Oral Histories: Preserving the Impact of COVID-19 on Our Lives
The Pandemic’s Unprecedented Impact
The COVID-19 pandemic has left an undeniable mark on our world, affecting every aspect of our lives. To capture this unprecedented experience, universities, libraries, and museums are collecting oral histories from people who have weathered the storm.
Rapid-Response Collecting: Capturing Real-Time Experiences
Inspired by similar initiatives after 9/11 and the Women’s Marches, organizations are employing “rapid-response collecting” to gather accounts of the pandemic as it unfolds. The COVID-19 Oral History Project at Indiana University’s IUPUI Arts and Humanities Institute invites researchers and the public to share their stories through interviews or audio submissions.
Institutional and Community Perspectives
Various institutions are seeking personal narratives from their affiliated communities. Columbia University’s Interdisciplinary Center for Innovative Theory and Empirics is specifically collecting 1,000 stories from New Yorkers, prioritizing healthcare workers, emergency responders, and other essential workers. Brown University’s Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women is gathering experiences from individuals who identify as women, transgender, or gender non-binary.
Museums Documenting the Pandemic
Museums are also playing a vital role in preserving the pandemic’s impact. The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History is collecting artifacts, photographs, and documents to chronicle the pandemic’s effects on individuals, institutions, and communities. The Chicago History Museum is soliciting audio recordings from city residents, capturing the day-to-day changes and unexpected moments of levity and hope.
Regional Efforts: Amplifying Diverse Voices
Beyond national institutions, regional organizations are also collecting oral histories. The St. Joseph Public Library in Missouri and Foxfire, a heritage preservation group in southern Appalachia, are among those gathering stories from their communities. The Indiana Historical Society is accepting short video contributions, while the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh is preserving personal accounts through interviews and online submissions.
Preserving Our Collective History
These oral histories offer invaluable insights into the human experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. They will serve as primary source material for future historians, providing depth and context to the official accounts that will be written in history books. For those who share their stories, the process can also provide a sense of solace and connection amidst the chaos.
Personal Stories: Shaping the Narrative
The personal narratives collected through oral histories will shed light on the diverse ways in which COVID-19 has impacted individuals. From the challenges of isolation to the resilience of communities, these stories will shape our understanding of this historic event and its lasting effects on our society.
A Call for Participation
Organizations across the country are seeking personal accounts of how COVID-19 has impacted your life. Whether you have witnessed the pandemic’s effects firsthand or have experienced it from afar, your story matters. By sharing your experiences, you contribute to a collective record that will preserve our shared history for generations to come.