ORAL HISTORIES PROGRAM
NCRF will be supporting an increasing number of important and high-profile oral history projects in the future. Oral history projects offer a great way to “do good” while raising the stature of the profession to the general public.
The Veterans History Project
The Veterans History Project (VHP) is the first of several oral history projects being supported by NCRFand NCRA members through our expanded Oral Histories Program. Since 2003, NCRA members, who volunteer their services, have worked with NCRFand the Library of Congress to record and transcribe the stories of over 1,600 U.S. war veterans, building a lasting legacy of their wartime experiences.
The VHP program was expanded in 2007 through the 1000 Voices Initative, which continues to play an important role in preserving veterans stories. Statistics show that about 1,700 wartime veterans die each day, taking their personal stories with them. Many of these veterans have never made a full record of their wartime experiences. By interviewing and recording veterans' oral histories, you can help to create a lasting legacy for our nation.
Learn more about the Veterans History Project...
The Legal Aid Oral History Project
The National Equal Justice Library (NEJL) at Georgetown University is the first and only national institution dedicated to preserving the legal profession's history of serving poor Americans who are in need of legal representation. The Library has a very popular collection of oral histories provided by legal aid lawyers, administrators, and educators which captures their individual experiences of legally representing the poor. This material, in part, tracks an important part of President LBJ's War on Poverty Initiative. Click hear for the NEJL web site.
NCRF is seeking high-speed court reporting students to participate in this new project. Please contact Beth Kilker at bkilker@ncrahq.org to sign up.
Student Initatives Program
In 2008, the Student Initatives Program was introduced to focus on student participation in the newly formed Oral Histories Program. This program has become quite popular and will be continued into the 2010 NCRA membership year. NCRF will fund 2010 NCRA student memberships for qualifying students who transcribe two oral histories from either of these two projects. This is a win-win situation as important historical work is being done for our Oral History Program partners, and students are inspired to get involved with their court reporting community.
Get involved in NCRF's Oral Histories Progam today, it's a chance to make history permanent - one story at a time.
For more information on the Oral Histories Program email Beth at BKilker@ncrahq.org or at 800/272-6272.
November 17, 2009