By
Clifford L. Williams
Do
you want to tell your story...the story of your
family, a special event in your life, cherished
memories you want to share with someone special?
Now is your chance
to participate in StoryCorps Griot, an oral history project that is touring
America compiling stories of ordinary people who eventually will have their
stories archived at the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress in Washington,
D.C.
The Griot is part of a West African tradition of storytelling,
where a highly respected member of the tribe acted as a living repository of
births, death, marriages ad significant events in the community. Griots were
responsible not only for transmitting oral history through the generations, but
also for ensuring that people found meaning in their own lives.
StoryCorps Griot is a oneyear initiative, funded by the Corporation
for Public Broadcasting, to collect interviews from at least 1,750 African
Americans. The StoryCorps Griot will place a special emphasis on the stories
of World War II veterans and men and women involved in the Civil Rights struggle.
From Feb. 15, 2007, through Feb. 28, 2008, the StoryCorps
Griot Initiative is making stops of up to six weeks in nine locations across
the nation, partnering with radio stations, historically black colleges and
universities, and other cultural institutions and membership organizations,
to record and distribute the stories of African-Americans.
In cooperation with
91.7 KALW-FM, the StoryCorps Griot will bring its mobile recording studio to
Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland from Aug. 9 through Sept. 19. At the
Mobile Booth residents will be able to sit in pairs-- oftentimes friends or
loved ones--where one person interviews the other.
A trained facilitator will
guide the participants through the interview process and handles the technical
aspect of the recording. At the end of the forty-minute session, the participants
are presented with a CD of their interview.
The StoryCorps Griot Initiative
will help ensure that the voices, experiences, and life stories of African-Americans
will be preserved and presented with dignity. It will also build bonds between
citizens and broadcast media by celebrating our shared humanity and collective
identity.
The Griot Initiative, the largest recorded undertaking of its kind
in American history, will be carried out in association with the National Museum
of African-American history and Culture (NMAAHC).
The unprecedented effort to capture the recordings of African-Americans
will help ensure that their voices, experiences and life stories will be preserved
and presented with dignity. The stories will be archived for future generations
at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress and at the NMAAHC.
“StoryCorps will give African-Americans the opportunity
to honor loved ones, preserve their stories for generations to come and educate
the nation about the contributions of African-Americans to the history of the
nation,” according to StoryCorps officials.
“It will continue our
mission to teach people to become better listeners, foster intergenerational
communication among families and communities, and help to appreciate the strength
in the stories of everyday people.”
During its six-week stay in the Oakland,
officials estimate that thousands of stories will be told, and approximately
200 of them will be edited for use as a representation of Oakland’s voices
of African-Americans.
Since April 2005, the StoryCorps tour has visited 54 towns
and cities in 39 states, ranging from small towns to major urban centers. Reservations
have sold out immediately everywhere StoryCorps has visited.
Below is the link
to the StoryCorps web-site, a series of commonly used discussion topics for
potential participants, and a registration how-to page. http://www.storycorps.net/griot/
All interviews must take place in the Mobile Booth; therefore,
those interested in participating can review the schedule online to make appointments.
Reservations for the Griot tour can be made by calling (800) 850-4406, or by
visiting www.storycorpsgriot.net.
