“Oral history is a composite genre which requires that we think flexibly, across and between disciplinary boundaries, in order to make the most of this rich and complex source.”
— Lynn Abrams
“Oral history’s value derives not from resisting the unexpected but from relishing it. By adding an ever-wider range of voices to the story, oral history does not simplify.”
— Donald A. Ritchie
In what ways could digital tools enhance the historical material of oral history to inspire public engagement and deepen understanding of the complexity of systemic racism in America?
Project Definition
The Change We Seek is an animated oral history series that intends to collect, animate, and evaluate interviews from POC who have experienced moments of racial inequity in American society and made significant efforts to change it for the betterment of all persons. Interviews collected delve into the variance of racial inequity in American society, from the effects of racially biased legislation to moments of microaggressions that occur in institutions of higher learning.
Through its creation, this project aims to visually enhance the historical material of oral history using digital media and highlight personal accounts from Black and Brown people, which are proven forms of cultural education and social justice. Within this enhancement, the goal is to create educational content that teachers and students can utilize to gain insight into America's racial disparities and cultural history.
First Iteration
Within this first iteration of The Change We Seek one, four-minute animated video was created. This animated video, called an enhanced oral history, is a part of an educational series that intends to highlight existing racial disparities in learning spaces.
The education series was established through collecting oral histories about racial inequalities in American schooling, forming a historical argument from accumulated interviews, and animating a significant historical memory that parallels the series argument.
Oral Defense (Project Explanation)
Shannon M. Valrie Oral History
Student Feedback
“just how big of an impact racism can have on one person and how it can change their entire perspective and life. I really found how the first-hand account emphasized the seriousness as it was not just another media post.”
— St. Andrews University (Honors SAGE Course)
“I really liked the animations. I remember you mentioning they took a lot of time, but I feel it really makes your video stand out.”
— St. Andrews University (Honors SAGE Course)