Why record the oral histories of homesteaders in the 1970s? Why not write a paper on their experiences, or film a video, or just talk to them?
The tradition of oral history dates back thousands of years. The act of telling an oral history is thought-provoking and informative for both the listener, the interviewee, and, later, the audience. The interviewee sculpts a story out of the jumble of moments that compose a life. The listener practices the art of conversation, learns the interviewee’s self-perception, and, finally, connects the deeply personal moments of the interviewee to the larger historical landscape. The preservation of oral history allows a larger audience to access the beautiful stories, historical context, funny moments, and life lessons that, ultimately, a life — and, by association, an oral history — contains.