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DMS 300: Oral History Interview Project

Interview Outline

Context Questions Professional Activites
  • Introductory questions and context about childhood, growing up
  • Describe your community / describe the community you feel you most belong to
  • Who are your role models?
    --follow: why?
  • Is there anything else you'd like to share about your community or background?
  • How did your work shape your life / how did your life shape your work
  • What first interested you in your job / career / calling?
  • How did you get to be in the leadership role you hold / the leadership role that was most significant to you?
  • What is the biggest challenge about working in your field?
  • What challenges did you face as an African American female in your work / school experiences
  • How did a challenging experience related to race or gender (or both) affect you in your leadership role?
  • What was the most traumatic/challenging part of your work as an activist / leader?
    --follow: how did you overcome this challenge/trauma
  • How have your achievements lead to opportunities for others?
  • What have you sacrificed for your work / activism?
    --follow: How do you know that your work/activism has been worthwhile / worth it?
Narrator-Specific: Those Still Active in the Field Narrator-Specific: Questions for Descendants
  • How has COVID impacted your activism?
  • What are your short term goals?
    --follow: what are your long term goals?
  • What inspired you about your elder/ancestor?
    --follow: how did that affect your life/choices/journey?
  • what is your ancestor's most important legacy?
  • how was your ancestor a role model for you?
Legacy: End Question:
  • What are your achievements that you take the most pride in? (or achievement you take the most pride in to narrow)
  • What type of memory would you like to leave behind? / what do you think is your most important legacy?
what else is important for you to share as part of this project?

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