Listening to War: Uncovering Wisconsin's Wartime Oral Histories

FAIN: PW-234713-16

Wisconsin Library Services (Madison, WI 53715-1255)
Emily Pfotenhauer (Project Director: July 2015 to September 2017)

A planning project to prepare for the digitization of oral history interview recordings documenting 20th-century military conflicts as experienced by residents of Wisconsin, held by libraries, archives, and historical societies throughout the state.

Listening to War: Uncovering Wisconsin's Wartime Oral Histories will identify oral history collections documenting Wisconsin citizens' experiences of 20th century war and its consequences and establish a comprehensive plan to digitize, preserve and provide access to hidden, at-risk personal accounts of life during wartime. The Recollection Wisconsin collaborative statewide digital program will locate and assess collections of sound recordings and moving images held by small, rural and resource-poor libraries, historical societies and other cultural heritage institutions across Wisconsin. By bringing to light oral history collections capturing the everyday lives of Wisconsin residents during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War, this Foundations project will contribute a multitude of new individual voices to our understanding of the American experience of war in the 20th century.

Media Coverage

Interview with Dana Gerber-Margie, Digital Archives Assistant (Media Coverage)
Publication: WiLS blog
Date: 6/12/2017
Abstract: Over the course of the grant, Digital Archives Assistant Dana Gerber-Margie visited more than two dozen cultural heritage organizations across Wisconsin to assess their oral history collections. As her position came to a close, WiLS interviewed Dana about her experience.
URL: http://www.wils.org/2017/06/12/interview-with-dana-gerber-margie-digital-archives-assistant/

Associated Products

Directory: Wisconsin's Wartime Oral Histories (Web Resource)
Title: Directory: Wisconsin's Wartime Oral Histories
Author: Emily Pfotenhauer
Author: Dana Gerber-Margie
Abstract: This directory describes oral history collections documenting the experiences of Wisconsin veterans and civilians during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War. This is not a comprehensive list, but offers a sample of the range of wartime oral history resources held in libraries, archives, historical societies, and museums across Wisconsin.
Year: 2017
Primary URL: http://recollectionwisconsin.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Directory_WartimeOralHistories.pdf

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