Oral History Education

The National Museum of American History features a webcast that includes oral history interviews with the three surviving members of the Greensboro Four.  At the time, they were young college students staging a sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, 51 years ago today, February 1, 1960.  Now, they offer their reflections on a student movement that they helped to spark across the country, leading to desegregation of that lunch counter, and many others.

Two articles came across my Google Alerts today that highlight an important community benefit to oral history:  intergenerational dialogue. Through projects and programs that facilitate listening and storytelling between generations, we learn strategies for making change by an earlier generation that faced war, overcame injustice, and struggled to end racism in our country. The first article features four women who participated “quietly” in the civil rights movement and were recognized in their community for their participation: Recognizing Quiet Courage. The second article features a terrific collaboration between a history museum and the local chapter of the AARP, who put together a visitor program in which seniors shared their stories:  AARP Sponsors Free Day at National Civil Rights Museum.