Subject Guides: Anthropology: Oral Histories

Oral History Resources

The library has books with written oral histories of different groups as well as guides on recording an oral history. Search the Library Catalog to find them.

Search using the terms "Oral History" with quotation marks around the two words to search them as a phrase. Select "Subject" to search that phrase as a main subject. You can then add additional terms to specify your search. For example, add the terms Methodologies, Handbooks, or Interviewing for practical manuals on how to conduct oral histories.

Oral History Recordings

Many archives, libraries, and other institutions are creating websites and public databases to search for oral history recordings. Below is a sample of different repositories. If you're trying to find an oral history on a certain topic, Google is a great tool to track down an archive/library that has an oral history collection on that topic or related subject. Once you get into the website, you can search for a more specific oral history or browse their collections.

The availability of transcripts will vary among collections and institutions.

New York Heritage
This online database of different collections from libraries/archives around New York State, offers oral histories. You can either search all collections or select a collection and then search within it.
Library of Congress (LOC) - Oral Histories
Several of the LOC's digital collections include oral history recordings. Select a collection and then limit the results to the type of audio recording that you'd like.
The Community Oral History Project - NYPL
NYPL's Community Oral History Project is an initiative taking place at NYPL branches that aims to document, preserve, and celebrate the rich history of the city's unique communities by collecting the stories of people who have experienced it firsthand.
Skidmore Oral Histories
Search for and listen to recordings of Skidmore professors and students.Transcripts available.
StoryCorps
StoryCorps’ mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world.