Oral History in Undergraduate Research

Abstract

ORAL history has increased in popularity in the past several years! Just recently, with the micropublication of the Columbia University oral history collection, the New York Times has begun to issue selections from this collection to researchers. The 1971 directory compiled by the national Oral History Association describes more than 230 oral history projects now at colleges, universities, historical societies, and research libraries throughout the country. Most of these, like the one at Alliance College that concentrates upon the Polish American community, are just a few years old, quite small, and specialized in scope. Yet an impressive start has been made. Something like 20,000 persons have been interviewed and their unpublished reminiscences are now available for use by scholars. But this manner of obtaining historical material should not be viewed as the only value of oral history. There is also a research technique involved that, at the undergraduate level, has practical possibilities. For one thing, it can serve as a substitute for the research or term paper so commonly requested in history courses. Today many students find the mechanics of putting together footnotes, annotated bibliographies, and bits of information derived from standard works and journals into a meaningful composition as pedantic and intellectually unrewarding. Oral history is more challenging; the final product more individualized. Creative processes are not dulled, for the student can be taught to develop his own technique and style of interviewing. Equally important will be his realization that what he is recording on tape can be historically original.