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ABOUT AGAVE
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WHO WE
ARE
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ON THE
RECORD
ON THE RECORD
FALL 2006
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WHY ORAL HISTORIES?
WHY RECORD ORAL
HISTORIES?
-by Pam
Stevenson, President, Agave Productions, Inc.
An acquaintance
recently asked me, "Why is it important to record oral histories?"
Answering her question started me thinking. Of course historians
see the value in oral histories. But for the general public, what
is the purpose of oral histories?
I believe that oral histories, particularly when they are
videotaped, capture a part of our past that is critical to
understanding where we came from. Documents usually can tell us
the facts -- who, what, when, where. But it is the stories told by
those who lived the events that tell us also the emotions behind
the events . . . how ordinary people coped with major events like
the Depression, world wars and struggles for equal rights. Those
stories . . . serious and sad, victorious and funny . . . will be
lost when those who lived them pass on.
Today we have the technology to preserve the faces and voices of
people who have lived history. Just as today we treasure written
records of past events, someday future generations will treasure
the visual and audio accounts of the 20th century that we record
today. Those stories tell us how people lived. They give history a
personal perspective. And they often show us how, despite the
differences of generations or ethnic backgrounds, we are all very
much alike. Stories of how they struggled to keep cool in Arizona
summers, working to earn money to go to college, or finding a
first job and making decisions about careers can give young people
insight as they travel that path today.
Stories of events behind the scenes as Arizona grew from a
territory to a modern metropolitan state are not told in history
books. Videotaped oral histories often record lives of people who
don't think their stories are important enough to be written down.
Stories and events that will be lost forever.
We think videotaped oral histories will be a priceless record for
the future . . . worth the time and money it takes to record them
today.
These articles are free to use for your newsletter, ezine or
magazine with the following guidelines. Full article with byline
must be printed. A tear sheet or electronic copy must be
sent to Agave Productions. Also, please list the following
information: AGAVE PRODUCTIONS, INC., 4545 N. 12th Street,
Phoenix, AZ 85014, PHONE: 602.279.5130 - 888.649.5130, E-mail:
info@agaveproductions.org
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