Great Depression
Oral Histories: Why? Who? How? Basic Rules
From “Through My Eyes: A Child’s View of World War II” published by the Johnson County Museum, the Veterans of Foreign War and the National Archives – Central Plains Region, 1992.
What is an Oral History?
An oral history is an interview with a person who lived in a particular time and place. The purpose of an oral history is to gain information about how people lived as well as what they did. Think about history as a photograph. The facts of a certain event provide the outline of the photograph; interviews with people who lived through the event provide the detail and the color to the photograph. For example, we can look at a ration stamp for shoes issued during World War II. We know that leather was rationed because it was needed for the war effort. Now add to these facts this account of a young woman living in Washington, D.C. in 1944: “My Mother gave me her shoe ration coupon as a Christmas present. I wanted new shoes more than anything…That was the best Christmas present I ever received.”
Basic Rules for Oral History Interviews
Be Prepared
- Do your research. An oral history is not a fishing trip. Know what questions you want answered in advance. Know the facts of an event or a time before questioning your subject. This will help to keep your questions focused.
- Prepare your questions. If possible, contact the subject in advance and explain the type of information you are looking for during the interview. This allows the subject to prepare for the interview and the information you gained allows you to prepare questions about specific topics. Questions that require a simple yes or no answer are not good because they do not provide details. “Tell me everything you know” questions are also no good because they yield an overview of information and few details.
- Example of a poor question:
Tell me everything you remember about the Great Depression. - Example of a prepared question:
Was there one thing you missed most because of economic troubles during the Great Depression? Why? - Have the proper equipment. You will need pencils and paper, even if you tape the interview. You should always take notes during the interview. If you are audio or video taping, be sure the equipment is in proper working order. You should also have extra tapes, extension cords or batteries for the recorder.
Be Considerate:
- Explain everything. When you contact the subject, explain why you want to talk with that person. Explain the purpose of the interview: how the experience of the interview will help you and your project. Describe the information you want. This allows the subject to think about the topic. Also the subject may have documents and/or photographs that will help. Describe where and how the interview will take place. Most people are more comfortable in their own homes. When you invite guests to your classroom, explain to them what the surroundings will be like.
- Make the subject comfortable. Provide a comfortable chair. Do not plan an interview to last longer than one to one and a half hours.
- Use your best manners. You are an invited guest into someone’s life.
Review
- Review your notes and any tapes. Make sure you understand any notes you made during the interview. If you taped the interview, listen to the tape and review your notes. Make additional notes about the interview. Write down your impressions of the interview.
