Events

Oral History Project Arrives in Charleston

Published

12 years ago

October 25, 2012

I was sent an article as part of Charleston Mag’s e-mail newsletter detailing an oral history project that will be arriving in Charleston (it is also available on the magazine’s website). The event sounds pretty unique and interesting, so I figured I’d pass it along.

Honestly, I don’t know anything about this project, so I’m including a long quote directly from the piece written by Rachel Barkley.

Ever wish you had recorded your grandparents’ life stories? Well, it isn’t too late to record your own.
Reawaken the art of storytelling through StoryCorps, a national nonprofit that’s collected and archived more than 40,000 stories from nearly 80,000 participants across the country since 2003—the largest oral history project of its kind. “This is a rare opportunity for individuals to place their lives into a national archive by simply stepping forward, and we’re excited to offer Charlestonians this chance to tell their stories in their voice, in their way,” said South Carolina ETV president Linda O’Bryon. Through its Mobile Tour Outreach Initiative, StoryCorps will be stationed at Charleston’s Ansonborough Field from October 25 through November 17 to record and preserve stories.
Want to be involved? Sign up for a reservation at storycorps.org or call (800) 850-4406. Next, invite a friend or loved one to whom you can tell your tale during a 40-minute unscripted, uninterrupted session in the soundproof MobileBooth. You may choose to go alone or bring a third participant, but StoryCorps interviews are designed to work best between two people.
At the conclusion of the interview, StoryCorps will give a CD recording to you and archive another at the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center in Washington, D.C. A donation of $25 is suggested at the time of the interview to help StoryCorps bring this unique experience to other communities throughout the United States and by doing so, collect the voices of Americans for future generations.
To find out more, visit storycorps.org

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