2024 Oral History Association Annual Meeting

Oral History in the Wake of the Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh  
Ani Schug, Rerooted

Rerooted Oral History project, received the OHA's Emerging Crises grant in 2023 to collect testimonies from ethnic Armenians who were displaced from their homeland by Azerbaijan's 2020 war against Artsakh. Just weeks before beginning the project, another armed attacked started and the entire population of Artsakh was forcibly displaced, with no Armenians living in that land for the first time in 5 centuries. What can the role of oral history be at such a critical moment to preserve the past and build the future of a nation that no longer physically exists?

ABSTRACT: Rerooted received the OHA's Emerging Crises grant in 2023 to collect testimonies from ethnic Armenians who were displaced from their homeland by Azerbaijan's 2020 war against Artsakh. Just weeks before beginning the project, another armed attacked started and the entire population of Artsakh was forcibly displaced. After centuries of Artsakh being home to a rich Armenian community with their own dialect, customs, and heritage sites, no Armenians remain there today. Armenians in the Diaspora who are descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors understand intimately that losing a homeland, especially to a hostile government, also inevitably entails the loss of unique dialects, cultural heritage sights, customs, and traditions of our ancestral home. The establishment of oral history archives and documentation projects was not possible in the first decades after survival. Without a strong bank of preservation tools and testimonies, communities faced assimilation, cultural loss, a lack of documentation of human rights violations, and ultimately, widespread denial of the Genocide. Now with Artsakh, we are unfortunately watching history repeat itself, but we have the resources, tools, and opportunity to ensure proper documentation and prevent cultural loss by acting immediately. This presentation will explore the following questions with practical perspectives from on the ground in Armenia, and the distance of intergenerational reflections: What can the role of oral history be at such a critical moment to preserve the past and build the future of a nation that no longer physically exists? How soon is too soon to collect testimony, but how late is too late? How do we create a manifestation of collective memory for a community that is completely in exile?
Documenting the US Afghan War - An Oral History Archive
Halima Kazem, University of California - Santa Cruz

How documenting the US Afghan war through oral histories has the potential of changing the way grand narratives about Afghanistan have been told and understood.

ABSTRACT: America’s longest war ended in August 2021 but the lessons learned from 20 years of America’s fighting and foreign policy in Afghanistan will take decades to process, reflect on, and learn from. The Hoover Institution’s Library and Archives at Stanford University is documenting the important stories of Afghans, Americans and others who took part in and experienced the war and rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan. Afghanistan’s history, especially versions popular in North America and Europe, has most often been written about by non Afghans and with very few Afghan sources. The Hoover Afghanistan project is working to change this by focusing on capturing the stories and experiences of Afghans who fled the country after the US withdrawal, the Taliban regime takeover, and the collapse of the Afghan government.This presentation will explore the potential that oral history methodologies have in the study of Afghanistan’s historical pasts, especially in a country that has been in conflict for more than 40 years. Oral and life histories create opportunities for suppressed or underrepresented voices of people from Afghanistan to contribute to historical memory and be treated as historical subjects. These new and varied historical narratives and counter narratives have the potential to contextualize or change grand narratives that have dominated how Afghanistan’s history has been recorded and shared. This project also grapples with the ethics of interviewing individuals who may have committed war crimes and human rights violations.
Palestinian Oral history of the Nakba and its Relevance to Gaza Today
Carol Gray, University of Alaska Fairbanks

This presentation explores earlier interviews of Palestinian immigrants speaking about the mass exodos of their parents, grandparents and friends during the 1948 "Nakba" (catastrophe) where the State of Israel was created while 750,000 Palestinians became refugees. These interviews help shed light on some issues unfolding in Gaza now as Gazans discuss their fear that the bombardments in Gaza may lead to a second Nakba.

ABSTRACT: As the death toll continues to rise in Gaza (presently almost 30,000), it is important to remember how the past influences the present and future. Drawing on Palestinian oral history narratives, this article address critical questions relevant now in Gaza. Why do many Palestinians want to remain in Gaza even when their cities are in rubble? Why has Egypt refused to open its border to offer sanctuary to Gazans who wish to flee? Why does the U.S. demand that the future Gaza be controlled by Palestinians with no reduction in size? The answer lies in the past. In 1948, Israel was born following a 1947 U.N. resolution partitioning Palestine by designating land for the creation of Israel despite Arab peoples already living in the region. This resulted in the forcible (and voluntary) displacement of 750,000 Palestinians, the “Nakba”, meaning catastrophe.Using past interviews conducted by this writer with Palestinian immigrants, this article explores how stories of the Nakba passed on to interviewees by their parents, grandparents, and friends are critical to understanding the current situation in Gaza. Media footage from Gaza discusses concerns that Gaza is a second Nakba and that Palestinians leaving their homes and cities in Gaza will be permanently dispossessed. Palestinian oral histories also provide missing links in the historical record. Khalidi (1997) discusses how the formation of Palestinian identity suffered from the loss of historical archives and the personal libraries of Palestinians due to forced and voluntary migration. Saraee Makdisi (2010) discusses the process of erasure of Palestinian identity. Palestinian oral histories add to the fabric of Palestinian identity and provide greater understanding of attitudes toward current events, recognizing that the potential for future peace in Palestine and Israel relies on coming to terms with the past.
Tracing the Forgotten Memory: Unearthing the Inherited Oral History of the 1965-1966 Mass Violence in Indonesia through History Learning
Nur Fatah Abidin, Sebelas Maret University

A new approach for unpacking forgotten or controversial oral history through education (history learning).

ABSTRACT: From 1965 to 1966, a mass massacre and killing of those who identified as members, partisans, and likely affiliated with the Indonesian Communist Party happened in Indonesia. The survivors of the tragedy were then politically and socially marginalized in the later political period and now some of them seek justice for the past while others remain silent. To unpack the history of mass massacre and violence in Indonesia, 1965-1966, Extensive historical research and advocative projects have been carried out. The project included a massive testimonial record collection from survivors. However, many of the survivors are still afraid to speak up leading to collective forgetting. It is crucial to have an updated method of recording to record the memories of the survivors. Hearman (2009) and Roosa (2013) have recommended the use of oral history as an alternative method for recollecting historical fragments. In this approach, the memories of survivors are partly or wholly passed down to t

This panel will explore the horrors, or challenges, of doing oral history and considerations for collection management, preservation, and access. From working with members of the deaf community to inheriting legacy collections, panelists will address concerns across the oral history lifecycle and ideas for building more accessible bridges going forward.

Not As An Afterthought: Building Accessible Bridges to include Deaf and Signing Communities
Corinna Hill, Department of Liberal Studies, Rochester Institute of Technology, National Technical Institute for the Deaf

I will address some of the accessibility challenges facing our field and discuss how we can improve documentation of Deaf and singing stories and discuss ways to improve our interview practices, including sharing my "horror" story from when I conducted oral history interviews through Zoom and relied on the transcript from my notes. Overall, my aim is to talk about how we, as a field, can build accessible bridges going forward to include accessibility from the beginning, not as an afterthought.

The Perils of Inheritance
Kopana Terry, University of Kentucky

I will discuss the perils of inheriting a large archive that isn't necessarily together, especially when the digital archive differs slightly from the analogue archive, and the oil and water of balancing administrative and sustainability concerns.

The Complexities of Achieving Narrator-Centeredness in Oral Histories
Kierstin Stager Muroski, Rochester Institute of Technology, National Technical Institute for the Deaf

I will share some considerations I have about navigating the collection of oral histories from the Deaf community as a hearing interpreter. As a new researcher in this field, I will talk through my initial thoughts about what I see as the importance of achieving narrator-centered interviews and ensuring that myriad intersectionalities are met with shared agreements and shared accountability among the team.

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.

Panelists will be discussing their studies and efforts to document and preserve the histories of Arab American and MENA (Middle Eastern or North African) American communities through their respective academic fields and practices.

SESSION ABSTRACT:
This panel will explore the growing field of Arab American and MENA oral history collection which remains historically underrepresented in US oral history scholarship. In light of the current rise of anti-Arab hate and racism, as well as misinformation about the community at large, this panel will demonstrate how various professionals and academics have been documenting the MENA and Arab American narrative with the hopes of teaching oral historians and professionals how to approach the community and work with them in an ethical, empathetic, just, and respectful manner. The featured panelists have spent decades working with the Arab and MENA community to preserve and document their lived experiences through ethnographic, archival, and genealogical work. Maria Curtis has been conducting ethnographic projects in the Middle East for decades now and recently began engaging with Arab immigrant communities in Houston; Reem Awad-Rashmawi, has been conducting both her own interviews for her efforts to connect families as well as genealogical work both in the U.S. and the Arab world, through means of record researching, oral history documentation and DNA research; Laura Lethers, is an archivist at the Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies where she corroborates her work with artifacts and objects with relevant oral histories in their collections. Rose Esber has been an oral historian and academic for decades and has conducted and collected many oral histories over her career to inform her wider projects on the Arab and MENA communities.

Documentation of Oral Histories in Arab American Communities
Shatha Najim, Arab American National Museum
Shatha Najim, a Community Historian at the Arab American National Museum (AANM) in Dearborn, MI, will provide an overview of the museum, its initiatives, its extensive oral history collection, and archival materials. Najim's work and research highlights the importance of oral history collection through documentation of Arab American communities in the United States, and how it has become integral to the development of AANM's core exhibits, serving as a valuable resource for community members, scholars, researchers, and professionals seeking to explore Arab American narratives from authentic voices.

Arab American Oral Histories: Collecting, Preserving, and Storytelling from Lebanon, and Palestine to North Africa
Rosemarie M. Esber
Dr. Esber will be presenting her research together with contemporary photographs taken by Arab American veterans of WWII who served in North Africa. This research will illuminate the devastation and suffering wrought on the native peoples of North Africa as well as their interaction with US troops, for which there is scant first-hand documentation.

Arab American Public and Oral History: Foundational Collections and New Directions 
Maria Curtis, University of Houston-Clear Lake
This presentation reflects on the preponderance of oral histories as a foundational part of disciplinary scholarship and examines the ways that oral history may live side-by-side with large archival collections.

Uses of Oral History Interviews in Arab American Genealogy Research
Reem Awad-Rashmawi, National Society for Arab and Arab American Genealogy
Oral history interviews play a key role in Arab American genealogy research and documentation. Pairing document and historical research with oral history interviews gives not only the foundation for building a family tree but also adds the life and stories of families to pass on to younger generations and ties the community to its roots.

Oral Historians Have No Standards - At Least Around Transcription Style Guides
Michael Sesling, Audio Transcription Center
Hanassa Wicks, Audio Transcription Center

As a transcription service, we have a unique view of the plethora of style guides that exist among oral historians. The diverse landscape of style guides for transcribing oral histories presents a notable dichotomy. Our role allows us to offer a unique view, requiring us to delve into the minutiae of each style guide that we receive. In turn, this intricate process allows us a comprehensive understanding of the different approaches within the field.

ABSTRACT: As a transcription service, we have a unique view of the plethora of style guides that exist among oral historians. The diverse landscape of style guides for transcribing oral histories presents a notable dichotomy. Our role allows us to offer a unique view, requiring us to delve into the minutiae of each style guide that we receive. In turn, this intricate process allows us a comprehensive understanding of the different approaches within the field.In this session, we’d like to observe some of the various style guides that are used as a standard in the oral history world, and open a dialogue with the audience about all of the numerous and varied guidelines that exist.We’ll explore the potential of creating a more customizable style guideline for oral historians that utilize the centralized commonalities of the various guidelines used, and work with the audience to find a methodological approach to creating a more standardized concept that will help alleviate the challenges and difficulties encountered by transcriptionists, while remembering the nuances of each.Oral History Indexing (OHI)
Douglas Lambert, University at Buffalo, SUNY

In the Fall of 2023 I published an article in the Oral History Review called "Oral History Indexing (OHI)." In this presentation I will recap and comment on OHI's first 25-year innovation period, and discuss prospective new directions for this work in light of new technology opportunities.

ABSTRACT: Oral history indexing (OHI) is a set of practices that emerged for content management of large audio/video (A/V) collections. Driven by curators who wished to publish complete collections of interviews, and made possible by computer-based media, innovators in OHI introduced a variety of new modes of electronically linked A/V access, as early as the mid-1990’s. OHI typically involves creating thematic passages within recordings, with segments defined by media timecodes--providing access within and across interviews. Akin to an indexed book, OHI systems allow cross-referencing to specific points within media documents, describe content through natural language, and promote browsing and exploring modes rather than literal text searching. In this presentation I will summarize OHI between the 1990’s and 2023, when it existed as a set of markup processes facilitated by software tools but overseen by human intelligence. I will highlight a range of methodological approaches and system attributes from major institutions who pursued OHI and illustrate how the concepts and skills involved are applicable for other long-form A/V content. I will also discuss how emerging technologies such as automatic speech recognition and large language models are already changing oral history transcription practices, and OHI.The Warrior Women Project: Applying Ethics and Core Values in the Auditing and Editing Work of First Nations Oral History Transcripts
Eric Gaither, Columbia University

This session focuses on the praxis of oral history transcript auditors and editors who make an active commitment to honor nation and community-centered approaches and core values in the process of generating textual remembrances as artifacts.

ABSTRACT: The Warrior Women Project (WWP) is a collaborative of matriarchs, historians, community organizers, and multimedia storytellers working to bring to light the critical impact of Indigenous women throughout recent history. Over the past two and a half decades, WWP has generated thousands of hours of audiovisual content requiring some level of non-AI acknowledgement in the process of transcription. Multiple speakers interweaving remembrances across time, space, and language communities represent an embodied form of cultural practice that leads with the expectation an auditor and/or editor both hear and listen to narrators as expert, inter-legible community voice(s).This presentation focuses on auditory work that values deep, poly-vocal listening as a commitment to de-center self and center collective voice articulation within the aesthetic fabric of the oral history transcript. Rather than correct the voice in print, the approach employed here seeks to center and honor the voice; to approach the message and its speaker(s) with respect and humility; to engage in the work of translation from audio and visual to textual with integrity; and to acknowledge the wisdom of the matriarchs.Enhancing Oral History Collections in South Africa through Artificial Intelligence, Case Studies of Gauteng Unsung Sport Heroes and South African National Parks Board Conservation Records
Isabel Schellnack-Kelly, Department of Information Science, University of South Africa 
Nampombe Saurombe, Department of Information Science, University of South Africa

The article focuses on trying to encourage two oral history collections to consider utilizing artificial intelligence tools to make their collections more accessible to archivists, researchers and interested members of the public. The challenges specifically relate to those encountered in South Africa.

ABSTRACT: Oral history collections serve as invaluable repositories of cultural heritage, offering insights into the lived experiences, perspectives, and narratives of individuals and communities. In South Africa, these collections play a crucial role in preserving and promoting the country's diverse heritage, yet they face significant challenges in management and accessibility, including labour-intensive transcription and indexing processes and the need for culturally sensitive approaches to archiving. In recent years, advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have provided new opportunities for enhancing the management and accessibility of oral history collections. By leveraging AI technologies such as speech recognition, natural language processing, and machine learning, archivists and researchers can automate tasks such as transcription, translation, and metadata tagging, thereby streamlining the archival process and expanding access to oral history materials. By undertaking a qualitative research within a postmodernist approach, this article explores the potential of AI in enhancing oral history collections in South Africa, with a focus on case studies of Gauteng unsung sport heroes and South African National Parks Board nature conservation records. Through these case studies, the researcher examines how AI technologies can address the challenges of managing and accessing oral history collections, while also considering the ethical implications and best practices for integrating AI into archival workflows.