oral history

oral history

Primary Sources

Primary Sources

, , , , Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
“The whole modern method of historical research is founded upon the distinction between original and derivative authorities. By original authorities we mean either statements by eye-witnesses, or documents, and other material remains, which are contemporary with the events which they attest. By derivative authorities we mean historians or chroniclers who relate and discuss events which they have not witnessed but which they have heard of or inferred directly or indirectly from original authorities.” – Arnaldo Momigliano, Studies in Historiography, 1966 When conducting research, you will often need to find and use specific types of resources.  That could include peer-reviewed work, or to use a book or a video as a reference.  One common and very important type of source students … Continued
IU East’s LGBTQ Archive Collection – Add your story!

IU East’s LGBTQ Archive Collection – Add your story!

, , , outreach, Programs
LGBT Pride Month this year commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Richmond held its first Pride Festival and marked the return of Rainbow Richmond, our local LGBTQ community organization, that was originally founded in 2006. With the efforts of Dr. Travis Rountree and his Eng-W270 students in Spring 2019, the IU East Archives created Richmond’s first LGBTQ archive collection. Students collected interviews and articles from in and around Richmond and Wayne County’s LGBTQ community and wrote research papers based on relevant topics that they encountered with this collection. Figure 1 Screen capture of IU East’s LGBTQ collection homepage The collection currently holds several short interviews from local students who identify as LGBTQ, local news articles, photos, and promotional … Continued
The Persistence of Memory

The Persistence of Memory

, , , , Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
“Do you want to take a picture?” “Oh, I’m sure we’ll remember it.” Have you ever heard an exchange like that?  We have a tendency to take memory for granted; to assume that what we want of our past will be accessible later on.  That is true whether the memories are personal – the first words of a new baby, perhaps – or societal, such as memory of a major cultural shift or shared triumph or tragedy.  Memories (whether personal or recounted for us in books, museums, and memorials) preserve learning and heritage and culture.  Lives are defined by it.  Even blockbuster popular entertainment like the television show Game of Thrones have recently paused the action long enough to contemplate … Continued
Oral History Assistant documents experiences and preserves memories

Oral History Assistant documents experiences and preserves memories

, , Interns, Library Resources, Programs
Throughout Fall 2017 and Spring 2018 IU Oral History Assistant Ashley Clayton has been interviewing IU East alumni, staff and faculty, as part of the IU Bicentennial project. Clayton, a senior History major, has completed 28 interviews, and is also transcribing them so the original audio will be accessible online. In preparation for celebrating 200 years of Indiana University in 2020 and IU East’s 50th anniversary in 2021, Clayton has talked with individuals affiliated with IU East from the 1970s to today. They represent varied majors and departments and each interview provides a glimpse into the ways IU has impacted each person. Gloria Dixon is an Assistant professor at IU East, in the School of Nursing. She is from Whitesburg … Continued
News from the Archives – Semester Roundup

News from the Archives – Semester Roundup

, , , , Library Resources, Student Workers
This past semester, the archives has been very busy. We have a few ongoing projects, some new collections in the works, and a few updates. First, some ongoing projects… Bicentennial Oral History Project The Bicentennial Oral History Project is still happening! Oral History Assistant Ashley Clayton started with us this past August, contacting alumni and conducting interviews. This semester, Ashley interviewed 14 alumni, staff, and even a few faculty members, such as retired nursing professor Jane Vincent and current Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs T.J. Rivard. We also have online student Jennifer Haught, who started in October as our second Oral History Assistant, and she has been helping us with transcribing our interviews. So far, Jennifer has transcribed 13 … Continued