Participation in oral history projects affords students the opportunity to become actively involved in critical analysis and documentation of the historical record. Through the medium of oral history, students are encouraged to step beyond passive reading and memorization of information -- to make connections between history's "big pictures" and the personal experience and memory of historical events at the family, local, regional, national, and international levels. Furthermore, this process provides the context for students to make intellectual, emotional, and personal connections between significant historical events and decisions made by seemingly ordinary people. Finally, oral history, at its core is the act of preserving history and memory, culture and beliefs, at the family, local, regional, national, and global level.

Critical analysis and documentation of the historical record is imperative. The study of history involves much more than the memorization of dates and facts. Historiography -- deep and studied analysis of the written record of known human history -- is recognized as often incomplete, incorrect, and biased. In recent times, historians have increasingly turned to the study of material culture and oral history to fill in gaps or correct for incorrect and biased interpretations of significant details of history.

Active involvement in conducting oral histories has the potential to be a transformative and empowering experience for the school community. Participants may be transformed from consumers of history to preservers of events and interpretations at many different levels. Students, whether conducting oral history interviews and projects at the family, community, regional, national, or international level, will have the opportunity and the power to make connections between the experiences and memories of individuals and overarching historical, social, cultural, political, and economic themes, dynamics, and events.

Whether conducting family or local/community oral histories, students will find that seemingly ordinary people they may interact with every day -- parents and guardians, extended family, and other members of their communities and municipalities have been touched by and been personally involved in historically significant events. Family histories, while potentially sensitive, because of the memories, emotions, and involved, may prove to be especially meaningful for students. In making connections with their oun family's history, they may be able to posit questions and raise issues, as well as record and preserve information for future generations. The opportunity to record family history is especially fleeting -- it is time sensitive -- based on the ability of a few family members to give their representation of their own experiences and their beliefs regarding those that came before them, as well as their beliefs concerning the future.

In conducting oral histories, the overarching purpose is to empower students to think critically about decisions made by individuals and their implications. Participants have the opportunity and responsibility to think critically and conduct analysis of history, memory, and experience. They may find that the process of documenting and creating a preserved accounts, the interplay of certain dynamics: race, ethnicity, color, culture, socioeconomic class, gender and sexuality, and ability, among others in the historiography. In conducting oral histories, students act to preserve family and societal history and memory, culture and beliefs, act against unsound revisionism and the destruction and loss of culture, identity, and memory.

Finally, one must recognize that many individuals and peoples have not survived to recount their stories and stand as examples of or exceptions to the accepted historical record. As students act to preserve history, they also have the opportunity to benefit from exposure to individuals who may be role models, or as the case may be, the antithesis of role models. Students may make connections between the hard decisions made by individuals to not accept or turn a blind eye to injustice, but rather to resist and rescue, make hard decisions and choices and accept responsibility for them.

 

 

A curriculum unit designed to accompany materials designed by Chicago Public Schools in conjunction with I.B./Character Education/Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation.

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