Practicing Judaism was prohibited in the Soviet Union and Jews were discriminated against for work and education, leading many to leave the country. Sean Martin, associate curator for Jewish History at the Cleveland History Center said the immigrants’ archive was an important addition to other archives they have on Cleveland-area Jews who led initiatives to help Soviet Jews relocate. Read full article and go to link with interviews here.
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USA veterans remembered
With Memorial Day in the U.S. right around the corner, we’re bringing you a glimpse into a handful of oral history projects focused on collecting and preserving the memories of military veterans. Check them out, and mention your favorite projects in the comments. For full article click here.
“Australian Lives: An Intimate History” book launched
A new book Australian Lives: An Intimate History by Anisa Puri and Alistair Thomson (Monash University Press) $39.95 provides glimpses of Australian lives from the 1920s to the 1980s. Culled from 1500 hours of oral history interviews, the ebook will link each story to the National Library of Australia's online collection so readers can listen to the story direct. See full story here.
Indigenous Americans’ Oral Histories
Take a walk through downtown Asheville and you’re bound to run across some symbol or image of Western North Carolina’s mountain heritage. From stores peddling traditional crafts to the overalls-clad busker with banjo in hand, the history of the Southern Appalachians still looms large in the region’s identity and the way it portrays itself to visitors. Seeking to preserve the region’s history and traditional culture, local organizations and researchers are working to document the lives and wisdom of WNC’s elders, believing that this provides invaluable context for the area’s present and future. For full story click here.
Canberra students collect oral histories
Old Parliament House is not the only Canberra landmark to celebrate its 90th anniversary this year. Across the lake that in 1927 was nothing more than a river bordering sheep paddocks, the Ainslie School has celebrated nine decades of teaching with the help of its current crop of students. For full story click here.
Papua New Guinea Oral History
A new website hosting interviews with prominent Papua New Guineans on the period leading up to and following that nation’s independence from Australia in 1975 has been launched. Read the story and follow link to the webpage here.
Oral History in History Lessons
Working with oral histories in schools has become very popular in Germany, the United States and many other countries. Eyewitnesses of the past are able to deliver authentic accounts of events in their lives which affect students more deeply than written texts. Furthermore, teachers hope that working with eyewitnesses encourages students to work like historians and, for example, to critically question their sources. But there is also criticism of this method. On the one hand, memory is a reconstructive process which can be influenced by many factors. On the other hand, the aura and authenticity of the eyewitnesses can result in an uncritical acceptance of their accounts. For full article click here.
Oral History of TED Talks
Before its 2,000-plus videos had been viewed 8 billion times, TED was an annual conference for wealthy eggheads. Starting in February 1984, 1,000 people who could afford to pay $4,000 (and up) would gather in Monterey, California, to hear 18-minute lectures on technology, entertainment, and design. (TED, get it?) Then, in 2006, TED started posting the presentations on its website, transforming a once-exclusive conference into a viral think-piece factory. As TED kicks off its 33rd conference this spring, here’s how the talks went global. Read full story with links to most popular TED Talks here.
Indigenous Soldiers in World War I
This lengthy and interesting article can be read here.
Detention Centre Stories in new book
THE detention of those seeking refuge on Australian shores has been a hot-button topic for years. But, in the storm of discourse on immigration policies, there are voices not being heard — the voices of those who have experienced detention under Australian law. They Cannot Take the Sky is an anthology of these stories, gathered through the Behind the Wire oral history project, a non-profit initiative founded in 2014. For full story click here.