Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian: Folklife and Oral History Interviewing Guide
The Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interviewing Guide by by Marjorie Hunt is an excellent resource for collecting family and community cultural information. It provides step-by-step information on how to plan and conduct...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Storytelling: Oral Traditions
Students talk about what makes a good story, look at the oral tradition of storytelling, and compare and contrast stories from two different cultural traditions. This is one of four storytelling lessons.
Other
Nevada Test Site Oral History Project
A comprehensive look at the 50 years of nuclear testing in Nevada through oral histories of the participants. In addition to the histories, the site includes a timeline, information about the test sites, and videos.
Read Works
Read Works: Oral Histories
[Free Registration/Login Required] Intended to support elementary students' reading comprehension, students will learn about jobs that require them to conduct interviews to collect oral histories. Questions that assess multiple reading...
Library of Congress
Loc: Immigration and Oral History
The primary goal of this activity is to give students the genuine experience of oral history in order to appreciate the process of historiography. We identified immigrants in our community who reflect the ethnic diversity of our student...
US Holocaust Memorial Museum
U.s. Holocaust Memorial Museum: Guidelines for Oral History Interviews
Speaking to people with firsthand knowledge of an event is an important way to gather information. Use these guidelines to help prepare for an oral history interview.
Smithsonian Institution
Archives of American Arts: Oral History Interviews, Farm Security Administration
This site lists over 400 oral history interviews from artists, administrators and others involved with the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930's and 40's.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Writing Workshop: Oral History
Great online lesson that takes students through the entire writing process- from prompt to publishing. Online or printable versions of each step are available. The prompt asks students to interview people and write about their oral...
Other
Tanks for the Memories: Oral History of the Tankers
Provides detailed excerpts from a book containing written oral histories of those American soldiers who served in tanks during World War 2.
Library of Congress
Loc: Oral History and Social History
This instructional activity presents social history content and topics through the voices of ordinary people. It draws on primary sources from the collection, American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project,...
History Link
Bertha Pitts Campbell: An Oral History
From the Washington State Oral History Project comes this captivating interview with Bertha Pitts Campbell, an African American woman and early Seattle civil rights worker. Campbell talks about the discrimination and segregation she...
US House of Representatives
History, Art, and Archives: Oral History of the House of Representatives
Through interviews with House officers, aides, committee staff, former Representatives, and others, a rich heritage has been preserved. Audio, video, and transcripts provide a look into legislative processes and procedures, personal and...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interviewing Guide
If you set out to do your own primary research with a tradition-bearer in your community, this guide will be very valuable. Get information about how to get the best results, along with an extensive list of possible questions for the...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Voice of Witness: A Sudanese Refugee's Oral History
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each text is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see the...
Choices Program, Brown University
Choices: Teaching With the News: Oral History and September 11
Lesson designed to be completed in more than one class period. Students prepare and conduct interviews to help them understand the issues surrounding the 9.11.01 attacks and the U.S. response to terrorism. Lesson materials provided.
Gabriel Dumont Institute
The Virtual Museum of Metis History and Culture: Our Proud Heritage
The heritage of the Metis, both historical and contemporary events, honours Metis Elders and veterans. The collection includes historical photographs and print materials relating to the Metis resistance. The oral history includes both...
Gabriel Dumont Institute
The Virtual Museum of Metis History and Culture: Indigenous Voices
Indigenous Voices celebrates the Metis' heritage languages: Michif-Cree, Northwestern Saskatchewan Michif, Michif-French, Cree, Saulteaux and Bunji. The Michif Resources are rich in materials and include oral histories and video clps.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: What Is History? Timelines and Oral Histories
Lesson for teaching young historians to retell the past using timelines and oral accounts.
Other
Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation: Family Histories
Follow the stories of six Americans with different backgrounds who wanted to know more about their ancestors' journeys to America and used immigration and genealogy records to complete their family histories.
University of Pennsylvania
Upenn: Oral Traditions in Africa (Lesson Plan)
This website features a lesson plan that can be used by teachers K-12 on oral traditions found in Africa.
Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago Architects Oral History: Mary Ann E. Crawford
This interview is by Betty J. Blum and the interviewee is Mary Ann Elizabeth Crawford (1901-1988 CE) who practiced architecture from 1941 into the 1980's. The entire transcript of the interview can be viewed here.
Library of Congress
Loc: Migration During the Great Depression: Living History
Most people in Central Florida came from somewhere else. Students first analyze life histories from American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1940 to learn oral history techniques. They then interview...
Other
Milwaukee Public Museum: Indian Country: Oral Tradition
The Milwaukee Public Museum provides this introduction to the Native American oral tradition and oral literature of the Great Lakes region. Describes common themes and characters, including trickster characters and windingo (ice...
University of Texas at Austin
Voces Oral History Project: u.s. Latinos and Latinas and World War Ii
Find personal narratives from Hispanic Americans that served in World War II. Many faced harrowing experiences in war only to be discriminated against upon returning home.