Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Little Big Stories: Case Studies In Diversifying The Archival Record Through Community Oral Histories, Beth Mcdonald, Heather Lanctot, Natalia M. Fernandez

Journal of Western Archives

The use and development of oral history programs has become a popular way for archives to document events and communities, either as a supplement to traditional records or as discrete collections. In particular, projects that focus on involving groups traditionally underrepresented within the archival record are becoming increasingly common in both large institutions and small community archives. This article presents three case studies of oral history projects dedicated to forging ties in the community and increasing diversity in their collections. In these case studies, the authors discuss the inceptions of their projects and the ups and downs of developing community …