The practice of preserving and retelling stories through oral history is one of the oldest forms of storytelling among humans. The more modern practice of archiving and managing recorded oral histories is an intentional practice focused on capturing an individual’s experience in their own words and on their own terms.
Oral history is the practice of gathering and recording the recollections of people and communities in their own words. It is different from semi-structured interviews or journalistic interviews, in that oral histories focus holistically on the life of the person being interviewed as a way to better understand how their experiences connect to larger historical moments and events.
In some ways, oral history can be the ultimate expression of narrative sovereignty. Oral history is intimately connected to practices of archiving and preservation. Some of the most well-known uses of oral history were intentionally focused on capturing the voices of rank-and-file workers, formerly enslaved people, and rural Americans. Organizations that conduct oral histories within and among their communities can thus participate in a practice of archiving that allows them sovereignty over their community’s stories. How can I get started?
Anyone can conduct an oral history; multi-generational interviews among parents and children are a wonderful example. Oral history is also a research practice that is governed by existing standards and best practices for consent developed by historians and interpretive social scientists, such as the Oral History Association. See these general guidelines and best practices from the Oral History Association:
- OHA Principles and Best Practices
- OHA Social Justice Oral History Work Guidelines
- OHA Independent Practitioners Toolkit for Oral Historians
Establish a Process for Consent from Interviewees
Typically, oral history is considered exempt from Institutional Review Board approval processes that govern human subjects research. Nevertheless, it is still important to consider what protections will be valuable for your interviewees and develop a clear process for obtaining consent from each participant.
It is best practices to obtain consent that is free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC).
- Free – independently decided upon without influence or coercion
- Prior – sought before any project, plan, or action begins. The amount of time needed to obtain “prior” consent is decided by the rights-holders.
- Informed – based on accurate, timely, and complete information, provided in a culturally relevant way (language, media, presentation style) that is accessible
- Consent – the collective decision made by the rights-holders and reached through the customary decision-making processes of the affected Indigenous Peoples or communities.
Because oral history interviews are typically not de-identified, interviews will be associated with interviewees’ names and identities, so it is appropriate to collect signed, written consent when possible. In some cases or communities, oral consent (interviewee voicing consent on the recording only) may be preferable.
Because oral histories are associated with interviewees’ names and identities, it is especially important to ensure that interviewees are able to exert authority over their interview in the following ways:
- Able to request to speak off the record at any time (recorder will be stopped and restarted when interviewee wishes to resume “on the record” conversation)
- Able to request that a statement they made be struck from the record (during the interview)
- Able to review their transcript after the fact and make additional requests to strike comments from the record
Consent forms should address the following considerations at minimum:
- the purpose or goals of the study or interview project, which should also explain how participants’ data or ideas will be used)
- the risks and benefits (if any) of participation
- how participants’ privacy will be protected and how their data will be managed
Additionally, consent forms should address who owns the interview (including the transcript, audio, and/or video) after the interview is conducted. Some consent forms take the form of a “gift” in which the interviewee “gifts” their interview to the interviewer. Others can allow for interviewees to maintain ownership rights to the interview and make decisions about things like distribution and access. A common procedure is for the interview to be transferred to a library or agency, but remain closed, or inaccessible, until after the interviewee’s death, and then upon their death the library or agency that holds the interview can make it available to the public.
Managing Oral History Data
Oral history interviews are data, and should be treated with care. Before beginning an oral history project, consider what kind of data you will be collecting (which could include video, audio, transcripts, paper or digital consent forms), who can have access to it, and how you will store it long-term. (LINK to archives workbook)
TIP: Videoconferencing services like Zoom or AI note-takers can automatically generate transcripts, but you should request consent from participants before using artificial intelligence-driven services as part of the oral history collection.
Depositing Oral Histories in an Archive
If you have a folder on your computer that says “Oral Histories,” that is technically an archive. However, if you would like your oral histories to be more widely available to the general public, or be managed centrally by professional librarians and archivists, you could consider depositing your oral histories in an archive, such as a university library or another cultural institution. Librarians and archivists are professionally trained to think about some of the data management questions raised above, and it is strongly encouraged to talk to an archivist before beginning your oral history project.
Most importantly, it is important to find an archive that aligns with your organizational or community’s ethos, wishes and intentions. That way, when the histories are transferred to the archive, those whose voices are recorded in the archive can then be sure their best interest is considered in storing their memories.
You can find an archive through:
- Word of mouth. Talk to people about your project! Talk to community members, researchers, others doing oral history projects.
- The internet. Do a quick internet search—what themes will you focus on in your interviews? Are there archives out there that focus on these themes?
- Local Institutions—What are some institutions in your area? Public libraries? Local universities? Do these institutions have archives?
- Your community can also incorporate a strategy for preserving oral histories into its efforts to build its own archive. Continue to the post on archiving for more.
