resource center
oral history
of
durham
TAKE A CLASS
You do not have to travel far and wide to get oral history training. Below is a list of organizations in Durham and the surrounding area that offer workshops and classes.
Workshops and Classes
The Center for Documentary Studies
Introduction to Oral History
This course teaches oral history theory and methodology.
Link to full course description
Contact:
919-660-3670
Museum of Durham History
The museum offers training and practice opportunities through its volunteer Story Squad program.
Contact:
Patrick Mucklow, Executive Director
919.246.9993
Southern Oral History Program (SOHP)
Based at UNC-Chapel Hill, The SOHP offers custom workshops upon request throughout the Triangle.
Details:
Contact:
The following links are for people participating in Part 1 of Stacy Torian's Oral History for Beginners workshop on August 5.
Baylor Manual chapters
Discovering oral history: What is it?
Understanding oral history: Why do it?
If you are a new website visitor who would like to learn more about Stacy Torian's workshops, please email her directly at SLTorian@uncg.edu or contact her using the Contact page of this website.
(to be completed after the session)
STUDY YOUR CRAFT
Pros like Studs Terkel made it seem effortless. Do not be fooled - oral history collection is hard work! Familiarizing yourself with oral history theory and practice will help build your confidence.
Suggested Reading
Robert Perks and Alistair Thomson (2015, 3rd ed.). The oral history reader. Routledge: London and New York.
A theory and practice overview offering multiple perspectives on the oral history discipline.
Baylor University Institute for Oral History, Workshop on the Web, Introduction to Oral History Manual
This detailed manual provides a step-by-step explanation of the work of an oral historian. Each chapter has its own link.
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GET READY
REFLECT
Before you sit down to interview someone, ask yourself some questions. Why are you doing this? What opinions and biases are you bringing to the table? Thinking through these types of questions will make you a better oral historian.
Questions to Consider
Why do you want to practice oral history? What do you expect to get out of it, personally?
What do you expect the interviewee (or the storyteller) to get out of it?
Think about the last time you were interviewed. How did you feel? What would you have changed about the experience?
Are you comfortable sharing deeply personal details with someone outside of your own demographic group or family group? Why or why not?
How do you handle disagreement? Can you listen silently to someone whose opinions and values differ drastically from your own?