Being There: The Singularity of Oral History

Abstract

Oral histories are sought by institutions and individuals for their power and unique qualities as a research tool. Informed interviewers elicit personal experiences that offer special insights into what it was like to witness critical events or observe a personality. Oral history also captures the character and poetry of unmediated speech: vocal tones and rhythms carry nuances and emphases that vanish on the printed page. Despite these advantages, the besetting problem of oral history is its resistance to verification. Its evidence is suspect until corroborated by other sources. Oral histories are not substitutes for contemporaneous writings and records—they are supplements. Conducting oral histories can become a tremendously emotional situation when interviewers become deeply entwined with their subjects; they forge strong personal connections, a natural byproduct of the intense focus required for a successful interview. Ultimately, an oral history is a record that two people create.