Children's Oral History Project

In 2007, the Museum was awarded a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to conduct a statewide oral history project entitled, "Adult Voices--Children's Eyes: Iowa African American Oral History Project".

This innovative project trains youth groups across Iowa to conduct oral histories in their communities. Not only are too many of our history makers unrecognized in life, they are often leaving this world without sharing their stories. Beyond that, younger Iowans are unaware of this vital, vibrant history. This project records this important history at risk and sparks a passion for heritage among the African American youth who participate.

The youth will attend a training session to learn how to conduct the interview, how to take notes and summarize the interview, as well as how to operate the video camera, digital camera, and laptop-the tools used to record the interviews. We request that the students give a presentation about their experience to the museum as well as to their own organization. Students will have a hands-on history project which will show them that history is alive, exciting and living next door.

We are concentrating on four topics for the interviews: Black Professionals in Iowa, Civil Rights Organizations in Iowa, Segregation and Integration, and Black Church History. We are collecting the names of History Makers for the students to interview. If you have a name of a History Maker who should be included or of a group of youth who would enjoy participating, please contact Connie Jo Toyne, the museum's Oral History Coordinator at 319-862-2101 ext. 26, 563-370-4957 or email ctoyne@blackiowa.org.

The interviews will be transcribed and the video tapes edited, then posted online for viewing and listening pleasure as well as for research and the preservation of an important piece of Iowa's history. They will also become a part of our collection with some being used in the permanent exhibit.