Friday, December 4, 2009

November winners, Public Social University, to host workshop on oral histories


Here's a chance to check out a project put together by the winners of November Stock grant, Public Social University.

The event will feature the following workshops, discussions, and activities:

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The Meaning and Importance of Oral History and how the Internet and Digital Media are Transforming the Tradition. A community discussion with special guests from across the spectrum of human thought and involvement

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Oral History 101 with Jim Strassmaier: A Brief Introduction to Processes and Ethics of Collecting Oral Histories. Jim Strassmaier is a native Oregonian from Eugene. Among other things, he studied in Germany as a Fulbright Scholar, wrote his dissertation on 1840s German and French Socialism, earned his Ph.D. from Loyola University, and was Oral Historian at the Oregon Historical Society for 15 years. He is presently Oregon director for the labor oral history program of the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association.

* Live Presentations of Oral Histories facilitated by Felicia Williams. Felicia Williams will demonstrate an oral history interview process in front of a live audience, featuring local luminaries, such as Shane Schneider, who will impart great wisdom of times past! Felicia Williams is an instructor and historian with the Portland State University Black Studies Department, where she teaches a class on collecting oral histories about the Civil Rights Movement in Portland. Her research focus areas are, primarily, African American and Pacific Northwest Native American History. Shane Schneider is a lifelong artist and musician who has never read a word of Hemingway and may have written the world's shortest poem.

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The Opportunity to Become Involved in a Collaborative Oral Histories Documentary Project. Throughout December and January, we will invite and and encourage community members to collect oral histories to be used as part of a collaborative oral history documentary project. Public Social University will offer support and access to necessary documentary tools. Thanks to Portland Stock for financial assistance with this component of the event.

Please write to publicsocialuniversity at gmail.com with any questions, comments, concerns, creativity, et cetera.