Getting Started with Oral History

• H-OralHist, H-Net, Humanities & Social Sciences On-Line

  This listserv for oral history practitioners is an excellent way to stay informed of upcoming workshops, webinars, and projects, and to connect with a broad network of people working in oral history.

• Oral History in the Digital Age: Best Practices by the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences

  This resource contains essays, case studies, and tutorials on a wide range of topics.

• Documenting and Interpreting Conflict through Oral History: A Working Guide from Columbia University’s Center for Oral History

  A guide to help those who are interested in collecting oral histories in conflict and post-conflict situations.

• Remote Interviewing Resources from the Oral History Association

  This guide addresses the numerous questions oral historians might have regarding remote interviewing, including hardware and archival considerations.

• Doing Oral History Webinar Recordings from the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (a division of the American Library Association)

  This webinar was originally presented live in April 2016; they have since made the recordings and presentation slides available to the public for free.

• Record and Remember Teaching Resources created in conjunction with the Preserve the Baltimore Uprising Archive Project

  A set of curriculum resources based on the 2015 Baltimore Uprising for those interested in teaching oral history, including teacher guides, powerpoint slides, and worksheets.

• Documenting Narratives of Violence: Trauma-Informed Interviewing for General Audiences by Jane Field, Texas After Violence Project

  This online training teaches trauma-informed life history interviewing skills.

• “What is Language Justice and Why Does it Matter in Oral History Work?” by Alison Corbett and Fanny Garcia, Groundswell: Oral History for Social Change

  Oral historians Allison Corbett and Fanny Garcia examine different forms of language justice and why they matter in oral history work with communities that use various languages.

• “First, Do No Harm: Tread Carefully Where Oral History, Trauma, and Current Crises Intersect” by Jennifer Cramer, Association of Southern Research Libraries

  In this webinar, oral historian Jennifer Cramer considers strategies to undertake current-event crisis oral histories, advocating for project designs that include trauma mitigation efforts.

• “Oral History and Power,” Columbia Oral History Master of Arts, Fall 2020 - Spring 2021 Workshop Series

  This public workshop series, led by oral historians in the Columbia Oral History Master of Arts Program, examines the relationships of oral history and power.

• No one owes their trauma to archivists, or, the commodification of contemporaneous collecting by Eira Tansey

  In this blog post, archivist Eira Tansey critically examines contemporaneous collecting projects and the ethical obligations of archivists documenting traumatic events.

• Introduction to Oral History Manual from Baylor University’s Institute for Oral History

  A comprehensive guide that covers all aspects of the oral history interview process, including preparing legal documents, selecting narrators, transcribing interviews, and more.

Please feel free to use the following websites as inspiration for your own oral history project, or to simply explore more oral history!

• Jukebox: A community story sharing project which focuses on documenting unique stories from folks in Cambridge, MA
• First Days Project: Compiles stories of immigrants' and refugees' first experiences in the United States
• Densho: A collection of filmed interviews with Japanese Americans and others about WWII incarceration and beyond
• Country Queers: Documents the diverse experiences of rural, small town, and country LGBTQ+ folks
• Texas After Violence: Archive exploring the impacts of state-sanctioned violence on individuals, families, and communities
• The Freedom Archives: Historical audio material documenting movements and culture from 1960s-90s
• Global Feminisms Project: Oral histories from women scholars and activists from around the world
• Housing is a Human Right Series: Connects diverse communities around housing, land, and having a place to call home
• Telling Their Stories Project: Student interviews with elders who witnessed historic events during the 20th century
• Witness to War: Preserves oral history stories from combat veterans
• The Lesbian Elders Oral Herstory Project: Archive committed to sharing insight into the history of lesbian culture and activism
• Voices of Witness: Project advancing human rights by amplifying the voices of people impacted by and fighting against injustice
• Behind the Wire: Documents stories of people who have been detained after seeking asylum in Australia
• It's Our Story: Project series expanding equal rights for people with disabilities and exploring their diverse experiences
• I Am Your Nanny: Web based multimedia oral history project exploring the testimonies of career nannies living and working in New York

Mental Health Resources
Sometimes, sharing or hearing memories can cause feelings of discomfort or pain for narrators or interviewers participating in an oral history project. Please remember to take care of yourself as you engage in this process. If you or someone you know could benefit from some professional support, please consider the resources below:
 

Crisis Hotlines
Please use these resources if you need immediate help:

Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line: 833-773-2445
Connects individuals and families to a full range of treatment services for mental health, including immediate crisis care. Available 24/7 to anyone who lives in MA, with over 200 languages available. Call or text. Ask for the behavioral health help line. 

National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a network of local crisis centers that are available 24/7 to provide support for youth and adults who are in any kind of emotional crisis. 

• Deaf + Hard of Hearing: For TTY Users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988
• Veterans: 988 then press 1
• Anyone can also use the online chat feature on their website.

Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990
SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. 
 
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
The Trevor Project is a 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQ youth.  Call or text "Trevor" to 1-202-304-1200 for support, or use the online chat feature on the website. 
 
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
Trans Lifeline is a grassroots hotline offering direct emotional and financial support, run by trans people for trans people in crisis. 
 
LGBT National Hotline: 888-843-4564
Providing confidential peer support, info, and resources for callers of all ages. 
 

Finding a Mental Health Professional
The following resources can help you find a mental health provider, such as a counselor, psychiatrist, or social worker. 

• Note: If you have health insurance, contact the phone number on the back of your card to learn about in-network providers. You can also talk to your primary care physician for a referral. 

Mental Health Resources for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)
Curated by staff at Massachusetts General Hospital, a list of resources that may be useful to BIPOC-identifying individuals seeking support for mental health concerns and/or coping with race-related stressors, whether current and/or historical

InnoPsych 
Directory of therapists of color with filters by location, specialty area, service type, ethnicity, and insurance carrier

Network of Care Massachusetts
Directory of programs and organizations in Massachusetts, searchable by keyword and zip code

National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network
Directory of queer and trans therapists of color, searchable by location

Psychology Today
Directory of therapists in the US

Zencare
Directory of therapists

Therapy Den
Directory of therapists in Massachusetts

Mayor’s Health Line (City of Boston)
Free, confidential, multilingual information and referral service, helping Boston residents with a variety of services including: answering questions about health insurance eligibility; enrolling in health insurance; finding primary care providers; finding social services; locating free clinics; and more.

Mental Health and Wellness Resources

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Massachusetts
See: section on mental health resources

Riverside Community Care
Offers mental healthcare, developmental and brain injury services, early childhood and youth programs, addiction treatment, trauma response, and more

Jewish Family & Children’s Services
Tips and Techniques for Supporting Residents with Mental Illness: A Guide for Staff in Housing for Older Adults

Boston Trauma Response and Recovery Network
Support is available to ALL residents who feel affected by community violence

Mass. Department of Mental Health: Maintaining Emotional Health & Well-Being During the COVID-19 Outbreak
Resources and tips to help boost emotional health, mental health, and well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak

 

Mental Health Resources at the BPL 
This page is regularly updated by BPL staff and offers access to a variety of resources about mental health and wellness. While these resources can provide a great sense of support, please note that they do not replace the care of a licensed mental health professional. If you would like to explore working with a mental health professional, please refer to the directories listed above.