2024 Oral History Association Annual Meeting

Four Cadets (Students) at the United States Military Academy highlight the work they've done with Oral Histories in their research and professional development. This is an undergraduate level panel consisting of four history majors who are doing exciting work in the field of Oral History.Coming To Terms With The Rwandan Genocide Through Oral History - Kari Malatak, United States Military Academy
This presentation relies upon oral histories in the aftermath of mass atrocities, specifically the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, to help understand the tragedy that occurred there. It examines the role that storytelling plays in the healing and reconciliation processes, as well as its role in countering denial.

Establishing A Narrative: The Ethical Responsibility of the Oral Historian - Isabella Colitsas, United States Military Academy
In a rapidly expanding technological landscape where "everyone becomes their own historian," the process of recording and presenting the truth becomes more complex and contested. The oral historian has a responsibility to be open to multiple interpretations of an event, attempting to triangulate various perspectives into a coherent narrative. What is truth when oral accounts come from individuals' lived experiences?

Generational Differences Among Jamaican Immigrants In Connecticut - Marqus Hubbard, United States Military Academy
In the post-World War II era, a majority of Jamaican immigrants have immigrated to Connecticut. Generational differences have developed within the Jamaican diaspora based on when new arrivals came to America, why they immigrated, and what their experience was when they arrived.

Countering Terrorism and Gang Violence In Latin America: Developing Solutions To An Evolving Challenge - Taylor Root, United States Military Academy
Oral history interviews with military professionals from the United States and Latin American countries grapple with the complexities of terrorism and gang violence in the region and the search for a solution.
ABSTRACT: Oral History is an important component of the history curriculum at the United States Military Academy, where America’s future leaders are educated. Excerpts from interviews recorded by the West Point Center for Oral History are incorporated into electronic textbooks, classroom presentations and discussions, interactive library exhibits, and summer educational enrichment opportunities (Staff Rides). Oral histories educate and inspire Cadets, enabling the current generation of aspiring Army leaders to learn valuable insights from their predecessors’ experiences while humanizing the history being learned. The West Point Center for Oral History is an integral part of the History Department’s Digital History Center, which also includes Material Culture Studies, the United States Military Academy Band, the Black History Project at West Point, and the West Point Museum. Oral history is an exciting field, and important to research being conducted at the United States Military Academy. Four Cadets (undergraduates) have developed individual projects based on personal interest and academic pursuits. One conducted a Staff Ride to Rwanda to study and understand the Rwanda Genocide. During the process of the Staff Ride, she interviewed Cadet and faculty participants, as well as survivors and perpetrators of the Genocide. Another Cadet analyzed different perspectives of the Class of 77 Honor incident and how it is remembered by those who lived through it. She highlights how different memories shape the narrative. A third Cadet delves into an immigrant community in his home state of Connecticut to understand differences among various generations of Jamaican-Americans. Finally, the fourth Cadet analyzes different perspectives concerning terrorism and gang violence in Latin America through interviews with United States and International military professionals. These four Cadets illustrate the variety of academic research and intellectual curiosity among the students in the History Department at the United States Military Academy.