The power of stories is well documented. Scott Russell Sanders (1997) maintained that stories have the power to build community and help us see the world through others' eyes. Furthermore, Sanders (1997) asserted that "stories teach us that every gesture, every act, every choice we make sends ripples of influence into the future" (p. 3).…

A typical U.S. high school student today might be able to recite some milestones of civil rights history--the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955-56; the Freedom Rides of 1961; and (some would add) the election of the first African American president in 2008. But how many students understand that these events, which historians call out as milestones,…

There is no country on Earth more populated by immigrants than the United States. Most U.S. residents (99 percent) have ancestors who were immigrants to this continent, whether they came voluntarily as travelers, or involuntarily as slaves. These immigrants have helped to shape the social and economic foundations of their adopted nation. According…

Shortly after the author began teaching at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC), Frances Hawthorne, one of the studio faculty, approached her to work on a community-based art project with students. Frances is a social justice artist who works collaboratively with marginalized groups such as the homeless and inmates at the…

Describes a family and community oral history project suitable for use in adult basic education classes. Discusses developing interview questions, gathering family history, writing and editing the text, and illustrating the final product with photographs. (RS)

One approach for encouraging students to develop their sense of audience is for them to record an interview, transcribe it, and then edit the written form for different audiences and rhetorical purposes. (HOD)

Recording history is a valuable learning technique in studying immigration or ethnic history. At the University of Missouri in Saint Louis, students develop a questionnaire and then interview first-generation immigrants as well as American-born descendants. Tapes and transcriptions are added to the campus archives. For journal availability, see SO…

Advocates oral history as an instructional method for students at all grade levels. Describes existing oral history projects and presents guidelines for interviewing, including use of tape recorders and cameras. Ends with a brief discussion of the use of oral history methods to collect local music. (SJL)

Discusses the use of oral history within a North Dakota state history course at the University of North Dakota (Grand Forks). Addresses how the students are prepared to conduct oral history interviews. Relates the information students found within their oral history interviews and the benefits of oral history. (CMK)

Describes a project where students conducted oral history with either a war correspondent or a U.S. combat veteran for the course "War and the News Media: From Vietnam through Desert Storm and Beyond." Discusses how the students prepared for the interviews and the evaluation of their projects. (CMK)

For historians and nonhistorians, reflecting on the past century is an enticing activity. To many present-day historians, who are just barely into the twenty-first century, the past century already seems remote. It will definitely be perceived that way by students in elementary classrooms. Nonetheless, today's teachers have endless opportunities…

This oral history project was completed by a Munice, Indiana high school honors U.S. history class. The students interviewed Munice residents, who during World War II either served in the military or experienced the War from the homefront. Two interview instruments were designed, one for the military front and the other for the home front. The…

This document presents an oral history project in which 34 residents of Munice, Indiana were interviewed about their experiences and memories of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. The project was conducted by the members of an Honors United States History class at Munice Southside High School. The students designed the…

Describes an eighth grade class history project in which students researched, wrote, and published a history of their town based on interviews with residents. The project increased personal interest in history and improved the school's relationship with the community. Suggestions for project organization and interviewing techniques are included.…

Discusses accounts given by Vietnam War veterans addressing issues such as the wannabe phenomenon, where not all people claiming to be veterans actually served in Vietnam, and the cultural script of the veteran. Highlights how oral histories are used by teachers and students. Describes a project where students interviewed Vietnam veterans. (CMK)