· ORAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION ~~~:;::;;~~¥i)~~~)~~W~Si':"~~~i:'-;"~~;~-{":'>;1£J,:,;.;;,;~~~~"f'-"': ~"f!: "

~c;,~~~~.. ~."~.''W~.'-''';:i~~.j'''''''''.AA'''' Volume X~XVII Number 1 ~=-~~~~~~.mwv:;;r1q!~.:::t~." 'l~ "'~;;';:;~~~~:=iSfrEQ~ri~nr3::2iiiOD0@i3

Bethesda, Md., Meeting To Focus on Creating Communities

Be ready for some surprises at the discussion of the oral history projects previous OHA meetings, these tours 2003 annual meeting of the Oral the attack spawned. are scheduled for Thursday and History Association Oct. 8-\2 in Also on Oct. 9, Thursday, Friday mornings. Bethesda, Md. Located at the community oral history projects from In addition to panels on Friday, doorstep of the Nation's Capital, the Maryland, and the District special speakers include the recipient conference will capitalize on the ofColumbia will be featured. The of the annual Oral History in the invigorating, multicultural climate of day's sessions also will include a Mid-Atlantic Region's the region under the theme "Creating plenary session with Barbara Franco Award and staff from the National Communities: Cultures, of the D.C. City Museum and an Museum of American History. Neighborhoods, Institutions." evening presidential reception at that Friday evening dinner groups will An assortment of workshops for museum. have a chance to enjoy the many beginners and experienced oral The Friday morning featured neighborhood and ethnic eateries in historians will fill the day on Oct. 8, activity will be a behind-the-scenes the metro area. while the first full day of the tour of the Library of Congress. Like More panel sessions will be on tap conference, Oct. 9, will begin with a the Pentagon, the Library of Saturday as well as afternoon tours, Pentagon tour of the site of the Sept. Congress is not available for tours on which tentatively include a trip to Mt. I 1, 200 I, terrorist attack and a the weekend, so, in a departure from Vernon, a tours of the U Street and Cardozo neighborhoods and a bike tour, weather permitting. (And October weather in the Washington, D.C., area is usually glorious!) The conference will conclude Sunday after the annual business meeting, more panels and a plenary session on oral history programs and legal issues.

Copy Deadline Note

The next OHA Newsletter copy deadline is July I for the issue mailed to members Aug. t-~· I. You can reach the editor at: .~ ~~ [email protected]. Your You, too, can enjoy autumn in the National Capital area when you at/end stories are always welcome. the 200] OHA annual meeting Oct. 8-12 in Bethesda, Md.

-1­ As epitomized by the myriad subscribers to aHA's listserv had restaurants with diverse international reached 1,452 by October 2002, I; IFrom Your cuisines in the area, the sense of about average for the H-Net lists, place that pervades and animates this which range from a low of 16 President walking urban space surrounding the members to a high of 4,905. conference site is that of a Charnley rotates his editorship By Arthur A. Hansen community whose people as well as bimonthly with three other skilled OHA President its public activities are cosmopolitan and devoted editors: Mary Larson, and congenial. Kathryn Blakeman and Gene Preuss. When aHA Executive Secretary Elsewhere in this issue you will Most importantly, the discussion Madelyn Campbell informed Council learn (as we did at the midwinter threads on the Iistserv have become that the contract she had signed with meeting from Diaz, Horowitz and both more varied and more the Hyatt Regency Bethesda, the Local Arrangements co-chairs Renee substantial, and moreover, these 2003 annual meeting site, mandated Braden and Dave Winkler) just how threads may be searched by keyword that we hold our midwinter meeting the site and the program, including a or by checking the monthly there in February to be ensured of panoply of exciting regional tours, discussion logs on the H-Oralhist available discounted sleeping and complement and enrich one another. Web site. meeting rooms, this news was met This Oct. 8-12 conference is one From the editor ofthis with a collective groan. none of us will want to miss, Newsletter, Mary Kay Quinlan, Not only did this month conflict especially since it will occur during Council was apprised that once again with the start of academic terms for a the fall colors in the Mid-Atlantic this year we will be treated to two 12­ number of Council members, but it region. page issues and one 16-page issue. also came a time when East Coat I would like to note several The last issue of the Newsletter, not weather conditions were predictably highlights of the midwinter meeting. surprisingly, attracted numerous inclement. Moreover, the only First, the Council welcomed new compl imentary messages from our weekend in February when a near Council member Mehmed Ali and membership. Quinlan has been our majority could attend was the second First Vice President Kim Lacy Newsletter editor for so long that we one, a good bet to coin.cide with the Rogers. Although a newcomer to the sometimes take her dedicated and coldest interval of the year for the aHA, Ali is currently president of the professional journalism for granted. Washington, D.C., area. New England Oral History So it is especially warming when a But all of our worries were Association and is affiliated with the member takes the time to either send misplaced. Thanks to divine Lowell National Historical Park as her an item to publish or lets her intervention of some sort, the long the coordinator for its Mogan know that her persisting editorial weekend of Feb. 7-9 proved to be an Cultural Center. Two roles that he excellence is valued. ideal time to hold our midwinter will play on Council for aHA are to The report from Andy Dunar, meeting, for the weather was strengthen its non-standing Oral History Review editor, was stunning. (The very next week, of committees charged with strategically also both enlightening and a cause for course, brought a bitter snowstorm, connecting aHA to state and regional celebration. among the worst in years, so we were associations and to the National Park On the one hand, Dunar shared lucky to be in Bethesda during the Service. the galleys for the table of contents proverbial lull before it hit.) As for Rogers, a Dickinson for the upcoming issue of the OHR, In addition to the prevailing mild College historian, she is well known which is a landmark special number temperatures and the clear skies, we within our association as well as the devoted to the theme of "shared were treated to gracious hospitality, International Oral History authority" in oral history and nicely appointed rooms and tasty Association for both her featuring four provocative articles by food at the first-class Hyatt Regency distinguished scholarship and her oral history scholars along with Bethesda, Md. Furthermore, on my administrative and editorial thoughtful commentaries by two several outings on foot from the hotel leadership. Her background will be seasoned oral historical theorists and to get copying and e-mailing done invaluable as the coordinator for the practitioners, Linda Shopes and and to dine with Madelyn and the 2004 aHA annual meeting to be held Michael Frisch. The critical reviews other Council members, 1 discovered in Portland, are. comprising the remainder of this one of the many reasons why aHA A second (collective) highlight issue showcase the extent and variety Vice President Rose Diaz, in emerged from the content of the of oral history as a field of conjunction with Program Chair several editors' reports submitted to disciplined creative activity. Roger Horowitz, riveted upon the Tom King, aHA Publications On the other hand, Dunar's report theme of "Creating Communities: Committee chair. contained pertinent correspondence Cultures, Neighborhoods and From Jeff Charnley, H-Oralhist by him with representatives from the Institutions." editor, we learned that the number of (Continued on page 3)

OHA Newsletter -2- Spring 2003 OHA Members Meet With Cuban Oral Historians

~ By Bruce M. Stave ~ University of Connecticut \ \ ,\ I • ~ j Madelyn Campbell, OHA 'JI executive secretary, and Bruce M. Stave, director ofthe Center for Oral History at the University of Connecticut, met with Cuban oral historians at the Centro Cultural Pablo de la Torriente Brau in Havana on Jan. 14. The Centro Cultural is directed by Victor Casaus and has a number of objectives, including encouraging oral history and the study ofmemory. It publishes, among other works a magazine, Memoria, and has L'<*i,l*:~~~tl~\\~1f:~'::' ,:? established a collection, "Palabra ;~:~:. ;.'~;~;~~ ~;ector Viva: Voices of Cuban Culture." It ofthe Center for Oral History at the University of also produces documentaries and is Connecticut (center left), and Madelyn Campbell. OHA executive secretary involved with digitalization. (center right), visit with Cuban oral historians in Havana. Sandra Gonzales. The Cubans who attended the translalor, is between Campbell and Slave. Photo: Madelyn Campbell gathering included historians, anthropologists, journalists, writers President's Column Endowment Gifts Sought and researchers. Their topics of investigation ranged from Cuban (Continued from page 2) The Oral History Association doctors who worked with Che History Cooperative and his own welcomes your tax deductible Guevera in Africa to the history of systematically developed case for contribution to the Oral History Old Havana. why Council should authorize the Endowment, which helps fund special Through a translator, Sandra OHR to become a participating projects. Send your donations to: Gonzales of the Centro, issues journal in this cooperative. The OHA, Dickinson College, P.O. Box common to oral history practitioners Council was unanimous in its opinion 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013. received spirited discussion. Topics that the OHA was very fortunate to The OHA thanks these recent included: have Dunar as the Review's editor. donors: Shirley Stephenson, Mary +the reliability of oral history and A final highlight of the Council's Palevsky and Mary Kay Quinlan. memory, midwinter meeting was the last item +the role of narrators and on the agenda. Thanks to Kim interviewers, Reach OUA Online Rogers, the original agenda was +the difference between oral augmented with a presentation to history and journalism, The OHA Web site is: Council by Stephen Rhind-Tutt of the +the value of video as opposed to www.dickinson.eduJoha Alexander Spring Press. He audio and The oral history electronic discussed the concept of semantic +interviewing with and without a discussion list, H-Oralhist, is one of indexing of discursive material like tape recorder. the H-Net affiliated scholarly lists. oral histories and the prospect of All participants seemed to agree No dues or fees are required to developing a comprehensive oral on the value of such cultural enroll. To subscribe, send a message history index for the OHA, which exchange, and Campbell will forward to: [email protected] with no would be fee-based and could OHA material to the Cubans. subject and the following text: provide a source ofrevenue. SUBSCRIBE H-ORALHIST Accordingly, the Council voted firstname lastname, affiliation. that OHA set up a task force, under Mark your calendar Access the main H-Oralhist Web the leadership of Rogers, to work for tile site at: http://www.h-net.msu.edu/ collaboratively with Alexander Street OJ/A annual meeting -oralhist Press to explore ways of developing ill Bethesda, Md. Problems? Contact Editor Jeff such an oral history index. Oct. 8-12, 2003 Charnley at: [email protected]

UHA Newsletter -3- Spring 2003 Coast-to-Coast Oral History Workshops Abound

Summer opportunities abound to +Donna DeBlasio, Center for shared room, $55 for a single. expand your knowledge ofthe oral Historic Preservation at Youngstown For information, visit the Summer history craft. Weekend workshops, State University; Institute Web site: multi-week institutes and for-credit +David Mould, Ohio University; http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ college classes geared for everyone +Steve Paschen, Archival Iweb/indiv/oral/surnrner.html. from the novice oral historian to the Services, University of Akron and Also, you may call Wiederhorn at: advanced practitioner are offered +Howard Sacks, Kenyon College. 212-854-4012. around the country. Fees: $100 per person, including Application deadline: May 10. What follows is a brief description two overnight room stays, six meals of summer oral history courses whose and all workshop materials. sponsors provided information to the For information, call or e-mail the Portland State University OHA Newsletter. [t is not a Ohio Historical Society's Local Portland, Ore. comprehensive list, but the editor History Office: 800-858-6878 or encourages all organizations that [email protected]. June 23-July 17,2003 offer oral histOly training programs Application deadline: April 30. to submit information for inclusion in OHA past president Charles future spring roundups. Submit Morrissey will teach a three-credit course, listed as a practicum in public details to [email protected] by history/oral history through Portland March I for summer programs. New York City Readers who cannot fmd State University's Extended Studies convenient programs in this brief June 16-27, 2003 summer program. The course meets listing should check with state or in the afternoons Monday through regional oral history organizations With the theme "Telling Lives: Thursday. Students may take the and state or local historical societies Memory, Orality and Testimony in course for graduate or undergraduate in their areas for local or regional Oral History," the Colunbia credit. workshops. State and regional University Oral History Research Fees: $392, undergraduate; $860, organizations also are encouraged to Office Summer Institute will focus on graduate students. list their upcoming workshops in the ethical, methodological and For information, call the PSU ORA Newsletter. theoretical challenges of Extended Studies office at 800-547­ Here, in chronological order, are documenting the power oftestimony 8887 or check its Web site: some of this summer's choices and and oral history to shape public www.summer.pdx.edu. information on how to get more discourse and strengthen Applications will be accepted details or apply for the programs. communities whose histories have first-come, first-served beginning Enrollment for most of the programs been silenced within dominant MayS. is limited to allow optimum class historical paradigms and media participation. accounts. Faculty will include: San Francisco Performing +Alessandro Portelli, University Arts Library & Museum Kenyon College of Rome; Gambier, Ohio +Silvia Salvatici, Archives of San Francisco, Calif. June 10-12,2003 Memory Project, Florence; July 9-13, 2003 +Linda Shopes, Pennsylvania The Ohio Association of Historical and Museum Commission; The San Francisco Performing Historical Societies and Museums, +Steve Rowland, CultureWorks; Arts Library and Museum and the the Ohio Historical Society, the Ohio +Revan Schendler, Smith College; LEGACY Oral History Project Humanites Council and the Rural +Mary Marshall Clark, director, present the eighth annual Oral Life Center at Kenyon College are Oral History Research Office; History Training Workshop for the collaborating to sponsor the third + Jessica Wiederhom, associate Performing Arts at the SF PALM's annual Oral History Institute. director, Oral History Research new location in the War Memorial The goal of the institute is to Office and Veteran's Building San Francisco introduce the theory and practice of +Ronald Grele, director emeritus, Civic Center. oral history to those with little or no Oral History Research Office. Formerly focused on oral history training in the field. Fees: $1,000 per person. Housing for dance, this summer's workshop Four experienced oral historians is available in air-conditioned dorm­ expands its outreach to music, theater are scheduled as presenters: style suites at $40 per night for a and all performing arts disciplines.

OHA Newsletter -4- Spring 2003 Participation is open to The six-day institute will cover performers and ed ucators in all project planning, preparation for Executive disciplines; librarians, archivists, interviewing, interview techniques, writers and critics; historians, analysis of completed research Secretary's Report sociologists and anthropologists projects and the opportunities interested in refming their field work afforded by digital video and Web By Madelyn Campbell methods and members of the general archiving. public who want to help preserve the Seminars, workshops and It's hard to believe that spring is rich and diverse, but ephemeral, discussions will be geared to the here and that 2003 is well underway. heritage of the performing arts. specific research interests of The association ended last year in LEGACY Project Director Jeff participants and will provide a excellent financial health with a Friedman is the seminar leader. platfonn for the engagement of the carryover balance in our operating Fees: $350 plus $25 materials fee faculty's expertise. The institute budget of$53,514 and a balance in for early registration by May 9; $400 director and faculty will integrate the Endowment Fund of $11 7,1 II. plus $25 materials fee thereafter. participant projects into their These are the highest reserves for For information, including details presentations. aHA in recent years. Membership about lodging options, call Fees: Tuition is $700. Housing renewals and attendance at our LEGACY's Program Manager and most meals must be arranged annual meetings are the keys to A1yson Belcher at 415-255-4800, separately, but a range of housing maintaining our financial stability. Ext. 823, or e-mail: options in the Berkeley community is So I encourage you to attend our [email protected]. available. next annual meeting in Bethesda, Md. Application deadline: May 9 for For information, look under It is the perfect way to stay in touch discount rate. "events" on the Web site: with colleagues and to support aHA. http://bancroft.berkeley.edul This year's meeting will be held at ROHal the Hyatt Regency Bethesda and University of California Application deadline: April 28. although the full program booklet Berkeley, Calif. will not reach you till mid-July, you may reserve a room now by calling Aug. 10-15,2003 Vermont College the Hyatt at 301-657-1234. Make Montpelier, Vt. sure you ask for the aHA special rate The Regional Oral History Office of $155/single/double. [ROHO] at the University of Aug. 11-15,2003 It's going to be a great California, Berkeley is offering a conference, and Bruce Stave and I one-week advanced institute on the If you can't make it to Portland, may have played a small role in methodology, theory and practice of are., but want to learn oral history bringing the Cuban poet, filmmaker oral history. This intensive workshop from Charles Morrissey, this is your and oral historian, Victor Casaus, to will take place at the Townsend second chance this summer. The our upcoming meeting. Bruce and I Humanities Center on the DC long-time aHA member has been met with Casaus in Havana, and the Berkeley campus. teaching oral history in Vemlont aHA Council has voted to support Institute leaders include: every summer since 1975. his travel to the meeting. We are all +Richard Candida Smith, ROHO The workshop covers research hoping he will be able to obtain the director; preparation, interviewing techniques, necessary visa. +Lisa Rubens, ROHO historian; project management, fund raising and Soon, hopefully, the aHA will be +Ana Maria Mauad, Universidade legal and ethical issues. launching its new Web site designed Fluminense Federal, Rio de Janeiro Fees: Tuition is $350 before June by Jesse Greenberg and facilitated by and 15 and $395 thereafter. Room and Internet Presentations Group. Thanks +JeffFriedman, Director ofthe board on campus also is available for to Charles Hardy's coordination of LEGACY Dance Project. an extra fee. this project, we will have a new look The institute is designed for For information, call or e-mail and a Web site that we hope will graduate students, post-doctoral Rick Zind at 800-336-6794 or become less static and more fellows, college faculty, and [email protected]. informative. I hope you will visit it independent scholars planning to use Application deadline: June 15 later this summer. That Web address oral history interviews as part of a for discount rate. is: www/dickinson.eduloha. research project. This institute is Serving the association continues geared, as well, to community to be a great pleasure for me. Please historians and others who are call me at 717-245-1036 if you have engaged in ongoing oral history any questions or suggestions. work.

OHA Newsletter -5- Spring 2003 to the Web every day. brief a period in the history of the +The average life span ofa Web American presidency the tapes site is 44 days. cover. The Roosevelt tapes, for +44 percent of the Web sites example, cover only a few weeks in available in 1998 disappeared by 1940. Several also expressed the 1999. proverbial warning against the journalists' temptation of using Presidential Tapes Focus "sound bites" without knowing the At Kennedy Library Meeting broader context of discussions. But in the end, speakers noted Presidential historians, former that the tapes show an aspect of advisers, first-family members, history that written records often archivists and journalists convened can't reveal. recently for two days at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston to discuss Bills Call for Studies the historical importance of secretly Of Various Historic Sites recorded White House tapes. They also pondered what presidential tape Rep. Michael F. Doyle, D-Pa., recordings have already added to and cosponsors have introduced a history and what yet-to-be-released bill to establish a Steel Industry Washington Update tapes may show. National Historic Site to preserve The halls of the Kennedy Library resources associated with the former By Bruce Craig reverberated with the scratchy tape­ United States Steel Homestead National Coalition for History recorded voices of Franklin D. Works in Pennsylvania. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Rep. Major R. Owens, D-N.Y., Editor's Note: The National B. Johnson and Rjchard M. Nixon. has introduced a bill to study the Coalition for History serves as a Archivists from several feasibility of creating a National national advocacy office in presidential libraries gave glimpses of Education Museum and Archive. Washington, D.C., for historical and what future tape releases are likely to The bill recognizes that there is no archival professions. It is a show. central location, agency or archival consortium ofmore than 50 Kennedy Library archivists expect repository responsible for focusing organizations, including the Oral that unreleased tapes of Kennedy's on America's education history. History Association. Here are Oval Office and Cabinet Room Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-NJ., selected excerpts from recent "NCH meetings probably will offer insights has introduced the United States Washington Update" columns. into the 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Life-Saving Service Heritage Act, Treaty, the administration's relations design to "inventory, evaluate Library of Congress Plans with Latin America and dealings with document and assist efforts to To Save Digital History foreign heads of state. preserve surviving United States Lyndon B. Johnson Library Life-Saving Service stations," which The Library of Congress has archivists expected future LBJ tape provided humanitarian assistance to received congressional approval to releases will shed light on the shipwrecked mariners. spend nearly $100 million on a Vietnam peace talks in 1968 and on Sen. Harry M. Reid, D-Nev., and program that seeks national solutions the president's decision not to seek Rep. Joel Hefley, R-Colo., have to ensure the colJection, long-term re-election. introduced companion bills in the storage, preservation and rights President Nixon's still unreleased Senate and House to direct the protection of the nation's digital tapes seized by Congress during the Interior Secretary to conduct a study heritage. The effort is known as the Watergate investigation are expected to identify sites and resources and Plan for the National Digital to reveal 1972 discussion relating to recommend alternatives for Information Infrastructure and the end ofthe Vietnam war. commemorating and interpreting the Preservation Program. Archivist of the United States Cold War. The challenge of preserving John Carlin gave an update on the Similar legislation passed the digital information is vexing. Some National Archives and Records Senate and House in slightly statistics: Administration's attempts to different versions in the last ~-minute +As of January 2002, there were "recover" the missing 18 congressional session but did not win more than 550 billion public pages gap in Nixon's famous Watergate-era final passage. The new Cold War on the World Wide Web. tape. theme study bills are identical. +Some 7 million pages are added Several historians lamented how

OHA Newsletter -6- Spring 2003 Senator Promotes insensitive remarks by former Senate America should be a land where History, Civics Education Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss. children are taught both the good and Nashville attomey and civil rights the bad about their history. activist Fred Ramos said: "To The conclusions of the national Freshman Sen. Lamar Alexander, criticize multiculturalism and survey of 1,520 adults sharply R-Tenn.. has introduced the bilingualism sounds very nationalistic contrast with several recent studies American History and Civics and betrays the fact that Lamar by conservative-leaning think tanks. Education Act, designed to "put Alexander did not grow up in a "There's a widespread myth American history and civics back in multicultural society....From his among the nation's intelligentsia that its rightful place in our schools so our perspective, becoming more Americans are ignorant about what children can grow up learning what it American means becoming more the Constitution stands for and means to be an American." white." would throwaway the Bill of Rights, Modeled after a program Speaking to reporters in response if left to their own devices," said Alexander initiated when he was to criticism, Alexander bristled at the Deborah Wadsworth, president of governor of Tennessee in the 1980s, association of his comments with Public Agenda. the bill would authorize teacher and Lott's remark and bluntly stated: "The truth is most Americans student summer institutes that would "Unity is more important than have absorbed the principle that seek to "inspire better teaching and diversity." these rights are essential and have to more learning ofthe key events, Coming at a time when America is be balanced," she said. persons and ideas that shape the poised for war, the strong patriotic The study found that most institutions and democratic heritage overtones in Alexander's speech won Americans understand more about oftbe United States." the praise of several colleagues. the Constitution than many give Under the bill, the National Fellow Tennessean and GOP them credit for. Nearly 60 percent Endowment for the Humanities leader Bill Frist said of Alexander's recalled efforts by their secondary would administer what Alexander speech: "This concept of unity, this school teachers to instill in them a envisions as a four-year, $25 million concept of patriotism, this concept of knowledge of the Constitution. program. the essence of what being American While most Americans may have The legislation also would is all about has been a real focus for a hazy recall of specific facts, the authorize the creation of a "national all of us throughout our lives." study found, the vast majority have alliance of American history and civics teachers" and would use Comment from Tennessee absorbed the basic principles federal funds to link them, via the newspaper editorial writers was less embodied in that document. laudatory. The Tennessean in Internet, to share best teaching Among other findings: Nashville, for example, editorialized: practices. +A majority of Americans-65 Tn his floor statement introducing "The need for a common culture percent-believe that citizens who are should never exclude diversity that the legislation, Alexander attributed a rich or powerful have more rights made this country great. A history decline in emphasis on American and freedoms than others do. lesson for Congress would be in order values and principles to greater African Americans were significantly before the legislation is passed." attention being placed in schools on more likely to hold that view-76 what he termed "so-called reforms" percent. during the 1960s and 1970s­ +With respect to protection of multiculturalism and diversity. other rights, 50 percent of Americans "During this time," Alexander Study Finds Americans believe it is just as important to said, "many of our national leaders Know About Constitution protect the rights of the accused as it contributed to this drift toward is to put the guilty .in jail. agnostic Americanism.... A study prepared for the National +Another 18 percent said it is "These leaders celebrated Constitution Center in Philadelphia important to protect the rights of the multiculturalism and bilingualism and has concluded that whi Ie most accused, "even if this means some guilty people are let go." diversity at a time when there should Americans do not have detailed have been more emphasis on a knowledge about the Constitution and +A total of 65 percent of those common culture and learning English Bill of Rights, they have nonetheless polled said their belief that their in unity." absorbed its core values of protecting Constitutionally based right to Alexander's comments the rights of all citizens. privacy has either been lost or is immediately struck a raw nerve in the The study, conducted by Public under serious threat. civil rights community. Agenda, a nonprofit organization But most Americans viewed Some leaders found the senator's dedicated to nonpartisan public banks and credit card companies as a bigger threat to their personal words unsettl ing at a time when opinion research, found that nine out privacy than the federal government. minorities chafe over racially of 10 Americans also believe

OHA Newsletter -7- Spring 2003 STATE AND REGIONAL REPORT

Michigan Historians Tejano Voices Project Plan Many Workshops Features New Web Site

By Geneva Wiskemann The University of at Michigan Oral History Assn. Arlington Libraries announce a new Web site permitting access to The Ides ofMarch may be digitized oral history interviews with heralding the passing ofthe l-o-n-g Mexican-American public figures in OHMAR Set to Elect Michigan winter of '03. With the Texas. spring sunshine comes more and ever The interviews were conducted by Officers, Visit New York more requests for help from Jose Angel Gutierrez, UTA political experienced oral historians and science professor and fonner director Members of Oral History in the would-be practitioners. ofUTA's Center for Mexican Mid-Atlantic Region were scheduled The Michigan Oral History American Studies. They emphasize to elect new officers as part of their Association is offering workshops in the personal stories and struggles of agenda at a spring meeting in New Detroit on May 5, at Dorr in Eastern Tejano leaders, many ofwhom are York City on March 28-29. Allegan County on May 10 and the first individuals ofMexican The slate of officers included: Mackinac City on May 17. descent in their communities elected +President-Roger Horowitz, The workshop team members are or appointed to government office. +Vice President-David Winkler, filling other dates for presentations The interviews uniquely reflect +Member-at-large-Richlyn about the oral history components of the history ofthe Tejano community Goddard, the Veterans History Project, the as it pressed for an end to racial +Nominating Committee-Pam Automobile National Heritage Area's segregation in Texas and access to Henson. Motor Memories and how to conduct political power in the post-World Also scheduled for the spring and preserve successful recorded War II period. meeting were technical workshops interviews. The Web site provides co-sponsored by the New York I am also putting together a background information on the Public Library for the Perfonning conference in partnership with the Tejano Voices Project and features a Arts and sessions at Hunter College Michigan Department ofHistory, page devoted to each interviewee focusing on oral history and Sept. 11, Arts and Letters, which is scheduled where the researcher may view 2001, and oral history and historic at Lansing on Oct. 25 during Family several images of the interviewee, preservation. History Month. read a brief biographical note and summary ofthe interview and choose Museum Director Has to see the full text ofthe interview Montana War Brides transcript or play the audio file of the Oral History Experience entire interview. Interviewees also Tell Their Stories can be identified by geographic Brent D. Glass, an alumnus ofthe location. The Montana Historical Society University ofNorth Carolina, Chapel The TexTreasurers program of the has completed 15 interviews in its Hill oral history program, has Texas State Library and Archives Montana War Brides series, which replaced oral historian Spencer Crew provided grant funding to support the focuses on women who came to the as head ofthe Smithsonian's National cataloging of 77 interviews. The United States after World War II Museum of American History. UTA Libraries contributed staff and from England, Wales, France, Glass came to the Smithsonian equipment to digitize the interviews Australia and Gennany. from Pennsylvania, where he headed and create the Web site. An The women talk about their war the state's Historical and Museum additional 81 interviews are in experiences, courtship during Commission. Glass earned his Ph.D. UTA's Special Collections but have wartime, efforts to marry and come to at UNC, Chapel Hill, and worked in not yet been catalogued and digitized. the States, challenges ofbecoming the university's award-winning oral Those interviews are listed on the part ofnew families and communities history program. Web site and will be added as funds as well as efforts to retain their After leaving the Smithsonian, become available. cultural identities. The project is Crew was named head of the new Enjoy Tejano Voices at: expected to include 10 more Underground Railroad Museum in http://libraries.uta.edu/ interviews. Cincinnati. tejanovoices/.

OHA Newsletter -8- Spring 2003 Community College student life at UT during the community, humor and a pragmatic Depression, the rise of the law school approach to life in a geographically In Tucson Begins to national prominence and the isolated locale. Oral History Project increasing diversification of the Newhouse credits "Doing Oral faculty and student body. History," by OHA past president The Community and Oral History The interviewer, H.W. Brands, is Donald Ritchie, for steering her in Center at Pima Community College, the author of several highly the right direction as she sought to Tucson, Ariz., has embarked on a acclaimed biographies, including "preserve precious memories" of new oral history project titled "They "The First American: The Life and long-time Nantucket Islanders. For Prepared the Tucson Liberators for Times of Benjamin Franklin," a 2002 information about ordering a copy of War: Rosie/Rosita and Their Pulitzer Prize finalist, and "T.R.: The the book, visit the Web site: Compatriots at the B-24 Modification Last Romantic," a biography of www.wearenantucket.com. Plant from 1942-1945." Teddy Roosevelt. Brands is a The plant sprang up in Tucson in professor history at Texas A&M the spring of 1942 as a direct result University. Japanese Elders of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In "Memories of Wind and Project planners seek to identify Vanishing Virginia Farms Waves: A Self-Portrait of Lakeside and interview people employed at the Japan," Dr. Junichi Saga, an plant as well as crew members who Vanishing family farms in the acclaimed Japanese oral historian and flew the planes in combat. nation's second-fastest growing medical doctor, draws on interviews For information about the project, county is the focus of "It's Just a of33 elderly men and women in his call Alex Kimmelman at 520-206­ Way of Life: Reminiscing About the hometown to tell the story of a 7314. Family Farm," published by the community where poverty and Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum in hardship are balanced by simple, Sterling, Va. satisfying pleasures and close family Recent Publications Based on interviews with local and neighborhood ties. residents involved in agriculture The book illuminates a way of life Reflect Regional Wealth through the 20th century, the book changed forever by pollution, or Oral History Work documents the experiences of farmers mechanization and the modernization who thrived and then struggled on ofthe 20th century. Editor's Note: The following small, family-run farms in a county Translated into English by Juliet potpourri ofrecent publications that that is a fast-growing part of Winters Carpenter, Saga's book rely on oral history reflects the suburban Washington, D.C. depicts a disappearing way of life and wealth oforal history work in varied Former dairy farmer Jim Brownell the colorful characters who inhabited regions ofthe nation and the world. told an interviewer: "Most farmers the shores ofLake Kasumigaura. aren't in it for the money. They farm The book is a companion to Legendary Texas Law Prof till the money runs out. It's just a way Saga's 1987 award-winning work of life." "Memories of Silk and Straw." For information on ordering the Saga's book is published by By Michael Widener book, call the museum at: 703-421­ Kodansha International. University of Texas at Austin 5322. A half-century of transformations at the University of Texas School of Eastern Shore Crab Pickers Law are retold by the late Gus Nantucket Islanders Hodges in an oral history interview "It's How You Pick the Crab: An recently published by the Jamail "WeAre Nantucket: Oral Oral Portrait ofEastern Shore Crab Center for Legal Research. Histories of Life on Nantucket Picking," by OHA member Kelly "Gus M. Hodges: An Oral History Island" by Nancy A. Newhouse is a Feltault, is available from the Interview" contains three extensive recently released collection of 33 oral Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. interviews conducted in 1986. history interviews spanning most of The book is based on oral history th "Gus Hodges was one of the most the 20 century that illuminate living, interviews with crab pickers, packing colorful and best loved professors in working, summering and retiring on house owners and others and the history of the University of Texas the island. documents the industry's cultural and School of Law, said Roy Mersky, law The interviews reflect the hearty economic history. professor and Jamail Center director. work ethic, Yankee thriftiness and For information, call the museum Hodges (1908-1992) discusses simplicity, value for family and at 410-745-2916.

OHA Newsletter -9- Spring 2003 Opening the Door to Understanding: 's Plans for Holocaust Oral History

By Leta S. Schoen roots and bring the experience close Houston, Texas to home. HMH has a simple plan, but one "When people hate each other, that fulfills its mission and reflects hate leads to murder. To prevent it, the name of the primary museum we have to learn not to hate each exhibit: "Bearing Witness: A other." Community Remembers." Houston is Those are the wise words of that community. Irving Reifel', a survivor of the hate The HMH plan includes: that spawned the Holocaust. When + Standardizing and editing he gave his oral history to Holocaust properly the written transcripts and Museum Houston (HMH) in 1996, it including them in 100se-bOlmd books was his way of helping people learn with abstracts, legal releases and not to hate each other. To me, finding aids; his and all the other testimonies there + Building a fully integrated have special significance in these database that is searchable by volatile times of rei igious conflicts, keyword and field; Irving Reifer, 1945, Germany, after terrorism and threats of war. + Linking them to the HMH Web liberation. Photo: HMH Archives Driving Irving back and forth site, which will include streaming from home to the Holocaust Museum video, audio clips and full transcripts, HMH hopes to complete the to work on his interview, I heard him all presented in a searchable format. project within a year ofreceiving speak at length of his reasons for This plan addresses what the funding, which Llanes and Linda giving his oral testimony. The narrators envisioned: safeguarding and Toyota, development officer, are Holocaust was the pivotal point in revealing their histories to a wide seeking. his life-"nothing was ever the same audience. The value of these testimonies is again," he said in one interview­ Archivist and Curator of apparent. Each interviewee was and he hopes his words will make a Collections Lisa Moellering has long touched differently than any other difference. recognized the obligation HMH owes person who witnessed or experienced He, like the other 200-plus to the people who gave their oral the horrors of this genocide. survivors, liberators and rescuers histories. Preserving their stories is a mitzvah who narrated their stories for HMH, "When we seek out and accept the of the highest order. We are in the shared those memories to teach the oral testimony of anyone, we have a 11 th hour of collecting and protecting world of the horrors of their duty to preserve and protect those these valuable testimonies. The inter­ experience-always with the hope memories properly," said Moellering. viewees are aging and may soon be that in some way they can help to In the case of Holocaust lost for further consultation. prevent it from happening again. participants, this responsibility is far The Holocaust Museum Houston If the stories are put on a shelf greater than usual. Surely, when these has embarked on a plan that will set a and left to gather dust, that will people weep while sharing their often first-class example ofthe proper hardly happen. gut-wrenching memories, we must handling of Holocaust oral histories, Laudably HMH has recently promise to treat them properly. Even which smaller, local collections all embarked on a program to bring its the HMH release speaks to the over the United States can use as a entire oral history collection up to difficulty of giving this testimony, model. Oral History Association standards. holding the museum harmless for any Professional oral historians can Each of the interviewees has a "emotional duress." pave the way by educating Houston connection; they are the Susan Llanes-Meyers, the community Holocaust organizations foundation of and raison d'etre for museum's executive director, feels of the value and uniqueness of their HMH. that researchers of all ages deserve local oral history collections and by Like regional Holocaust museums easy access to these testimonies. endeavoring to assure that those all over the world, they illuminate Physically coming to the museum is testimonies of people in their Holocaust history at the local level. not always possible. But with communities who survived the hatred Unlike large museums and oral Internet access, HMH will bring them are preserved and shared with future history collections, they are grass in virtually. generations.

OHA Newsletter -10- Spring 2003 Colleague Remembers OHA Scholar From Argentina

By Federico Guillermo Lorenz founder of the Oral History Program teaching offered by the practice of Buenos Aires, Argentina of the University of Buenos Aires, interviewing. she gave courses and conducted Secondly, in a task in which Dora Dora Schwarzstein, an seminars and workshops in many stayed until the very last moment, she outstanding presence in the field of places in her country, encouraging directed us in the construction ofthe oral history and a member of the Oral interest in the potential as well as the Oral Archive of Memoira Abierta, a History Association, died dilemmas of interviewing. network of human rights unexpectedly at the best ofher career Under her direction, the program organizations. Open to the public on Nov. 6,2002. was involved in two great projects. since December 2002, its catalogues Her name is known worldwide by First was a two-year plan for show 300 interviews on the many disti.nguished colleagues and applying interviews in the teaching of experiences of state terrorism, her activities are reflected in her history, which involved eight political involvement, exile and the many publications and projects. In members ofthe Oral History inferno ofclandestine concentration Argentina, it is due mainly to her Program, six primary schools, two camps. efforts that oral history is respected secondary schools, their teachers, Again, the importance of this as a research field. She introduced librarians and headmasters and, project, in which Dora and all ofus some key elements of its moreover, 470 students, who were-are-deeply involved, can be methodology in a compilation planned, scheduled and conducted taken as a symbol of the deep published in 1991, which is still a classroom projects and interviews. concern of Dora Schwarzstein with handbook for junior colleagues and The project must be seen as a her profession and society, and to students. materialization ofthe social realize the great loss caused by her Her interests covered a wide range involvement ofhistorians and its death, not only for history, but for of activities. As director and results show the many uses for our daily life.

OHA Pamphlet Order Form

Add to your professional reference library the Amount Ordered (Quantity x Price)

Oral History Association I s pamphlets. OHA members get a 10 percent discount for orders of ___Oral History and the Law 10 or more copies. Clip and mail this coupon, 3nd ed., John Neuenschwander, 2002, with your check made out to OHA, to: $15.00 Oral History Assn., Dickinson College, Box 1n3, ___Oral History Projects in Your Classroom, Carlisle, PA 17013. Linda Wood, 2001, $15.00 pages only Name _ $20.00 including three-ring binder ___Using Oral History in Community History Address _ Projects, Laurie Mercier and Madeline Buckendorf, 1992, $8.00 City _ _ __Oral History Evaluation Guidelines, $5.00

State. .Zip _ _ __Order total

Country _ _ __Optional mailing charge

All prices include shipping via domestic mail. Inquire for __TOTAL ENCLOSED costs of Federal Express delivery. International shipping by surface mail at no extra charge: add 30 percent to your order if you prefer international airmail delivery.

OHA Newsletter -11- Spring 2003 scholar, Santa Cruz, Calif. The Nominating Committee and For the second Council seat: Council will accept additional John Wolford, Missouri nominations for officers, Council Historical Society, or Mary Ann members and Nominating Committee Larson, University ofNevada. members in the manner described in aHA members also will elect the aHA bylaws. (See section 9, members to the Nominating paragraph 2, on page 61 of the 2000 Committee. Three two-year positions Membership Directory or the aHA are to be filled. Members will vote Web site: for one person from each of three http://www.dickinson.edu/oha/Consti places. tutionBylaws.htm.) Place I: Laurie Mercier, A petition signed by 20 or more Washington State University­ aHA members in good standing may Vancouver, or Lu Ann Jones, be submitted for each nomination, 2004 Slate Presented University of ­ stating the particular office for which Greenville. the nomination is made. By Kim Lacy Rogers Place 2: Todd Moye, National A petition nominating a first vice OHA Nominating Committee Park Service, or Chuck Bolton, president or Council member must be University of Southern . in the hands of the Nominating The aHA Nominating Committee Place 3: Mary Ann Villarreal, Committee by June 15. (Send to: is pleased to present the following University of Utah, or Oawn Hinton, Gloria Cuadraz, 1108 West candidates for first vice president and Saginaw Valley State University. MacKenzie Dr., Phoenix, AZ 85013.) two Council seat. The aHA election will be by mail A petition nominating a candidate For first vice president: Rebecca ballot sent this summer to each aHA for the Nominating Committee must Sharpless, Baylor University. member in good standing. Biograph­ be sent to the aHA Council by June For one Council seat: ical information and statements from 15. (Send to: Kim Lacy Rogers, Horacio Roque Ramirez, each of the nominees will be included Dickinson College, P.o. Box 1773, University of California Los Angeles, with the ballots. Carlisle, PA 17013.) or Celia Alvarez, independent

Oral History Association Newsletter Nonprofit The Oral History Association P.O. Box 1773 U.S. Postage Carlisle,PA 17013 PAID Newsletter (ISSN:0474-3253) is Jefferson City, Mo. published three times yearly by PERMIT NO. 210 the Oral History Association for its members and subscribers. Copy deadlines are: March 1, July 1 and Nov. 1.

Address membership, change of address, subscription and delivery inquiries to: University of California Press, Journals, 2000 Center St., Suite 303, Berkeley, CA 94704-1223. Phone: 510-643-7154. Fax: 510­ 642-9917. E-mail : [email protected]

Editor: Mary Kay Quinlan, 7524 S. 35th St., Lincoln, NE 68516.

Copyright 2003 Oral History Association, Incorporated

OHA Newsletter -12- Spring 2003