James Sterling Young, who founded the nation’s only oral history program focused on American presidents at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, has died. He was 85. At the Miller Center, Mr. Young directed oral histories of the presidencies of Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and on former Sen. Edward Kennedy. Kennedy based his memoir, “True Compass,” on dozens of interviews with Mr. Young. For full story click here.
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March on Washington
The 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a gathering of labor leaders, civil rights activists and a mass of people estimated at over 250,000, was one of the preeminent events in American history. In addition to contributing directly to the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965, the march is also remembered for Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, widely considered the greatest piece of oratory ever delivered. For full story click here.
Alice Springs’ oral histories
Paul Ah Chee Ngala grew up in Alice Springs. He is variously described as a musician, a business man, a cultural entrepreneur and of late, as Director of the Alice Springs Desert Park. Listen to his oral history here.
Bankstown’s Aboriginal Elders
When she moved to the city from country New South Wales more than 40 years ago, Aboriginal Elder Lola Simmons lost contact with many Aboriginal people. It wasn't until years later when she was approached in the street and asked to join a local Elders group that she got to really know her local community. Lola Simmons is just one of a number of Aboriginal people who make up part of the Elders group run by the local arts centre. The members of the group have also been photographed by Aboriginal photographer Mervyn Bishop for a series of portraits that make up part of an oral history project put together by the group. For full story and audio interview click here.
Creative Commons
There has been some recent discussion about Creative Commons and it is an issue that needs to be revisited. See Jack Dougherty and Candace Simpson's essay titled, "Who owns oral history? A Creative Commons solution," which is freely available online at: http://ontheline.trincoll.edu/oral-history/creative-commons/ Jack says – the essay describes how we have moved away from our 1990s consent form (where we required participants to sign over their copyright) to our newer Creative Commons form (where the participant retains the copyright, but agrees to allow us to freely share the interview on the public web, for non-commercial use). Sample consent form language is included. They welcome feedback from oral historians by posting a comment at the bottom of the essay webpage.
Gay Life Stories Oral History Project – Australia
An oral history project will document the life stories of gay and lesbian Australians in a first comprehensive record of the changing attitudes to homosexuality. The joint three-year project by Macquarie University and the National Library of Australia will use historians from the University of Queensland and the University of Melbourne to record the life stories of 60 gay and lesbian people across Australia. For full story click here.
Kamilaroi oral histories launched
NAIDOC Week was commemorated in Narrabri on Tuesday with an Indigenous cultural celebration at the Narrabri Kids Education Centre.The children embraced the special cultural experience with great enthusiasm, and were captivated as four dancers in full costume made an entrance.
People dropping in to the Narrabri Visitor Information Centre are taking the opportunity to learn more of the local Kamilaroi people’s cultural heritage, thanks to an innovative touch screen at the centre.
The touch screen presentation of Kamilaroi oral histories was launched. For full story click here.
Oral History Audio Books – Broome
Audio books are one of the best remedies for boredom on long Kimberley car trips. They're a way to engage the mind without getting distracted from the road, a way to imaginatively travel around the state, the country and the world from your own car. But for people who prefer to be fully present in the landscape that they're living in, or travelling through, sometimes audio books from faraway places aren't ideal. Broome Public Library has been gathering and recording oral histories from Broome and the Peninsula, eleven of which are currently available as audio books. Oral historian Elaine Rabbitt says all the stories are gripping, but what's even more impressive, is the willingness of local people to share them. For full story including a radio interview with Elaine, click here.
Australian Gay & Lesbian Life Stories
A group of researchers from around Australia have come together for the first time to deliver an oral history of LGBTI Australia. The group, in conjunction with the National Library of Australia is seeking to collect and record the experiences of different generations of the Australian LGBTI community. The project is a first of its kind and the researchers hope to reveal the changing social attitudes to LGBTI Australians and document our history and achievements. For full story click here.
Students in Brisbane learn from Holocaust Exhibition
Brisbane Catholic Education has facilitated the staging of an exhibition on the Holocaust to help school students realise the importance of good people standing up in the face of bad situations. "Courage to Care", an initiative of the not-for-profit Jewish community organisation B'nai B'rith aims to educate visitors to understand the role of bullies, bystanders and victims using stories of the Holocaust. For full story click here.