If a tape
snaps or snags on you, you want to be ready with another tape.
B. an A.C. powered recorder. Do not rely on batteries, even fresh ones. Make sure your
recorder is in good working order. Run a test before beginning the interview to make sure
the acoustics and volume are adequate.
C. steno pad and pencil. Aside from a predetermined list of questions, you should have a
notebook in which you can write insights, follow-up questions, and any other notes.
C. a site convenient and comfortable to interviewee. Remember that you will get more out
of the interviewee if he or she feels relaxed. Give the interviewee a chance to pick the
time, date, and location for the interview. Get there early and warm the interviewee up by
engaging in pleasantries.
D. a time when both parties will be relaxed. Make sure to give yourself and the
interviewee enough time to finish the job. Doing the interview in more than one session is
acceptable, but do not break it down to the point where the process become disjointed and
the interviewee loses interest.
Interview
Preparation: Read up on the geographic area of origin and any other locations liable to be
of importance to the interview, particularly in regard to the subject matter central to
your project. Have a working knowledge of the principal social, economic, and political
events of the period(s) on which the interview will focus. The course readings should be
particularly valuable in this regard. Establish the chronological parameters and areas of
questioning.
Questioning: Every effort should be made to ask open-ended questions. Phrase questions so
that they require more than a yes or no answer. Make a core list of these general
questions. Follow up general questions with more detailed ones based on the interviewee's
answers. Do not predetermine where you want the interview to go. Make note of follow-up
questions to be asked, do not trust your memory.
Background: Questions regarding birthplace and home town; parents' origins; siblings and
other family members; general economic and social status of family.
Education: description of extent of education; language(s) in which education took place;
special training; social aspects of education--segregated school, classroom, sports;
presence of non-Anglos among teachers; economic differences among students.
Employment: Work experience; particular positions of special interest; specialized job
training; social aspects of employment--access to positions, promotions, segregation in
the work force, outright displays of bigotry or sexism.
Society: Religion; entertainments; friendships; courtship and marriage; discrimination or
segregation; cultural isolation of the community; economic class boundaries.
Wrap up: Opportunity for interviewee to relate a specific experiences not previously
brought up during the interview; clarification of any confusing or incomplete remarks
worth reconsidering.
Breaks: Do not exhaust the interviewee or yourself. Set up the interview so that you can
keep track of time without making it look as if you are impatient. A few minutes every 45
to 60 minutes, depending on the interviewee's train of thought, should work fine.
The Paper
Introduction: Use secondary sources (books, articles, encyclopedias) to give a general
background of the area in which the interviewee grew up and those areas covered in the
interview. Discuss what the sources say about the subject of the interview for the region
and time you will be covering with the interviewee.
Analysis: The body of the paper should be a clear distillation of the material covered in
the interview. Use quotes from the interview only when making an important point,
otherwise, paraphrase what the interview had to say. Discuss how the interviewee's
experiences compare with what the secondary sources have to say about the subject. This is
the part of the paper where you make value judgments regarding the validity of historical
interpretations in light of your interviewee's experiences.
Conclusion: What did you learn? How does it affect the way you understand contemporary
American life? Is there something the books and articles you have read missed or
misinterpreted based on your interview?
Technicalities
The paper will be graded not only on the content, but also on its construction and
technical merits. For guidelines on properly writing and presenting the paper, go to
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS and GRAMMAR AND SPELLING.
Bibliography
Thomas L. Charlton, Oral History for Texans (2nd ed., Austin: Texas Historical
Commission, 1985).
Although there are a number of books on the subject, Charlton's has a couple of definite
advantages. First, it is geared for Texas. Second, I have a number of copies, which I am
happy to loan out. The book covers all the basics, and gives good recommendations on
interviewing strategies.
Have a question? Contact me at jd10@swt.edu
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