Oral History Interviews
Oral history is a technique for generating and preserving original, historically interesting information – primary source material – from personal recollections through planned recorded interviews. This method of interviewing is used to preserve the voices, memories and perspectives of people in history.
Oral and written forms of communication are similar in many ways. They both rely on the basic communication process, which consists of eight essential elements, such as the: source, receiver or receiving audience, the interviewee’s Civil & Voting Rights message, video or in-person delivery channel, audience verbal or written feedback, virtual, hybrid, or in-person environment (public forum or audio/TV/podcast taping), context showcase or town hall discussion, and interference, which could involve local news or social media discourse.
Purpose: The purpose of this curriculum addition is to provide high students with an opportunity to demonstrate the real-life application of oral history engagement to learn about civic engagement and to apply their original writing and oratory skills developed in the New Jersey Orators.
Our showcase of this new programming, known as “Remembering Their Legacy: An Oral History of Our Seniors,” took place at the Piscataway John F. Kennedy Library at 500 Hoes Lane in Piscataway Township.
The Oral History & Town Hall Discussion featured presentations from four passionate high school student Orators, two of which are now Freshmen in college. These student Orators had the privilege of conducting interviews with four inspiring older African American women over the age of 90. These women, despite the adversities they faced, emerged as trailblazers for change in their respective communities
Senior Quotes
Mother Mary Gordon
“I was born in 1918 in Halifax County, Virginia. My father, (Leonard Pringle) was a farmer. He was very smart. He loved to read. He emphasized reading and learning to his children. He wanted to be a doctor. Unfortunately, there wasn’t that opportunity for a Black man back then.”
“I came to Perth Amboy when I was 21 years old. I was a nurse’s aide and home health aide. My youngest patient was 3 years old…God gave me my strength. I was born to be a caretaker. It was God’s will. I do mostly everything alone. Even at the age of 103, I still have a lot of energy thanks to God. I was able to jump a lot of hurdles. I was never a vindictive person. I killed them with kindness.”
Mrs. Pinkie Rodgers
“The Civil Rights Era began in 1954. During that time, racial segregation, discrimination, and violence in America against African Americans was a major occurrence. It was a very dark time for this country…”If you’ve heard of Southern University Jaguars, then you know about LSU, the White school. Louisiana State University (LSU) was the white school in Baton Rouge. We weren’t allowed to go to that university so they built a separate university called Southern University, a Historical Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU). There was segregation during that time.”
“So, we were wondering whether we were going to get jobs after graduation. And then the opportunity came when the Civil Rights Law was passed in 1963 … They passed the law that jobs had to be opened to all qualified people. And I just happened to be one of those in healthcare, because I graduated in Dietetics, which required a lot of sciences.”
Mrs. Anna Booker
The 1950s was a trying time in Plainfield. Black residents and White residents were segregated. In terms of geographics and demographics, Black residents tended to live, work, and attend school on the west end of the city, while White residents lived, worked, and attended school on the east end of the city.
Mr. Charles and Mrs. Anna Booker were two civil rights giants in the Plainfield, New Jersey community. Mr. and Mrs. Booker are most celebrated for their efforts in helping to desegregate the Plainfield Public Schools based on their community activism and litigation of the landmark case (Booker v. Board of Education of Plainfield, 1965). The contributions of Mr. and Mrs. Booker are so celebrated in Plainfield that a new school currently opened this year (2023) has been named the “Charles and Anna Booker School” in their honor.
“So, we were wondering whether we were going to get jobs after graduation. And then the opportunity came when the Civil Rights Law was passed in 1963 … They passed the law that jobs had to be opened to all qualified people. And I just happened to be one of those in healthcare, because I graduated in Dietetics, which required a lot of sciences.”
Mrs. Ida Anderson
“Why?”
“Why is it called “Separate But Equal” school when the quality of education is far from equal.”
“Why is my school called Gloucester Training School but the White school is called Gloucester High School?”
“Why do we have hand-me-down books, but the other school gets brand-new ones?”
“As I watched my dad vote, I asked myself, why does my dad have to memorize the Gettysburg Address and the Preamble to the Constitution?”
Partners
