Using Talking History to Teach Oral History and the Post-World War II Era

Abstract

On 19 November 2001, Talking History broadcast the first Iprogramof a four-part series on Greatest Genera tion. Over four weeks, historians Joyce Appleby, James McPherson, David Kennedy, and David Farber discussed the Founding Fathers, the Civil War generation, the Depression and World War II generations, and the Baby Boomers, respectively. In each segment, Talking History's Fred Nielson interviewed one of the historians about one of the four generations. Nielson asked such general questions as: How would you describe the American people during this time demo graphically? How did this genera tion view the world and why ? What impact did the cultural context have on the generation? What is the legacy of this generation? The fourth episode on the Baby Boomers can be used to teach not only the 1950s and 1960s, but also to introduce students to the valu able research tool of oral history. Having students do oral history interviews with the Baby Boomers around them?while thinking about the points raised in the Talking History episode?is also a way to overcome their detachment from the past.