OHA: The Road Ahead

Abstract

As the Oral History Association prepares to gather for its twelfth annual colloquium at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, it does so as a firmly established organization, prepared to deal with the challenges and the problems posed by ten years of striking associational growth. Having grown phenomenally during the first decade of its existence, OHA's membership-some 1100 individual and institutional members-has begun to stabilize during the past two years. This leveling off of membership growth poses a question roundly discussed by both general members and the governing Council of the Association: to what extent and what end should membership recruitment be actively pursued? For those whose affiliation with the Association dates back to its modest beginnings and its earlier clublike atmosphere, the prospect of significant growth tends to hold only marginal appeal. Even our earliest recruits, however, cannot escape the fact that the practice of oral history is witnessing remarkable national growth. Spurred on, in part, by the recently concluded Bicentennial observance of our nation's birth, oral history projects have sprung to life all across the country. Whether the individuals who are involved in those projects know it or not-and many do not-they are practitioners of oral history, and the question logically posed is: should they not be invited to join the Oral History Association? The answer to this question would seem to be yes, they should be enlisted. The Oral History Association, as it stands today, embraces a multiplicity of talents and project efforts, and much of its appeal and value rests in its ability to provide insight and direction for seemingly dissimilar efforts. Irrespective of the dissimilarity of these efforts and of recognized differences in the value and worth of the tapes and transcribed materials emanating from such activities, the Association welcomes this community of oral history practitioners to OHA membership. Affiliation with the OHA is an opportunity for those who tape-record and transcribe to share working experiences, profit from the triumphs and failures of others, and refine skills appropriate to their particular projects. The Oral History